March is here, the weather is slowly but surely warming up, and that can mean the sudden urge to drop everything and initiate spring cleaning mode. Being cooped up inside all winter can make your spring cleaning ventures seem daunting, but here are three of the best tips I’ve personally acquired to help alleviate some of the stress from your big seasonal reset.
1. Create Your Own Soundtrack
First things first, you must set the mood. No matter if you prefer to listen to upbeat pop, a podcast or would rather pop on a movie in the background, adding some ambiance to your environment is essential. It will boost your mood and in turn that will encourage you to keep going. My personal favorite soundtrack for cleaning (and studying… and almost anything else, honestly…) is instrumental trio jazz such as the tunes in the Background Jazz playlist on Spotify! It makes me feel like I’m a character in a cozy video game like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley completing my little tasks. Such a vibe! Podcasts or audiobooks are a great alternative if you aren’t as much of a music person, or you just want to inject some extra education into your tidying time. Listening to whatever suits your tastes the best makes time fly by!
2. Lighten the load
As I mentioned, spring cleaning can be incredibly intimidating. Being presented with so much to do at once can make it difficult to decide where to start. Break down your workload into smaller sections to tackle one at a time. Not only will this make spring cleaning seem more approachable, but it can also act as encouragement to keep going once you complete one of the smaller tasks. This is great for managing a big reset such as this with a busy work and/or school schedule. Separating the whole house into more manageable chunks that take less time to complete makes it much easier to fit a quick tidy between time slots in your daily calendar!
3. Sweeten Your To-Do List
No one likes to look at a list full of boring, old chores… so why not add a few items to look forward to? Cook your favorite meal for dinner, schedule some mandatory meditation, make time to read a book or do a word search puzzle. Spring cleaning is all about clearing out all of the unnecessary junk that has often accumulated during the winter months and breathing new, fresh energy into your living space. Taking time away from the stress of life to unplug from the internet to cook a meal or read a book is inviting that energy into your person and not just in your home. People often forget that decluttering is basically de-stressing your home, so why wouldn’t it be just as important to do the same for your mind and body?
No matter how you choose to hit the reset button with your spring cleaning sesh, I hope that these few tips will help you make the most of it! You are worthy of a clean, relaxing living space that makes you happy. Embrace your inner Marie Kondo, remember that warm weather is on the way, and happy spring cleaning!
