It’s that time of year again, and you know what that means: spring is here! Finally, some sun on our faces and some birds to sing with. However, it’s also the time of the year to clean your space. That’s right, it is spring cleaning time. Whether you’re a clean freak or a slob, finding a way to stay organized is a great stress relief, makes you feel accomplished and helps with your overall productivity and motivations in your life. It is a way to feel as fresh as the new season, so now is the time to get rolling. Spring cleaning is different than normal cleaning because you are essentially doing a detox of your space, which can be overwhelming. So how do you go about making the best choices for that spring clean feel? Look no further, here are some do’s and don’ts.
Do: Start with what you want to do least.
By making your toughest challenge your first to conquer, the rest of your space will feel like a breeze to clear out and you’ll feel so proud of yourself for facing the hardest part of your organizational obstacles. It also forces you to realize the necessary cleaning that your space needs when it is easy to put it on the end of your to do list. Face your fears and save yourself the stress.
Don’t: Stop cleaning for hours to look through that scrapbook.
When cleaning, it’s easy to get distracted. But you want a clean space, don’t you? So, the only way to speed up the process is to avoid distractions. If you are trying to decide what to keep or get rid of from a blast from the past, give yourself the five second rule. Like anything, if it doesn’t spark some memory or a need to keep the item within a short time frame, then it’s time to get rid of it.
Do: Minimize what you have, compared to what you actually need.
What I mean by this is, if you have a ton of decor in your room and it is overwhelming the space, clear it out if you can- even if it isn’t necessary too. The less junk you have around, the more relaxed and open your space will seem. De-clutter for that spring clean feel. Just don’t feel the need to get rid of something you actually care too much about either, only what you can live without.
Don’t: Force people to help.
So sure, it’s nice to have help cleaning, but if you’re deep cleaning your bin with your bills in it or trying to decide if your ex’s sweatshirt has to go, it might be best to leave those decisions to you to avoid unnecessary conflict. If you feel overwhelmed, feel free to get help, but assign tasks accordingly.
Do: Actually clean while it is spring.
It is easy to make excuses and put it cleaning off, but when you’re done with your spring cleaning haul, you’ll feel incredible and feel like you have a fresh start. Then the next thing you know the rain will stop, the sun will shine and you’ll be even less likely to want to clean when vacations and summer days are here. So better to do it on that rainy day when you have less on your to do list.
But whatever you do have fun, feel proud of yourself and get your clean on. It feels so good, and so does spring! Spring into a new you, a new space and let’s get that clutter out of here!
[All photos are stock photos]