Spring has sprung, and with it, new possibilities in the new year. Now is the time for each of us to ask ourselves if we are ready for the exciting warm season. There is no better way to get ready for a bright new spring than to engage in a little springtime cleaning.
Going through a long winter can leave us feeling like we have carried a lot of baggage into the spring. Sometimes this means we have acquired a lot of physical possessions or need to pack away heavy winter outfits. Other times this can be the emotional baggage we acquire from months of winter isolation.
These kinds of burdens can leave us feeling traumatized and can manifest themselves in feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression. Feeling cluttered can leave us feeling exhausted, and no one can find a good life balance when they are tired.
The coming of warmer weather and spring awakening allows us the opportunity to clear out these traumas and start the new season fresh. Just like your trauma clutters your brain, the possessions and cold weather wear around your house are cluttering your life.
Now is the time to declutter our minds and spaces. When our environment is tidy, we tend to feel better and have better emotional health. Clean spaces also make for better spaces to improve our physical health.
So as we begin this new springtime, let us start to think about the spring cleaning that we can undertake to make our spaces happy and healthy. Read on as we discuss the benefits of springtime cleaning and ideas of where you can focus your efforts to achieve maximum results.
What It Takes to Have a Healthy Space
The refrigerator, range, and other kitchen appliances are a great place to start our springtime cleaning as we make lifestyle changes to be healthier in the new year. They are some of the most essential tools in our homes. Foodservice appliances allow us to keep our food healthy, fresh, and safe from harmful bacteria.
That is why keeping them clean and well-organized is so essential for our health. It is also what makes it a great place to start our springtime cleaning, so feel free to:
- Check your thermostats in your refrigerator and oven range. Make sure the appliance’s thermometer is working. If your appliance doesn’t have one, try keeping a portable appliance thermometer in a visible place to monitor the temperature.
- Wipe down all surfaces of the appliances with warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Avoid using chemical solvents and abrasives to clean, because the chemicals may leech into your food and make you sick.
- Store leftovers immediately in airtight containers in a refrigerator. Remember, leftovers are only good for a maximum of four days and may spoil sooner. Meat can be refrigerated no more than two days before it spoils.
- Remember to clean the exterior of appliances too. Dust and other particulates can clog the electronics and cause your appliances to malfunction.
Organize once you have cleaned and go through your refrigerator. Try to organize your new healthy food so that you can see what you have and will know what you will need to go through first.
Fire Safety and Springtime Cleaning
Another thing to remember about spring cleaning is that you are also making moves to improve your safety. Having a cluttered space can increase your risk of fire. Remember to properly dispose of and recycle boxes, papers, bottles, and other recyclable materials.
Outdoor yard waste should be gathered up and disposed of with the trash. In many areas, you can call the trash collection department and ask for your yard waste to be specially picked up. Some cities have designated days for yard waste pickup. Reducing limbs, branches, and grass clippings lowers your risk of fire.
Springtime Cleaning Your Financial House
Your financial house has to be decluttered too. Now that tax season has come and gone, many of us are concentrating on keeping records for the next year. As you prepare for another fiscal year, remember to:
- Review your credit report.
- Organize your old documents and shred those you no longer need.
- Keep and store financial documents, passwords, and records in a safe space.
- Review your budget and make changes as needed.
- Set up automatic bill pay to avoid missing payments.
- Work at paying down your consumer debt, including holiday debt you may have acquired.
Springtime Cleaning: Good for the Soul, Too
Your physical space is important to declutter, and so is your mental space. So when we talk about spring cleaning, we have to talk about ways you can take some time to keep yourself grounded this springtime.
One way you can declutter your mental space is by practicing mindfulness. Meditation is a great way to clear and focus your mind. Too often, we let unimportant issues dominate our thoughts. Spending a few minutes a day meditating can help us refocus on what is important.
Yoga is another way we can practice mindfulness while also being good for our bodies. Yoga primarily focuses on stretching and can leave participants feeling relaxed and rejuvenated even after an intense workout.
Sometimes all you need is to talk your feelings out to clear your mind. Having someone close to you who understands the trials in your life can make all of the difference. In those times, remember your friends are there for you, to lend an ear and listen.
Many studies have shown that journaling is a great tool for to use for mental health. Writing down our thoughts and reading them back to ourselves can sometimes give us a new perspective. It can also be useful just to write it down and leave us with a cathartic release.
Even as kids, most of you knew the term “spring cleaning” when your mother or grandmother cleaned the house from top to bottom. Originally a time to air out the stale house after a long winter, spring cleaning has recently become a time to get rid of old ideas and make new resolutions for our improvement. The winter leaves piles of clutter around our house, and the winter months cooped up inside can have the same effect on our brains. With spring here, there is no better time than now to get our physical and mental spaces in order in recovery. For help with your strategy, call Renaissance Ranch at (801) 308-8898.