The Summer Cleaning Guide for People Who Aren't Naturally Organized

Even though spring has famously claimed the title of cleaning season, for students and parents, it can be one of the busiest times of the year. Between final projects, end-of-school events, sports, performances, and preparing for summer, there often isn't much time left to actually clean anything.

In many ways, summer is an even better time to clear out the old and refresh your surroundings. The weather is nicer, making outdoor projects easier. School is out, giving students more time to sort through their belongings. And perhaps most importantly, summer simply feels like a season of reinvention, a chance to revisit those visions of a better, more organized version of yourself that may have started back in January.

Even excluding clothing, closets can become major problem areas. From old photo albums and random souvenirs to supplies for hobbies you haven't touched in years, closets often become the dumping ground for everything we want out of sight and, eventually, out of mind.

The first step in any successful room or home clean-out is bringing things into the open where you can actually see and evaluate them. However, if your closet is packed to the brim, pulling everything out at once may not be the best strategy. Instead, tackle it in

sections or categories so your room remains livable rather than being completely overrun by the contents of an empty closet.

As you sort, create as many piles as you need, ranging from "must keep" to "get it out of here," with plenty of categories in between. The goal isn't perfection. It's simply making thoughtful decisions about what deserves to stay and what is ready to go.

Another area worth tackling is the desk. Desks are often treasure troves of forgotten documents, abandoned projects, mystery papers, and worn-out supplies that have somehow blended in with the useful ones. While cleaning a desk can be one of the messiest organizing tasks, requiring you to empty drawers full of random materials and long-forgotten clutter, it can also be one of the most satisfying.

Pro Tip: Never assume you'll magically become perfectly organized in the future. Instead of planning to never make a mess again, plan for the reality that you probably will. Consider dedicating a drawer, basket, or section of your workspace to "current chaos" and set aside a recurring time to sort through it. Building systems that work with your habits is often far more effective than relying on willpower alone.