When Spring comes around, these two words are everywhere: Spring Clean. But why is it so trendy, and do you think you could tackle one? What do we mean by Spring Clean anyway?
Spring Clean / Spring Detox?
At the beginning of Spring, I usually feel sooo happy, because the hours of daylight have increased, the birds sing loudly in the morning on my way to the gym, trees start to bloom … And it feels like new beginnings are upon us. It kind of feels like a New Year’s Day, where everything is possible, we’re given new bright days ahead of us.
And with that feeling, I want to do something that makes me feel renewed. That’s why for the past few years I’ve now been organising the Spring Challenge. On the first day of Spring, I launch this challenge to encourage you to, with me, get rid of foods that hinder your digestion and create inflammation.
For 7-days, I remove dairy and gluten (inflammatory foods) from my diet, and I also remove meat, alcohol and coffee. They slow down digestion big time so I’m giving my digestive system a rest. We know that we easily eat either too much or too often, and we’re not helping our body have a break. This challenge is the perfect place to start anew on Spring Day, after the excesses of Christmas and New Year, and winter’s comfort food.
If you’re interested to join the next one, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter to keep informed of what’s happening.
House cleaning
The Spring Clean used to be a term used for cleaning your home with Spring, to start afresh. It meant going into corners you hadn’t been, blowing the cobwebs away, scrubbing behind the saucepans and beating the carpets. All these places we don’t bother cleaning during the year (unless you’re a freaking superstar).
Whether you decide to do this or not, we all know that cleaning your house has many virtues. You feel content, satisfied with your hard work, more at ease in a clean house, get your heart pumping too with the exercise it brings.
So open these windows, and get cleaning. Maybe clean the windows too ! I can only encourage you to give your interior a fresh look. Buy flowers at the market, change the furniture around, and search the cupboards with out of dates spices, tins, packets. Make sure you have good cleaning products too, and not necessarily just chemically-charged bottles of stuff. Look up grandma tricks online for your sinks and bath tubs for example.
You can involve your kids too and make it fun. Make your own cleaning products together (careful with dangerous products if you’re using them of course), organise a competition of who’s got the cleanest shelf in the saucepan cupboard.
Wardrobe Clearing
Another place we don’t often think about, is the wardrobe.
Now don’t make me say what I didn’t say … I’m not saying you should go out on a shopping spree and spend your all month’s budget.
However, it is important to look in your wardrobe and see that you have neat piles and rows of clothes. Maybe you have items of clothing that are on the floor, on chairs, some on hangers, some not. For a peaceful mind, when you look into your wardrobe, you should feel inspired, looking forward to put on your clothes.
If you think “I have nothing to wear” when your closet is full, there is a problem. You need to have outfits ready to go, where you know that this t-shirt can go with this skirt and these trousers, that blouse is for office-wear or paired with a jean and pumps for a chic evening out.
We, women especially, tend to feel emotionally attached to our clothes. They reflect how we feel during the day: empowered, trendy, classic, casual, active and sporty. But if your wardrobe is full of cheap items that were fashionable two years ago but not anymore, of course you don’t want to wear anything.
So organise your closet, make piles of t-shirts and jeans, hang what needs to be hung. And donate what you haven’t worn in a while or don’t want to wear anymore. You want to feel happy to open your closet. Not dread the experience.
And if needed, invest in classic, timeless pieces that will look great regardless of fashion.
Use Spring for a Fresh Start
A healthy mind in a healthy body, in a healthy house. That’s the ultimate goal. The perfect excuse to put some order and cleanliness in your home environment. And the perfect time to give your body and your mind a restart.
For a digital detox, check this post: Digital Wellbeing, or How to Use Technology Mindfully.
