There is nothing more satisfying than coming home to a clean space. In between attending your classes at the University of South Florida, doing homework, possibly working a job, or volunteering for clubs, you might find it hard to clean on a regular basis. Instead, you might opt for a larger amount of time for spring cleaning every few months or so.
Believe it or not, there are ways to make spring cleaning easier, more efficient, and less of a hassle overall. You might not like organizing and cleaning that much, but it can make the difference between completely loving your USF apartment or feeling trapped and frustrated in your own residence. Plus, if you live in an already furnished apartment near USF, it can help the longevity of the furniture provided if you clean every spring.
Listed below are some of the most effective ways to tackle the dreaded tasks of spring cleaning swiftly and confidently.
Gather Supplies to Deep Clean Your USF Apartment
In order to clean successfully you must have the right tools to do so. Unless you have a steady source of income, it might seem impossible to get all the supplies you need within a limited student budget. No worries! There are a few things you can do to get around this.
The first thing you can do is look into renting supplies from your apartment or a local cleaning service nearby. Depending on the service, they might charge you by the day or by the amount of product you use while cleaning. If your budget is really tight you might prefer to save your money for renting vacuums and other cleaning tools and use your own cleaning chemicals and scrubs instead.
Another thing you can do is go to a large superstore near your USF apartment and buy cleaning supplies in bulk. Spring cleaning requires a good amount of supplies and the initial investment for bundled supplies might prove to be less expensive than buying individual tools instead.
Pace Yourself with Individual Tasks
Jumping right into the act of deep cleaning can be extremely overwhelming. All of the apartments near USF fluctuate in size and design layout so starting in sections can help space the tasks out into digestible amounts.
Also, dedicating a whole day to cleaning can be stressful. Make sure to spread it out over a few days so the cleaning doesn't interrupt with your regular, day-to-day routine.
Some of the best things take a little bit of effort. Instead of paying more money for pre-made cleaning supplies, you can save money and use things in your own kitchen to clean surfaces, floors, and appliances just as well as the products sold in the store. Some of the cheapest and most effective homemade cleaning supplies like lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda are less toxic and are more likely to go on sale near your local grocery or convenience store, which means less money and more peace of mind that what you are using is safe for everyone involved.
Keep Your Other Roommates in Mind
You might live with other people, or you might live in a pet friendly apartment near USF. To avoid conflict or possible issues, make sure your other roommates or furry friends who share a USF apartment with you aren't negatively affected by the chemicals you use to clean your mutual space. Looking for nontoxic ingredients and making cleaners of your own are some of the best ways to make sure allergies and other issues are considered.
Also, harsh chemicals breathed in for a prolonged period of time can prove to be detrimental to your overall health and wellbeing. As a safety precaution, it's better to avoid dangerous chemicals that can interact with each other and your own body in a negative way.
Whether you are planning to live in your apartment for a long time or you have only signed for an apartment with a short-term lease near USF, spring cleaning is a necessary and rewarding thing to do not just for aesthetic purposes, but also to keep your apartment in great shape for the rest of the time you are there.