How to Spring Clean More Than Your Closet

Spring cleaning is a tradition of deep cleaning your home or spaces within it. Some spring cleaners take this as a time to reevaluate items that they no longer need, and others use it as a time to simply reorganize. While spring cleaning physical spaces does have a positive effect on the mind (clean space = clear mind), it is important to spend time “spring cleaning” your mind.

Following the start of a new semester and mid-term season, now is more than ever the time to take note of your mental state and decompress. In preparation for a relaxing summer, you’ll find four ways to de-stress below.

Put your phone away and get outside

While phones are a useful tool of technology, they also create a constant flow of information—one that can feel overwhelming. Turning off your phone for around an hour or two a day gives your brain a chance to rest and recharge. 

In those two hours, getting outside adds another layer of peace and calmness. Listening to the birds chirp, seeing the flower buds bloom and enjoying the warm weather readies the mind to finish out the school year on a positive note. 

Take a moment to write your thoughts down

When your brain feels overwhelmed, it can get hard to focus on things like schoolwork, schedules and even simple tasks. Writing things down gives your brain a chance to assess the situation and prioritize important tasks.

Writing things down also gives you a chance to update your calendar. The end of the school year can start to feel unmanageable with events, tests and more. Calendars help keep you organized and on track.

Set manageable goals

Goals are a great way to motivate yourself to get things done. While it’s good to have long term goals, they can often lead to burn-out. Setting more manageable, short-term goals are a great way to keep pushing to the bigger ones. Try setting a goal each week, you can also attach a reward to it for extra motivation. 

Sharing goals with friends and family is also a great way to keep yourself in check. Saying them out loud to another person can help solidify them as real goals and remind yourself of why you want to achieve them. 

Take care of yourself

Self care is a great way to check in with yourself and relax. Some examples are getting your nails done, skincare and retail therapy. Taking a moment to yourself gives you the chance to recuperate your energy, saving it for when you’ll need it.

Self care can also take the form of boundaries and communication. Respecting yourself is one of the greatest forms of self-care, and is extremely gratifying and important. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and put yourself first. 

• mental health
• self care
• spring