There are a lot of people who are shocked with the new found independence in college. It’s their first time to be away from mommy and daddy and there are just a lot of things to take care of…alone. It’s a new world out there and things can get pretty much out of hand. These are the reasons why a dirty dorm room has become quite a norm in college.
However, no matter how “normal” a dirty college dorm room may seem, it’s still awfully nice to have a clean place to live, move and breathe in. That is why, at the top tiers of dorm room decorating and maintenance is dealing with your roommate.
The first and most important aspect of your dorm room’s cleanliness is your roommate. If s/he’s the filthy, clumsy and messy kind, then you’re bound for at least a sem’s worth of junk. If s/he’s the OC, clean-hugging kind, then you’re lucky because there won’t be a lot of visual garbage. If there are, then maybe they’re yours. At the beginning of you sharing a room with someone, make sure that you track all shared expenses. They could be electricity, water, some shared furniture for dorm room decorating, etc.
Also, it’s good to talk to your roommate about a room’s general cleaning. Agree to take turns making the room sparkling clean. Maybe you can do a weekly thing or a bimonthly thing. One or two hours spent in cleaning your room can do wonders.
If your roommate has more junk than expected, talk to him/her about it. Tell him/her that it’s starting to bother you and to affect your productivity. Of course, at this point, your roommate will feel a little bit conscious about his/ her trash lying around. Set a good example by taking care of your junk also. If you can, clean your side of the room often. In not time, s/he will start to appreciate how nice it is to have a clean room. That, or s/he will be ashamed of his carelessness and will start to clean up more often.
See your initial plans for dorm room decorating shine! The only way to do that is to keep your room clean. Talk to your roommate about it.
