Put on your cleaning clothes, grab the mop, and turn up your favorite “get things done” playlist — it’s time to spring clean! As the season of rebirth and renewal, spring encourages us to say goodbye to the cold and dark of winter, open the windows, and take a deep breath of fresh, clean air.
Many people use the start of spring as an excuse to deep clean their homes, washing windows, organizing closets, and tackling long put-off chores. It’s the perfect time to hit the restart button on your personal space — but it’s also a great time to examine your life and “spring clean” away what’s not working for you.
If you’re in need of a fresh perspective and looking to spring into action (pun intended), take a good look around you and get ready to polish things up.
Step 1: Make a plan.
We’ve all been there: You start cleaning and then get distracted, and before you know it, you’re trying to organize photo albums while also tackling your children’s toys and trying to oversee a kitchen deep clean. It’s a mess, and it makes a mess! Instead of jumping right in, develop a strategic plan. One day, focus on kitchens and bathrooms. The next day, bedrooms and closets, and so on. When you have a game plan, it’s easier to get things done and check them off your list without creating extra work for yourself.
Step 2: Figure out what needs fixing.
We don’t just mean that squeaky door hinge or that dripping faucet! Take stock of everything in your life, from the household chores that feel impossible to complete to your family’s schedules. Are your kids shuttling around to too many lessons and extracurriculars and feeling exhausted? Are you taking on more than you can handle at work? Can you streamline anything to make life easier? This is the time to figure that out and decide what you can do to “fix” the situation.
Step 3: Open the windows.
Sometimes a long walk or a coffee break in the backyard can be a game-changer. Open up the windows and let a little fresh air in to break up the staleness, or buy a few new plants to add a much-needed dose of green and life into your home. Treat yourself to a pretty bouquet after you’ve completed your cleaning tasks. A little bit of the outdoors can really brighten up your mood.
Step 4: De-clutter with a purpose.
Don’t just take a load of castoffs to your local thrift store and expect them to deal with it or toss everything in the trash. When you’re de-cluttering, do it with a purpose! For example, if you’re going through your bookshelves, would those books be better served in the Little Free Library down the street or traded for credit at a used bookstore? Do you have a neighborhood Buy Nothing Group you could join to re-home that baby gear or those kitchen gadgets you don’t use? Would your sister or mother-in-law love that sweater you don’t wear?
Of course, anything past its expiration date should probably be tossed, but think of the life cycle of an item and consider how it could be reused or repurposed before setting it aside. You’ll feel better — and the planet will too!
Step 5:
After you’re done de-cluttering, take a look at the rest of your routines, like your health. How could you level up your wellness? A great place to start is with a liquid multivitamin, like Epresat® Adult Liquid Multivitamin! It’s made with seven vitamins, including A, B6, D, and E, and energizing herbs and fruit juices to help kick off the season in the best and brightest way.
Step 6: Remember that clean-ups are a process.
Unfortunately, we can’t just snap our fingers and tidy up the room Mary Poppins-style. Cleaning up your home and your life takes time! The outdoors doesn’t turn from snow to summer overnight, and your life doesn’t need to either.