You meet all sorts of people when you go to university.
There’s the one who loves to party on a school night, the comedian who’s always cracking jokes, the spoilt one who sponges of their parents for everything, the quiet one who prefers not to join in with group activities and – let’s not forget – the messy one!
As a student, you’ll have assignments that you need to finish, lectures that you need to wake up early for, nights out that you need to go on, and money to save for the monthly rent and weekly shop – leaving little time to clean your halls of residence.
Here Orlando Village shares five tips on how to keep your student accommodation in Bolton clean and tidy, without breaking the bank or interfering with your social life.
1. Get the right kit
Cleaning doesn’t have to be an arduous job, not if you’re equipped with the basics (e.g. microfibre cloths, multi-purpose wipes, bin bags, marigolds, bathroom cleaner if you have an en-suite).
These are all things that you can pick up from the local supermarket, so they won’t leave you out of pocket. But if money is tight, you could ask your housemates to chip in – especially if you’ll be cleaning communal areas, too.
2. Create a cleaning schedule
A great way to make light work of cleaning your student accommodation in Bolton is to allocate every housemate a job, and swap roles each week.
Depending on how many people you’re staying with in halls; one person could do the washing up whilst someone else dries and puts things away. Another housemate could take out the bins when they’re full, whilst others blitz the bathroom or hoover up.
If your housemates aren’t keen on the idea of a rota, then make it clear that everyone has to clean up after themselves. That means washing pots and pans as soon as you’ve finished using them, and wiping down surfaces before you leave the room.
3. Be savvy with your laundry
When you live in halls with a communal laundrette, you’ll spend most of your time waiting for a free washing machine, when you could be doing other things – like revising for your exam or getting ready for that night out you’ve been planning for months with your coursemates.
Our best advice? Ask one of your housemates to let you know when they’ve finished using a machine so someone else doesn’t jump in before you. Alternatively, wait until you have a full wash load and wash your clothes, bedding, towels, cushion covers at once. Just be mindful of mixing different colours on a hot wash.
4. Declutter your desk
Every room at our student accommodation in Bolton comes with a desk, so you don’t need to balance your laptop on your knee or risk falling asleep when you lie down on your bed to read notes from your lectures.
Although it’s tempting to use your desk as a dumping ground for loose change, jewellery, and clothes that you’re too lazy to put in the wardrobe, you want to keep your workspace as tidy as possible.
Set aside a little time each week to give your desk a good tidy. And keep it simple with a pencil case or stationery organiser, a desk lamp, notepad, and perhaps a plant.
5. Empty the fridge before you write a shopping list
The golden rule is to never go shopping on an empty stomach. Not only will you end up buying more food than you need, but you’ll also spend more and waste more.
The best thing to do before you pop to the supermarket is to make a list. Check what food you already have in the cupboards and plan your meals for the week to curb unnecessary spending.
It’s also worth taking everything out of the fridge (including the drawers) and putting anything that’s out of date in the bin. Before you put the food back, make a note of what you need to pick up from the shop (i.e. milk, butter, cheese, orange juice) and wipe the fridge down with warm water.
And there you have it. Our top five tips for keeping your student accommodation in Bolton spic and span.
Of course, tidying is always much easier if you make it fun. So why not clean to your favourite music? Or reward yourself with a nice cup of tea or, depending on the time, a nap when you’re done?
