Its officially spring, so let’s talk spring cleaning. Some people are Monicas, but I think most of us are Rachels when it comes to this whole cleaning thing. We can find much better ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. Of course, my house could use a good scrub-down, but maybe this year we can look at spring cleaning in a different way. What else could use a little cleaning in your life?
Let’s start with the refrigerator. Most people put this off for far too long and find some serious funkiness way back in the back corner where groceries go to die. Pantries can also hide away some vintage dry goods that have hung around much longer than intended. Work up some courage, and reach back in there. Then, you’ll have more room for new stuff!
Another unconventional spring cleaning item is your junk mailbox. I never think to clean this out but it amasses an amazing number of obnoxious emails meant to either hack my system or sell me things I don’t need. I don’t need the stuff and I don’t need the clutter. Click, drag, delete.
While you’re at your desk, you can also clean off that to-do list. You know you have that handful of well-intentioned items you’re never going to complete. The birthday present for your neighbor or the overdue assignment you professor might accept, yeah, go ahead and purge it. If you live by your to-do list like I do, those notes that never seem to get checked off the bottom of your list just need to go. Otherwise, they linger and stare at you with disappointment. This is self-inflicted stress.
You can also do some spring cleaning for your body. Even if your New Year’s resolutions have petered out, this might be a wonderful time to jumpstart your diet. Try a cleanse or a new healthy food. Try a week of no artificial sugars or processed foods. See how long you can go without ordering takeout or swinging around for fast food. Some spring cleaning applied to your health could be a good thing.
My favorite idea for spring cleaning 2.0 is cleaning up negativity. This goes both ways. I want to be less negative personally and I want to clean out the negative voices and influences on my life. I can focus on the positives and keep from getting hung up on the things I can’t change. I can look for the best in people and stay away from the situations that get me fired up. Your personal perspective is important. Additionally, I can clean out my social media and hide the feeds and profiles that bring negativity to my life. I can stay out of the places and away from the people who have bad vibes. Spend more time with the people who build you up!
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be so dusty and dirty this year! From your inbox to your outlook, spring cleaning can take on a whole new meaning.
Jessica Casebolt, a former Miss Kentucky, is a correspondent for the The Lane Report. You can reach her at [email protected]
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