Edita Bardhi

Opinion Editor

Cleaning is commonly viewed as a chore, yet does it have to be?

The act of cleaning leaves our environment with a fresh, calming touch and yet so many people dread it.

Normally, people believe that cleaning anything is a burden or even worse, unnecessary.

Perhaps the activity is not pleasant; however, the result is worth it.

When cleaning, we are opening the doors to organization and a better tomorrow.

In other words, we allow ourselves to be happy and relaxed.

So, why do people choose not to clean?

There is not a singular answer to that question.

Most people are preoccupied with their responsibilities and not have time to clean Some may not see a reason to clean. Others do not care to clean.

Whatever the case, it does not make it any less disturbing.

In fact, not cleaning up after ourselves is awful. 

We are not only contaminating ourselves to bacteria, but we are also contaminating every other individual nearby. This is especially true during our college years.

So many college students choose not to wash their hands, properly throw away their trash, do laundry on a consistent basis, wash their dishes and overall clean their living space.

Perhaps there are places and times where we have a helping hand from janitors and custodians.

Yet, we should not leave them to clean up after us.

Their job should be focused on tidying up the overall area, not picking up after specific individuals. 

Personally, I grew up in a hoarded house and I am all too familiar with clutter, disorganization, dust and so forth. Even so, that does not mean I accept it.

In fact, I cannot tolerate any of it.

Each time I see an uncleaned area I become disturbed by whomever dirtied it in the first place.

Understandably, there are people who function better in a disorganized environment, but we must not mistake being organized from cleanliness.

They are two different things.

Whether you are a disorganized or organized individual, cleaning and keeping a clean environment is something that we should all consider.

It’s an act of self-care. 

To put into perspective, we spend our time and money getting a haircut to remove split ends, getting our nails done to repair and/or strengthen them, buying new clothes and accessories to replace the old, buying our favorite foods and so forth. We may even spend equal amount of time and money on leisurely activities such as working out and treating ourselves in whichever way we want.

Yet, we do not spend our time and money on cleaning the environment and/or items in which we use daily.

So, if we can enjoy do all those other “chores,” then why can’t we clean?

Perhaps those other chores are more rewarding and more leisurely, but we should not underestimate the advantages to cleaning.

Email Edita at:

ebardhi@live.esu.edu