How to spring-clean your surroundings to restore your life

Written by: Anna Niemira

Spring-clean your surroundings to restore your life

 At the end of the calendar year, a plan to start the new year with a kick is in place. We set goals on how we should start and end each day. We determine what we can improve on a personal and professional level. We plan our happiness. Yet, winter's cold and short days consume our energy. Deep down, we crave change, but we feel tired and unmotivated to follow our schedule.

Finally, March’s spring equinox and April’s bloom revive our energy and optimism. Slowly but surely we get our mojo back.  We start to exercise more, eat better, and get our vitamin D3 by spending more time outdoors. We gather our strength and vitality. After winter’s sleep, there is a spring awakening.

When things aren't adding to your life, start subtracting

Here comes spring! We are connecting this season with the ancient mythological Maia, embodying the concept of growth. The implementation of our new year’s resolutions gets its perfect timing. We feel charged and ready for action! Once we pull up our sleeves and clean our surroundings, we will welcome a mid-year assessment of our goals and pave the way for the satisfaction of our achievements.

But, before we start a new, we need to clean out the outdated.

Your home is your castle

 A home is also our sanctuary.  It is a place to relax, recharge, and reflect.  We absorb what is around us. It is pertinent to keep our space clean and organized, getting rid of broken or unused things cluttering our corners. We often accumulate things, just in case we might need them one day.  Papers and magazines on our desks collect dust. Our dressers bulge with garments we do not need, and our closets swell with clothes we do not wear. 

Take time to go through your closet.  Try on different outfits and see how you feel about them.  Do they still fit you well?  Do some items need mending?  Most importantly, do you feel good about them? Package and donate clothes you are not going to wear.  Do the same for your shoes or any other items in your closet. It might take you a couple of days to clean it all out.  Yet, you will see the capsule wardrobe you love once it is done. 

Follow the same process for your dresser and desk.

The next goal is your bathroom and kitchen.  Clean your vanity. Go through all of your cosmetics and throw away empty packages and products you no longer use. Then, transform your hell's kitchen into a heaven's kitchen.  Check boxes and cans of food for their expiry date.  Go through your pans, pots, and plates to remove any chipped, broken, or over-used pieces. Wash your cupboards and segregate food and dishes in an accessible and easy-to-use way.

Finish the spring refreshment of your home by getting a better view of the world through spotlessly clean windows. Invite the sunshine into your home, breathe in the fresh spring air, and feel positive energy emerging!

Digital platforms are to help, not to bog down

Photos we do not like, files we do not need, and movies we do not watch take up space and memory on our computer.  It could take us many days to sort out every file and delete what no longer serves us.  Segregated folders will save our time and will ease operating our computers.

It is good to review Instagram, Facebook, and other online accounts we have as well.  Spring is a great time to think of our new image and the unity of presentation on our social media platforms.  Once we feel creative vibes, we can design a color theme for our profile to bring a fresh and more appealing look.

We should remove all phone apps we do not use and segregate the ones we keep by the theme.  Our first page can include communications apps, with our second page holding our banking and financial applications.  Our third page can include our fewer used and applied apps.

Once we clean and segregate our digital media platforms, we will save a lot of time and improve our overall presentation. 

Be your own best friend

Now it is time to rejuvenate your body and soul.  Analyze your exercise routine. There are apps and YouTube videos with excellent workouts targeting specific areas of your body you want to improve.  Consider exercises you can do outdoors, such as balancing yoga or an intense total body workout.  Consider learning tennis or joining a hiking club. 

Find inner peace in your daily meditation.  It will help you to focus and concentrate your thoughts.  It will teach you patience and composure.

Do not forget to implement a new rejuvenating skincare regime.  Especially after winter and early spring, our skin is dull and dry.  Delicate exfoliation followed by moisturizing serums and creams will revitalize your skin and bring long-lasting hydration to feel rejuvenated and season-ready.

The end crowns the work

You de-cluttered your surroundings and cleaned up your space. Do you feel a surge of new energy? It is time to welcome new experiences and a more organized life.  Do your best to keep everything in order, cleaning up regularly on at least a monthly basis.  Revise your personal goals.  Set your new challenges.

Enjoy the spring and the upcoming summer!