Photo Courtesy of Wix

Spring has sprung!

As of Sunday, March 20th, spring is officially underway. And what better way to kickstart the season than spring cleaning?

There’s no better feeling than a purge of unnecessary things cluttering your space, but the hardest part is starting! So, where should you begin?

First things first: you need to compile a list of categories to tackle. Whether you choose to assign one category per day or flurry through them all at once, it’s important to know what to focus on.

We’ll break it down into the three things you can tackle to kickstart your spring cleaning!

1. Old Clothes

Honestly, who doesn’t love a good outfit?

But, let’s face it: you need to let go of those old, tattered tees that you *literally* loved to death. And things that don’t fit anymore? Yes, those things need to go too.

Tough love is an essential part of tossing (or donating) your tops, jeans, jackets, and intimates that no longer “bring you joy” -- as Marie Kondo would say. So, go ahead and start sifting through your closet!

2. Expired Food

Tossing expired food should be a no-brainer, but we’re all guilty of forgetting about overdue canned goods and that salad dressing that made its way to the back of the fridge!

Go through your pantry and toss anything that is past its expiration date. And, if you know you won’t use some of those canned goods that are still safe to enjoy, consider donating them to your local food pantry or homeless shelter.

And, of course, don’t forget to go through your fridge and toss anything that’s expired, rotten, or wilted!

3. Old Papers

Whether you are a former student or you just like to collect papers and receipts, tossing your old printouts is a must this spring! Again, if you don’t need it or if it doesn’t bring you joy -- it has to go!

If you have a drawer that collects old papers, start there. This might be in your home office or in an infamous junk drawer, but wherever it is, create a “keep” and a “toss” pile.

Things in your “TOSS” pile should include: junk mail, old catalogs and coupons, random receipts from years ago, business cards you don’t need, and manuals from products you don’t have anymore (oops!). Of course, old school papers and other things can be tossed as you see fit!

Things in your “KEEP” pile should include: bank statements, recent credit card bills, W2s, and any important personal documents! To stay organized, use folders and files to help you keep these papers from being loose or getting lost.

And there you have it!

Sorting through your clothes, expired food, and old papers is the best way to kickstart your spring cleaning purge in 2022!

Amanda Sosa is a college graduate from California State University, Long Beach with a MA in English (emphasis Rhetoric and Composition) and a BA in English (emphasis Rhetoric and Composition; minor in American Studies). She currently works in higher education English classrooms at Golden West Community College and as an instructor at Platt College. Her love of writing has prompted her to additionally pursue copywriting and copyediting professionally.