#minimalist setup

Put on a good playlist. I like to listen to hip hop, and sometimes EDM when I’m cleaning. Upbeat music is better, in my opinion. Whatever music you like is fine, as long as it motivated you. Play it loud if you can.

Do the easy parts first. See some garbage? Pick it up and throw it away. Dirty clothes on the floor? Stick them in the laundry. Old assignments you will never care about again? File them away or recycle them. You have to get rid of things you know that you will never use. Get rid of as many things as you can. After this step you should see a significant difference in the space you are trying to organize. 

Set up specific locations for things you use a lot. Find a holder for your loose pens, and put it within arms reach of your workspace. If you wear a jacket every day, it might be worth buying a wall hook for it. Labels are great, because they allow you to instantly know if an item is in the correct place or if it’s gone. You don’t need any fancy or expensive organizers, just the furniture you have, a sharpie, and some masking tape.

Make sure the most useful items are out, and others aren’t. If I don’t use something very often, I put it away, out of sight. This makes my room appear a lot more organized, because I only have a few items out in the open.

Finally, ask the hard questions. For me, if I haven’t worn an item of clothing in over a year, I get rid of it. You have to ask yourself, Do I really use this item? Does it contribute to my life or does it just take up space? Does this item make my space considerably uglier or more cluttered? Giving honest answers will allow you to know if the item is worth keeping or not. At this stage, when you have eliminated all of the unnecessary items, you may consider investing in a cute shelf or set of drawers, etc. but that is completely optional.