Diane Gallagher
Features Writer

Now that spring has arrived, all the winter clutter has to go, along with the germs and the dust.
Now that spring has arrived, all the winter clutter has to go, along with the germs and the dust.

It is officially spring, and along with the longer days and warmer weather comes the task of cleaning up your living space. After a winter season that did not seem to want to go away, we can finally toss open the windows and get our spring cleaning done.
Although it is unclear when exactly the ritual of spring cleaning came about, in the past, predominantly in colder climates, people tried to keep their houses closed throughout the cold winter months because of inadequate heating. Spring was a welcome break from the cold that allowed people to open their windows and doors in order to let the fresh air into the home.
Spring cleaning was good for the overall health and wellness of all involved in the cleanup process. People were able to get out and enjoy the spring weather as well as rid their homes of all the dust and dirt that had accumulated over the winter months.
After a few months of accumulating clothes, papers, and other items that make a room cluttered, it is most likely a perfect time to clean up your dorm or apartment. Feeling overwhelmed by your “organized chaos?” Worry not; here are some tips for spring cleaning your living space:
• Dust lighting fixtures and ceiling fans. Regina Godfrey shared one of her spring cleaning tips, saying, “Wipe down ceiling fan blades with a fabric softener sheet, it keeps the dust from building back up.”
• Wash doorknobs. Doorknobs are a prime suspect in the spread of the cold and flu. Germs have been shown to survive on doorknobs and other inanimate surfaces for more than two hours.
• Dust furniture. One half teaspoonful of dust can contain up to 500 dust mites. In addition to the millions of dust mites that are in your living space, each female mite can lay 25 to 50 eggs every three weeks. Dust mites live in pillows, bed covers, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpeting and even clothing.
• Organize your dresser and closet. Remove items and decide if you want to keep them or not. Recycle the items you no longer need by donating them.
• Move your bed. Sort and put away anything that was under the bed, then sweep or vacuum before moving the bed back.
• Disinfect your cell phone. Your cell phone is dirtier than your toilet seat. Generally speaking, phones are warm and have several crevices for bacteria to hide in. A recent study in the United Kingdom found that some cell phones have staph bacteria breeding on them, which can lead to everything from skin infections all the way to meningitis.
Once you have cleaned your living space, you can move on to sprucing up your electronic life.
• Clean your computer. When is the last time you cleaned your computer? This includes: archiving old files, organizing bookmarks for easy access, organizing contacts and making sure you’re protected from viruses and spyware. Do not forget that you should literally clean your computer as well. Dust particles can interfere with the computer’s efficiency.
• Update your resume. As all astute college students know, you should be building your resume. Spring is the perfect time to update it so it is ready for looking for summer jobs and internships
• Update your online image. If you currently are or will soon be searching for internships and summer jobs, now is also the time to clean your online image. Do a Google search of your name; clean up anything that could be creating a negative impression. Update your LinkedIn account and network with other college students and business professionals in your field of study.