Little Measures Have Big Results: Students Get Tips on How to Keep a Clean Room

From schoolwork to jobs, and even in relationships, many college students have mastered the art of doing just enough to get by. But when it comes to keeping a clean house, the little that doesn't get done can quickly grow into an enormous eye sore.

Martha Crawford, a sophomore undecided major, lives in a split quad in Richmond with her three roommates. The girls share a small common room, connected to both bedrooms. While other students use their common rooms as a sort of lounge, filling it with couches or a television, this room serves as something of a messy storage room, filled with multiple empty boxes, a disassembled futon and a broken lamp.

Crawford acknowledges that her bedroom won't win any blue ribbons for neatness.

"I clean it, get dressed and get ready, and then it gets messy again," said she said. "Then I just do it all over again."

For Crawford, moving away from the comfort of home also meant moving away from automatic cleanliness.

"I know it sounds bad, but I'm used to having my parents pick up after me. I don't like to clean."

Her suitemate Lauren Moore, a sophomore undecided major, lives in similar disorganization. Her side of the room, decorated with a pink bedspread and throw rug, numerous photo collages, is complete with posters of Tupac and baby cherubs. The carefully selected decorative items are immersed in disarray.

A hair straightener and curling iron, both plugged in, lay on top of her dresser along with endless amounts of makeup. Festive Christmas lights line a nightstand covered with dirty dishes; her unmade bed contains pillows half out of their pillowcases and her stuffed panda bear.

Moore's ultra feminine appearance is a sharp contrast to her untidy surroundings. Laundry in desperate need of attention waits in the hamper, falls out of dresser drawers, and lies on the floor. The garbage is begging to be taken out, and a pile of books sits, untouched, in the corner of the room.

Moore, whose catering job, combined with a 16-credit hour course schedule, keeps her busy, said time is an issue when it comes to keeping her room clean.

"I'm never in my room, I'm always doing something," she said. "It's hard for me to put aside time to clean it when I'm always running around."

Many a messy room can be attributed to a busy schedule. Barry Izsak is hoping to make those busy schedules the reason he stays in business.

Izsak is the owner of ArrangingItAll.com and the president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Through his Web site people can hire personal organizers to come and organize their garages, bedrooms, closet or anywhere else they have a mess.

Izsak spoke about some tips that UB students should keep in mind when tending to their messy areas. They included having large wastebaskets in the room, providing additional shelving for extra space, and always following the "everything off the floor rule."

"These solutions will increase your productivity, reduce stress, and save you time," said Izsak.

For some keeping tidy isn't an issue of finding time, it's just a way of life. Joseph Pray, a junior history major, lives in a single in the Richmond quad and said his room is surprisingly clean for a guy.

"I know students have trouble staying organized," he said "But it's not that hard. Just clean as you go and don't just throw things on the floor."

Although Pray said his carpet could currently stand a good vacuuming job, he typically does a thorough cleaning about once every week.

"Being clean just keeps you more organized. Think about it," he said, "You could spend more time reading instead of trying to find a book under a pile of clothes."

The same issues apply to students living in both on and off-campus apartments. Emily Herbrand, a senior anthropology and linguistics major, lives in Southlake Village with her three roommates. To keep their living area clean, all four take turns with household tasks.

"Everyone shares responsibilities. It's an agreement between us that keeps things fair," she said.

Herbrand's bedroom is perfectly organized. Not one of the many candles or picture frames is out of place, there is no dirty laundry on the floor, and it is always kept that way.

"The only thing I really do is pick up the small stuff on a regular basis," said Herbrand. "That way it doesn't become one huge mess."