Tag: spring cleaning

How to Shake off Your Winter Hibernation

Posted on by Jordank

The trees are budding and the first flowers of #spring are starting to pop up — depending on your location, sometimes through a lingering snow. But you may still struggle to get energized for the warm weather, having been in human “hibernation” through winter.

“Humans cannot actually hibernate, but in the coldest months of the year, many of us are drawn to something similar,” writes Katherine May in Wintering: How I Learned to Flourish When Life Became Frozen. “We want to batten down the hatches, preserve our energies, lay on fat.”

Now, it’s time to shake off that hibernation and meet the sunniest months of the year head-on. You can shed that winter weight, tackle long-overdue warm-weather projects and reinvent your outlook for the rest of the year. Here are a few ways:

Move your body. You don’t have to start training for a triathlon, but any activity that gets your blood circulating will help you snap of the winter doldrums. Get off the couch and commit to move every day, even if it’s just a short walk.

“Moderate exercise will release endorphins that encourage you to move a little more next time,” says Optimi. “If you can be outside when the sun’s shining, all the better. Sunlight provides a variety of health benefits you don’t want to miss, including creating your own supply of immune-building vitamin D.”

#Declutter and #organize. Not only can #decluttering get you moving, it can also lighten the psychological load of a crowded, chaotic space. Simply having less #stuff to gather dust will make it easier to find the things you do like and streamline your home life.

Contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup, and that extra #junk will be out of your life for good. Your mood will brighten knowing that #donating lightly used goods helps fund programs benefiting the nation’s #veterans.

Deep-clean. They don’t call it spring #cleaning for nothing. Shake out the rugs, wash the windows and scrub the baseboards. A #clean, fresh-smelling and bright home is a more pleasant place to be; it will put the spring in your step and may even inspire you to let some fresh air in.

Whatever gets you moving, socializing and planning again after a long winter is fair game. Just know that you no longer have to bundle up, huddle on the couch and binge Netflix. Spring has sprung, so go out and take advantage of it!

Start Your Spring-Cleaning Engines!

Posted on by Jordank

Thursday, March 20, marks the beginning of #spring. The Organizing Blog’s favorite season, spring gives people everywhere a great incentive to #clean and #organize their homes.

#Spring #cleaning is a time-honored tradition. Over a long winter shut tight against the cold, homes tend to gather dirt and grime. It’s time to throw the windows open and sweep, mop and wipe away that buildup.

Four out of five American households engage in spring cleaning at least once a year, according to the American Cleaning Institute (ACI), and nearly as many — 78% — spend an average of six days spring-cleaning their homes.

ACI’s survey notes that Americans don’t like to clean hard-to-reach places that attract considerable dust and grime, such as vents. Most would rather clean their own homes than do their own taxes, however, and often concentrate on windows, floors and toilets. Still, it can be tough to get started.

The first step is to get rid of #clutter — clothing that doesn’t fit, old paperwork, broken knickknacks and other stuff that’s just taking up space. Put these items into the trash, storage or a #donation bag; cleaning will proceed more quickly with them out of the way. And as always, contact ClothingDonations.org for any lightly used castoffs you’d like to get rid of for good.

Next, make sure you have the equipment and supplies necessary to do a thorough cleaning, including gloves, cleansers, sponges, rags, and a good broom, vacuum cleaner and mop. A new broom sweeps clean!

Create a checklist of to-dos in order to make what might seem like a monumental task more approachable, The Spruce says. “Walk through your house and take note of the things that need to be done and tackle those first,” says Clean Mama Becky Rapinchuk.

Having an immediate impact on your home environment may make you want to tackle more tasks, so continue down that list. You might not get to everything in a week or month, but you’ll see progress toward a #cleaner, #healthier home — and that can get you energized to do more. Start your spring-cleaning engines!

#SpringCleaning

Organize the Hidden Areas That Spring Cleaning Missed

Posted on by Jordank

You may think you’ve done a thorough #spring #cleaning, Houzz says, but you may have missed some areas that tend to attract lots of #clutter. Living room cupboards, coffee tables and sideboards can fill up with stuff you don’t need, such as old DVDs, candles, menus and flyers, decorative objects, photos, and assorted electronic devices. The home-office desk attracts paperwork, bills and other items that need to be hidden quickly, as does the bedside table. The food storage container cabinet in your kitchen is probably crammed with old and mismatched bowls and lids, and every home has a “dump zone” where incoming goods get dropped.

Make Spring a Time of Personal Renewal

Posted on by Jordank

Spring — at least in places with relatively well-defined seasons — is a time of renewal. In the northern climates, crocuses and daffodils are already popping up, the trees are budding, and birds are chirping. Warm weather won’t be far behind.

As nature wakes from its winter slumber, people often start to emerge from their hibernation. That may mean socializing more, exercising outdoors or launching a new project. Whatever one’s rebirth engenders, it’s a welcome respite from the cold, gray days of winter.

“What better time than spring to regroup and reprioritize, and even reinvent ourselves and the lives we find ourselves living?” asks Abigail Brenner, M.D., in a Psychology Today article. Leading her seven suggested personal “rituals” to start a spring renewal? #Decluttering.

First, declutter your living space, sorting out any clothing that you haven’t worn in more than two years and #donating it (ClothingDonations.org can help). Follow up by getting rid of any pantry items and medications that have expired.

Next (and perhaps more importantly), clear your mental and emotional clutter. Shed the practices and habits that sap your energy. Let go of the past, commit to decisions you’ve been putting off, challenge limiting beliefs, and think positively. Progress is the goal, not perfection.

Try something new, and take advantage of the weather to do something outdoors. Try to #streamline and #renew your life to improve its overall quality. What are your priorities? Focus on what you value the most and structure your time around it.

Once your living environment and psyche are clear, you’ll be more relaxed — there’s just “less noise” in your brain, Mayo Clinic psychologist Craig Sawchuk told CNN Health. And the altruism engendered in donating goods “psychologically can have a really good impact.”

So this season, take a hint from nature: Take the initiative to renew your surroundings and your outlook. You’ll feel better and more refreshed every step of the way.

Declutter Before the Spring Scrubdown

Posted on by Jordank

Now that #spring is less than three weeks away, it’s time to plot your #spring cleaning strategy. Start by #decluttering so that you can focus on #sanitizing instead of #organizing when you get down to business. “Getting rid of items that no longer serve a purpose or bring joy will reduce the quantity of work that needs doing,” Beatrice Flores, professional cleaner, told Homes & Gardens. Go through your residence and sort out any unused-but-still-useful items and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #donation #pickup. Once that #junk is out of the way, stock up on cleaning supplies and start scrubbing. #SpringCleaning