Spring fever is a real phenomenon, says Scientific American. Being outdoors on a warm, sunny spring day is proven to lighten the mood and increase energy, and spring may even intensify romantic impulses by bringing on hormonal fluctuations. Make the most of your seasonal reawakening to get the things done that have been nagging at you throughout the winter — whether that means #decluttering and #organizing, exercising, planning a trip, #spring #cleaning or something else. Things just get easier when warm weather is on the way. #SpringFever
Tag: decluttering
Make the Most of a Spring Break
With school spring breaks and Easter celebrations, many students will have a full week off this month to spend with their families or take a trip. That kind of down time is rare to get, so if you have (or can take) the week off together, make the most of it.
There are plenty of options for a cost-effective trip for the entire family, Family Destinations says, from spring skiing in Colorado and Upstate New York to soaking up the sun in Puerto Rico, Cancun or Jamaica.
Thriftier still — but just as fun — are road trips and camping trips. Whether you want to sleep under the stars or see the city lights, there’s likely an option within a day’s drive of home. Try Roadtrippers and other apps to plan your adventure.
The thriftiest and safest option, of course, is the staycation. While it might be a letdown for kids with wanderlust, you can make it special by planning leisure activities that you don’t normally make time for on school days.
Hikes, scavenger hunts, museum visits and art projects are all fair game. Or visit the library, camp out in the backyard or make your own film festival, National Heritage Academies suggests.
Another good idea is to spend a day or two #decluttering and #cleaning up your house in order to get it ready for the busy summer season. Chances are that there’s a lot of #stuff that needs to find a new home, not to mention some dirt and grime from the winter.
Sort through that stuff, and #donate whatever you don’t want to ClothingDonations.org. Challenge your kids to sort through, #organize and #declutter their possessions, too; there may be any number of school outfits that no longer fit or toys that get ignored.
Then, reward them (and/or yourself) with a special #spring-break outing! You’ll come home to a #cleaner, more #clutter-free place.
Five Kondo Tips for Organizing Small Spaces
Netflix star and bestselling author Marie #Kondo has five tips for #organizing small spaces such as apartments and condos, Urbansize says. First, work through your entire inventory, #decluttering by category. Next, use clear storage containers to find things easily — limiting the need to scatter everything to find something specific. Store similar-sized items together and use vertical storage whenever possible; shelves are more desirable than stacks. Finally, use Kondo’s “mindful” folding techniques on #clothing and textiles to make the best use of boxes, bins and drawers.
Declutter by Category to Make Organization Easy
#Decluttering and #organizing go hand-in-hand, according to organizing expert Marie Kondo. Decluttering by category (clothing, books, papers, komono or miscellany, and sentimental items) allows a person to get an accurate picture of their entire inventory of #stuff, The Creative Cottage says, helping avoid duplication. Once you pare each category down to the essentials and #organize them so you can quickly find anything you need, keeping even a small space such as an apartment or condo #clean will no longer require a lot of effort. Just don’t fall into old habits and buy things that don’t bring you joy — or allow any new possessions you bring in to build up, uncategorized and untidied, over time.
Build a Capsule Wardrobe to Reduce Closet Clutter
One strategy to add to the #KonMari #organizing toolkit is the capsule wardrobe, says Classy Glam Living. The concept is to build a foundational wardrobe for each season out of just a few essential, high-quality items that you love — those that “spark joy” — and build upon it with accent colors and textures. Once you decide which garments make up your capsule wardrobe, can get rid of almost everything else — #streamlining your style, #decluttering your #closets and even making it simpler to get dressed for the day. Bonus: You can always #donate the many #castoffs to ClothingDonations.org.