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Keeping it clean

While the arrival of spring does bring April showers and May flowers, for me it brings an insane urge to clean. That's right: spring cleaning at its finest. This year is even more urgent because I have to start thinking about moving into my new - and last - apartment as an undergraduate student. Apart from the ever-growing heap of clothes that I've been meaning to pick up, I now have to worry about where everything my room contains will go this summer.

I don't know how I do it, but after every break I manage to return to Charlottesville with three or more bags of stuff that I feel I desperately needed from home - and it's not food. This leads people to believe my room has been hit by a hurricane for the majority of the week until Saturday's cleaning makes it a little bit more acceptable.

The other day, I was working on my computer when it finally hit me: I just have too much stuff. Unfortunately, it hit me literally when my overstuffed clothes rack, which holds all the things I can't cram into my packed closet, crashed into me in slow motion from the weight of too much stuff. That's when I decided it was time for this year's spring cleaning frenzy, and I'm starting with those violent clothes.

So, all my fellow "packrats," please listen up: We've got some life-changing cleaning to do. For those who have some major clothes overhauling to take care of like me, there are a couple options: donating and "thrifting."

If you have any brand name items of clothing, try one of Charlottesville's many used clothing stories. Often they will give you an estimate on your clothing and if you accept the offer, you can leave with cash in hand. Or if you want to donate, try one of Charlottesville's two thrift locations for the Salvation Army, or the local SPCA Rummage Store which uses profits to rescue abused and neglected animals. Most locations also accept books, household fixtures and even some furniture.

Once you've finished your major overhaul, the question becomes where to keep the stuff you actually want. With a two-month period gap between leases, I've realized that I'll need to find a home for my clothes, books and all the other stuff stored in my overly-packed room. For those that require storage during the summer, now is the time to start comparing storage center prices. I recommend looking for climate-controlled storage as well. No one wants to return to school to find his furniture warped and mattress musty from humidity.

If you're not a packrat, I salute you. Otherwise, I hope your life will become a little less cluttered as we move into summer weather. Sometimes, all it takes is a moment for it to hit you that some major changes need to be made. Don't let your room get to the point where that phrase becomes literal like it did for me.

Vanessa's column runs biweekly Fridays. She can be reached at v.stephenson@cavalierdaily.com.

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