4 Ways to Spring Clean Your Life

We don’t know about you, but spring always feels like the right time to refresh and recharge. After the long hibernation of the winter, this time of year is prime for throwing open the windows, cleaning up the house and getting outside again. The warmer weather and new growth all around us makes us want to get a fresh start. 

Sure, the idea of spring cleaning isn’t new. Many of us bust out the serious cleaning supplies, rent that carpet shampooer and get to work deep cleaning our homes during the first few weeks of the season. You get into all the nooks and crannies that have been neglected during the year – and it feels great! But, have you considered doing a spring cleaning of more than just your living space? 

The idea of using the spring season as motivation for a personal spring cleaning has been gaining momentum. Instead of clearing out the mess in your home, it can be a great time to clear out the messy stuff in your life – in your relationships, technology, health, self-care and financials. Doing a deep clean in these areas can you give you the feeling of a fresh start. So, clear out the clutter in your life – we’ll show you how! 

4 Ways to Spring Clean Your Life 

Scrub your financials. 

Keeping a budget can be an ongoing challenge. And it can be easy to let it slip every once in a while. Take another look at your income and expenses to see how things are lining up. Having a hard time saving money? Spend some time to make a list of the things you frequently spend money on. You might find that you are spending money on non-essential things like craft coffee or lunches out. 

Don’t forget to look at your subscriptions. Many people have regular fees that automatically come out of their accounts for services they no longer use or need. Even if the amounts are small, they can certainly add up. 

Declutter your tech.

Do you have an inbox full of unopened emails? Or maybe your inbox is full of spam and newsletters that prevent you from finding the things you need? Perhaps your desktop is loaded with files and folders?

Disorganized technology can be a source of anxiety for many people. An out of control inbox or cluttered desktop can result in a less-than-ideal start to your workday. Plus, it prevents you from working efficiently. Spend an hour sorting through your desktop, creating folders and organizing your files into a tidy system. 

When it comes to your inbox, unsubscribe to all unwanted emails or advertising emails that you no longer want. This can take some time! Instead of attempting to do it all at once, just unsubscribe to them as they come in or dedicate 5 minutes a day to the task. Over time, your inbox will be full of the things you want, without any of the junk. 

Sweep away toxic relationships.  

Life is too short to spend time with people that don’t build you up and make you happy. Take some time to evaluate your social media accounts and unfollow those people with negative messages. Unfollowing people who project negative energy can significantly reduce your anxiety and other unwanted feelings. Instead, you will have more space for those people that make you feel good. 

Do the same thing with the people you see in-person everyday. Do they make you happy? Do they treat you with respect? Do they build you up? Do they make you better? If the answer to any of these questions is no, consider if that person’s role in your life should change. Maybe that means reducing the amount of time spent together or talking with the friend to see if a change can be made. 

Scour your schedule. 

Do you feel balance in your days or are you running yourself into the ground? One of the biggest causes of stress and burnout is a too-full schedule. While being busy makes many people feel accomplished, very often doing too much can impact the quality of your output, relationships and physical health. 

Look through your calendar. Which items on your to-do list are essential tasks and which are discretionary? Are there things on your schedule that you are dreading? Remove them. If you can’t cancel them altogether, try to brainstorm ways that you can make them more manageable or enjoyable. 

How do you spring clean your life? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your ideas in the comments below.