Warm weather means that it’s finally time to break out the sundresses and ditch your parkas. And while we might get hit with another cold front, it’s pretty safe to say that spring is fast approaching. That means it’s time for a complete overhaul of your possessions to start anew and make room in your closet. Seriously though, have you seen the pastel-colored clothes that Target brought out for this season? If that’s not an excuse to donate all your old outfits, I don’t know what is. But don’t just stop there! Here are some other areas of your life that could use some tidying up while you’re at it.
1. Your underwear drawer
No one wants to be the one to bring this up, so I’ll take one for the team– lingerie doesn’t look super cute and fresh forever. Over time, our bras and panties can lose their shape and show signs of wear and tear. So this spring go through your collection of unmentionables and get rid of any bras that don’t fit (because let’s be real, you bought too big of a size thinking you’d “grow into it”), undies that are hardly brand new, and socks that are forever missing their partner. Be honest with yourself–that missing sock is never coming back. You need to let go. The good news is that once you clean out your inventory, it’s time to restock. Go buy yourself some new lingerie with no regrets. For some reason, there’s something very empowering about buying lacey bras and underwear.
2. Your iTunes library
If you’re anything like me, there’s a fair amount of songs on your iPhone that you just don’t listen to, ever. Whenever you put your library on shuffle, you end up skipping through most of your tracks. It’s time to stop. Sit down and delete those songs from your weird screamo phase, or whatever’s weighing down your music library. It won’t take too long and can actually be a fun walk down musical memory lane. Don’t be too quick with the delete button though because some songs are eternally worth listening to and should never leave the confines of your iPod. I’m talking about pop-punk songs you listened to in middle school and songs from Disney movie soundtracks you shamelessly still listen to on rare occasions.
3. Your food
Whether that’s a full-fledged pantry or a storage bin in your dorm room, you gotta clear it out. Get rid of any food item that’s passed its expiration date, has gone stale, or gave you a weird allergic reaction that one time. Or if you want to kick it into high-gear, you can try to get rid of any unhealthy, tempting foods that stand between you and your ideal beach bod. Don’t be ruthless, though–let yourself keep a bag of chips or a candy bar, you deserve a treat after all of this tedious spring cleaning. Once you’ve sorted through your food, pawn off any edible remains to your roommates or friends. You can purge your stash without being wasteful.
4. Your contacts
Maybe I’m the tiniest bit cynical, but if you ask me there’s nothing wrong with clearing people out of your life. Anyone who carries negativity or general awfulness with them wherever they go is not welcome. Take this opportunity to clear out those people, plus any randos you don’t have a reason to contact. That girl you sat next to in 11th grade English and talked to maybe three times? Delete. That guy you made out with once freshman year? Goodbye. Exes who broke your heart? See ya never. Once you get over any guilt this might cause you, deleting people from years past is such a freeing feeling and I highly recommend it.
So go forth and give your life a thorough cleansing. It might be a bit tedious, I’ll give you that, but to quote my personal lifestyle guru, Taylor Swift, “Hang on. It gets easier, and then it gets okay, and then it feels like freedom.” She was definitely referring to a breakup when she said that, but it works here too.