Spring cleaning has never just been about cleaning the sheets, windows and floors after the winter gloom has taken over. But rather than spring cleaning, which cleans both our minds and our space, we take apart the kitchen where the roommates cook together, our rooms, which clutter each time we leave the house and decide what we want to wear, all the way down to the closet full of birthday decorations and art supplies. Each room holds its own set of memories, and we have a playlist to go along with it.
Here’s how you can achieve a reset that actually feels like one through your playlist:
First Make a Game Plan
Before you start pulling everything out of the closet or deleting all of your pictures lets take a beat. Spring cleaning works best when it isn’t chaotic. Throw on your favourite playlist with the songs that really get you thinking, and decide what you want out of your spring cleaning: decluttered, clear-headed or maybe just to regain some control. Map out your cleaning schedule as if it were coursework, plan your chores and break them down into manageable tasks that work with you and your schedule, not against you.
The song choice in this phase is imperative; you want something that is reflective of the planning process. Maybe something calm to flow with your thoughts to build your plan.
My go-to: Beach Baby, Bon Iver
Next, remove the Clutter. Pull It All Out
This is the time to build up the momentum- the goal is simply to remove everything from the pace and sort it out into piles, maybe it’s a memory pile, give away pile, to be washed or thrown away.
Breaking down the task into simple piles will set the tone for your decluttering and help you decide what you need to keep, what you want to keep, and what’s okay to let go of or make room for.
There’s no real decision making here, the only choice to make is your song. Something up beat, fast-paced or maybe something to spark a little dance party in your room and make the time fly by.
My song of choice: Valerie, Amy Winehouse
Now, Lets Deal With the Piles and Declutter the Mind at the Same Time
Now that we have organized and created a game plan, it is time to go through everything try on the clothes, go through the papers and clear your mind. Decide which items have a sentimental value and what this is doing for you. What items have served their purpose and can be donated or thrown away?
This step is about relieving the mental load as you finish the first steps of your spring clean, a reflective song that keeps up this momentum would be perfect for this section.
My pick: The Beach, Giveon
Now this is a start, the blueprint to understanding how music can be intentional and more than just a jumble of songs put together to pass the time. Use your music as a tool to fuel your spring clean and declutter your mind in the process.