It goes without saying that the bleakness of winter has not made it easy to maintain a clean aesthetic with crusts of salt and snow materializing on otherwise crisp Uggs. The winter blues are getting us down: we’re getting less sun, less steps in, and let’s face it- it doesn’t feel great.
Since cold weather and bleak skies are sticking around for a little while longer, here’s how you can bring some clean spring energy into your life.
So without further ado, here are the 5 things in your life that urgently call for a refresh.
- Your Phone Case
This is directly inspired by the person sitting in the Ratty with the beige tinted phone case that I just know was at one point pristinely clear. A bowl of warm water and just a touch of dish soap will work wonders. If you are afflicted with the same ailment as our dirty-cased-Ratty-goer, you may need a bit more oomph to kill the discoloration. Scrubbing a combination of baking soda + vinegar with a toothbrush over the darkened areas should do the trick. However, if that doesn’t work… maybe it’s time to invest in a non-clear phone case. This advice isn’t only for people whose cases look grimy. All cases pick up bacteria and dirt in their day to day life. Plus, any advocates for TTT (Tiktok Toilet Time) should immediately double the amount of time their case soaks…
- Your Closet
Do you have items in your closet that you never wear? Or more importantly, items in your closet that you wear too much, but wish you didn’t? Send it home! With limited space and changing weather, you can forcefully reinvent yourself by limiting what you can and can’t wear. If all of your sweats are sent home, maybe you’ll finally leave your dorm in real pants!
- Your Camera Roll
Clean out that camera roll. Why do you still have that picture of you and your ex that makes your skin try to separate itself from your body every time you see it? Not that not all memories deserve an eternal preservation in your mobile device, but aren’t you tired of getting jump-scared by those “a year ago today”s? Say goodbye to shaky concert videos that you will never watch again and random screenshots of your home screen. Do you have 50 photos that are all a single frame apart? If you could produce a stop motion film with pictures you took trying to get the Instagram pic, try to pick just three out of the bunch that truly call to you. Your phone storage will thank me.
- Your Pillowcase
If you have been breaking out more than often, consider washing your pillowcase, or even better wash your sheets + your pillow cases! As someone who often showers right before bed and is too lazy to fully blow dry my hair, a pillowcase can be a warm, moist, delectable breeding ground for bacteria. And as someone who also tosses and turns through the night, that bacteria definitely finds its way into my pores and manifests itself as small red bumps across my cheeks and jawline. I will be taking my own advice immediately on this one, and I highly suggest you do the same.
- Your Mind
Last but certainly not least: your mind! Spring semester is a perfect opening to start implementing new habits and moving towards who you want to be by the end of the year. But if you’ve missed the initial hype of New Year’s Resolutions, we never have to wait for an opportunity to have a fresh start. Today does not have to be the same as tomorrow. I recommend keeping a log of one improvement per day, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Writing one thing you are proud of yourself for doing takes less than one minute and is a great way to quantify your progress. The small increments may feel inconsequential, but as time progresses and you progress along with it, it will become all the more tangible. Just you clicking on this article means you have the desire to declutter your life, to claw your way out of this rut, as I know you can! Spend some time with yourself. Cleanse your life: remove people and things in your life that do not serve you or actively put you down. Treat yourself kindly and GET CLEAN!