Spring Cleaning Tips for Everyday Life

Ahhh Spring is in the air, the seasons are changing, and everything is coming into bloom. This is often the time when we’re opening the windows in our homes to let the fresh air in, and clearing out the items that no longer serve us (I’m looking at you, bedroom closet… it is time). Recently, I’ve been thinking about how we can extend our spring-cleaning energy beyond our homes and integrate this seasonal practice deeper into our lives. Here are 5 spring-cleaning tips for everyday life.

Stop And Smell the Roses

Often when I’m taking strolls through the neighborhood, I’ll whip out my phone to quickly snap a photo of a beautiful view. In springtime, those views include some of the best flowers on the block. One morning, I was walking down a residential street when the most amazing rose bush presented itself. It was wild and unruly, with magenta-red roses in full bloom. I knew I had to get a picture of these beauties. As I was lining up my shot and snapping away, someone driving down the street rolled down the window and said, “I bet they smell better than they look!” Oh my goodness, he was right. How on earth did I forget the very basic nature of stopping to smell the roses? Here’s a reminder to try and experience life with all your senses.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

We are so ready for garden season, aren’t we? So I volunteer at a neighborhood garden, and it turns out that weeding, mulching, and growing things is therapeutic. We obsess over our gardens and often tend to them with ease. But what if we were to also treat our lives as gardens? And maybe this moment is an opportunity for planting seeds and growing. Because the moment you’re in right now is the most important. It deserves your sunshine and your water so that things can grow. Is there anything in your own life that might need some weeding or pruning? Or better yet, is there any room for you to plant and nurture some new seeds for what you want to grow? Because we can be intentional with that, just as we are with the gardens in our yards and communities. Take a moment to appreciate where you are right now, how far you’ve come, and also what you’re growing into.

Let the Sunshine In

If I were to ask you to pause, ground yourself, and with intention take the deepest breath of your day, many of you might realize you haven’t really been breathing today. Don’t worry, I’m in the same boat. We The Urban has an excellent nervous system reset prompt that starts with a full deep breath. It goes on to remind us to unclench our jaws, lower our shoulders, relax our facial muscles, and release the weight of the day. Awww yeah, that sounds good, right? Definitely check that out, I have it bookmarked for whenever I need a moment of coming back to my body and the present moment of the day. Throughout the day, you can add mindful moments to let the sunshine in. Just as you easily pull back your curtains and adjust your blinds in the morning, you can add some grounding and intention to your day.

Some examples of this include:

• Slowing down during one of your morning ritual moments (like when you’re making that cup of coffee or tea)
• Taking a walk during your lunch break
• Setting a timer to dive into work for a specific time frame (60-90 minutes) and then intentionally stepping away from your computer to reset.
• Choosing to mute your phone or at least hide notifications for a few minutes or more
• Taking a moment to recall and acknowledge something or someone that you appreciate

Sorting Out What Stays and Goes

Listen, we all have that box or bag where we’re piling up items that we plan to donate. And I hope you actually figure out where to donate those items sooner rather than later. Don’t let them stay in that corner or in the trunk of you car (guilty!). Presently, I use Trashie to recycle my clothes and help ensure that they don’t end up in a landfill. As we rolled into 2024, creating an in-and-out list was all the rave for the new year. Social media was overrun with people being intentional about what they wanted to see more and less of in their lives. So now that Spring has sprung, maybe we can revisit that list and toss out the things we said we didn’t want more of. And if we let some things accidentally slide into 2024, this is the perfect time to recommit yourself.

Learn to Dance in the Rain

Dear reader, I’m not sure where you live in the world. But the first week of April in Baltimore was rainy. It rained for days. I almost thought I needed to collect two of every kind. And it reminded me of when I used to live in Seattle. Because us east coasters, when we have a rainy day, that’s a nice lazy day. We have warm food and cozy blankets and a movie or series we’ve been meaning to watch. But when you are faced with several rainy days in a row, you have to adjust your behavior. I learned that in Seattle when I started to venture out no matter the weather, because staying at home wasn’t doing me any good. Now, there’s nothing wrong with having a lazy rainy day. And I would also ask, what are some things that you can do to keep yourself moving towards your goals and dreams and keep yourself having fun, even when the weather isn’t in your favor?

 

Spring is here. This is the best time to have a little check-in with yourself. Remember, there are always opportunities to grow. Bloom where you are planted.