After months of hibernating inside due to winter and COVID-19, let’s embrace spring and all it has to offer! We can start with some spring cleaning.
I’m not just talking about traditional spring cleaning, where you deep clean your house. I’m talking about a physical and mental cleaning to open up space and reduce stress in your life.
Here are some easy tips to follow as the warmer weather arrives.
· Declutter before organizing – While it’s tempting to jump right in and organize a messy space, getting rid of unneeded and unwanted items first can make for a better (and tidier) long-term result. Speaking of getting rid of things…
· Donate items to a charitable organization – If possible, find an organization that has some personal meaning to you. For example, did the American Red Cross help you or a family member through a crisis? It’s just one of the many organizations that accept gently used clothing, books, games and small appliances. Bonus tip: Set an expiration date for clothes in your closet. If you haven’t worn something in a year, it’s probably time to donate it.
· Sanitize your phone – Given how much we all use our smart phones, good phone hygiene is essential. Check your user guide for guidance on how to clean your particular device. And speaking of our phones…
· Organize those apps – How many games, weather and news apps are clogging your phone’s home screen? More importantly, how many of these apps do you actually use? Delete apps you aren’t using to save valuable space on your device. Or, set up folders based on the common theme. For example, move all your favorite retail apps into a folder marked “shopping.”
· Trim the fat from your social media feeds – Take a look at your Facebook friends list or your social media feed. How many of these people do you feel a connection to? How many are bringing happiness, value or even toxicity into your life? Ways to “trim the fat” include unfriending, unfollowing and hiding posts.
April also marks the start of the year’s second quarter – a good time to assess your personal goals. How much progress have you made so far? Where do you need to be and who do you need to talk with to ensure you reach your goals by the end of the year?
Here’s to a healthy, happy spring!