It’s that time of year again that some of us love and others loathe.

 Spring is now around the corner which means two things, days are getting lighter and the yearly deep clean to clear your home of the stuffiness that is inevitable after a long winter. Though some may define Spring cleaning as an opportunity to whip out every cleaning product you own, there’s so much more to it than just disinfectant.

 Let’s take a breather, spring is an opportunity to (literally) open the windows and let fresh air in. It can be an opportunity for new beginnings, clean slates and to have a cleanout of your house… and your life.

Here are our top life cleansing tips for Spring...

1. Wardrobe clean out

They say that home is where the heart is, but honestly, we would say that ours is in our wardrobe. Putting our winter clothes away and bringing out the summer clothes is a big enough job in itself. It’s time-consuming, requires quite a bit of effort, and there’s no way to cut any corners—but the reward makes it all worth it. 

If you’re reluctant to throw any away (we are all the same) and you keep saying every year “I'll wear it this year” and never do… it’s time to be brutal. Here are a few top tips when making the unbearable decision of what stays and what goes. 

 1. The most brutal of the bunch - If you haven’t worn it in 6 months, say goodbye.

 2. A slightly nicer option - Turn your hangers around

After you have your spring clean out a top tip is to turn all your hangers the opposite way. You’ll know what you’ve been wearing all year when you come to Spring 2023 cleanout. Any hangers that are still around the opposite way shows you that, if you haven’t worn it all year, you probably won’t ever wear it.

 3. Make some money! - Sell

There are so many great sites to sell second-hand clothes on such as Vinted, Depop, eBay and what’s great is that gives your old unwanted clothes a new home. There is no clothing that you can’t sell online and then you can put the proceeds towards a treat or two.

4. Donate 

 Donating your clothes is a great option for throwing old, unwanted or never worn clothes. There are some fantastic online sites that can donate your clothes to charity. Your best option when it comes to donating clothes is to drop them off at your local recycling bank or your local charity shop. Donating your clothes helps out massively to charity shops, it is ethical, slows down fast fashion, is sustainable and helps the local community.  

2. Finance 

It’s not just about decluttering your home, April is the start of a new tax year and gives you the opportunity to throw away bad spending habits, check all your accounts and go through all the paperwork you’ve been holding off for a while.

Sheer luxe has a great step by step on how to give your finances a spring clean from Pension to remortgaging your home - https://sheerluxe.com/life/how-give-your-finances-spring-clean

3. For all the mums 

Sometimes it feels like all you do is clean, so this time of the year doesn’t feel any different to any other day. Like most mums, a clean house only lasts 5 minutes, but those 5 minutes are pure bliss and serenity. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do, unless you throw out a million toys your child has… (or even your child) but there are a few storage solutions. Mums net has a wonderful section on toy storage that mums swear by. 

https://www.mumsnet.com/swearsby/best-toy-storage

4. Spring clean your mind.

As much as we love winter, the dark evenings and cold grey days can get to us and make us feel a little blue. After the couple of years we have all had and, with the future still looking a little daunting, it is worth giving our minds a little spring clean.

Look at your eating habits

Your body is a machine and what you put into it has a direct impact on your wellbeing and your overall function. Changing your eating habits can be difficult but making small decisions can have a huge impact.

1. Many of us are guilty of skipping breakfast, but after a night’s sleep, it is vital to feed your brain for the day ahead.
2. Add more fruit and veg into your diet. I find if it’s in front of you, you’ll eat it! Have an apple on your desk or around for when you get a little peckish.
3. Cook at home more often. Buying a new cookbook is an easy way to get yourself excited about trying new foods. Plus staying in means you’ll be saving money. We’ve been loving this cookbook this year. 

Take a break from social media

Social media is an amazing platform, and you literally have the world in your hands, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its negativity. The platform is filled with opinions and the lives of others, I often find that hours can go by scrolling through my phone – which is a little scary! Take a step back, turn your phone off and enjoy your surroundings around you. Spring is such a lovely time of the year, go for a walk to view the ever-blooming flowers, read a book outside, take an hour or so out for yourself.

Set goals

What are your goals for the rest of the year? What are you wanting to achieve, it can seem a little daunting but sitting down and brainstorming is a great way to express what’s inside and the achievements you want. The best way to goal plan is to look at your 3-month goal, 1-year goal and 5-year goal. The main thing to note is not to add too much pressure on yourself and be realistic. Look at home, work and personal life and what you want to achieve and remember in life it’s okay to colour outside the lines.