6 things I’m doing to cleanse my life for spring
(and how to make your own list)
written by Jasmine Irven
I recently have been inspired by all the talk of spring cleaning in the context of your home, and want to encourage you to extend this concept beyond the physical act of cleaning and into all parts of your life.
Spring is a time of change, cleansing, shedding our winter layers and letting go of anything that doesn't serve us. It's a time to really look at what would make us feel lighter, and how we can bring more of that into our life.
To invite this in, we can make loving and intentional changes to our routines, foods we're eating, the exercise we're doing, and the self-care activities we choose to include in our days.
I wrote a whole blog over on the Sustainable Bliss journal about ways to transition to spring physically, mentally, and spiritually, but wanted to really personalize this and let you know how I’m taking action on this post, really implementing some of these concepts into my own life.
It’s really easy to write or read about a concept, but it’s another thing completely to look at how the information applies to your life specifically, and what shifts you want to make that are relevant to you.
So, with both posts, I’d invite you to take what resonates, leave the rest, and do your own reflection to determine what few rituals, shifts, or habits, you’d like to implement in your life with the changing season, or throughout Spring.
Here are 6 things I’m doing to invite in the season, by doing a little life spring cleaning.
01 consuming more water
Drinking more water is probably the most basic wellbeing advice, but I do think it’s something many of us still struggle with. I know personally that it’s something I don’t do enough of each day.
Particularly in Spring as the weather gets warmer and we start to spend more time in the sun, sweating and moving around, our recommended intake of water starts to increase. With that, it’s even more important for us to be intentionally consuming water.
This doesn’t just mean drinking our water but consuming our water too! With Spring comes changes to the foods that are able to be grown and that are readily available in our area (read more about seasonal eating). With that shift, we can start to invite in more freshly grown fruits and vegetables that are full of water and easily digestible (moving away from the heavier, root vegetables that likely made up most of our fall and winter diet).
Think: more fresh berries, lemons, limes, cucumber, greens — all cleansing and refreshing foods that are packed with water and important nutrients.
02 getting outside more
Depending on how cold it is where you live, the winter months likely mean you’re inside more — sitting by the fire, wrapped in a blanket, bundled up avoiding the cold.
While I still go on walks daily in the winter, I sometimes find it hard to stay outside for longer than 30 minutes, just because the weather is not always that enjoyable!
With the start of the spring season, I like to really encourage myself to take advantage of the warm days. I find I appreciate them more coming off the back of the winter months, and there’s a fresh scent in the air that just excites me.
What does that look like? Going on longer walks, working out on our balcony, sipping my coffee outside, going on hikes, and eating my lunch or dinner on a patio or at a park (where it’s safe to do so).
03 decluttering my physical and digital spaces
This is more aligned with the general talk you hear around the springtime, encouraging you to clean your space. While I try to do this more than once a year, I really do love the cleansing feeling that nature has at this time of year and so it’s a great time to look at decluttering both physical and digital spaces.
Here’s the checklist I’m using this year:
front entrance
Disinfect door handles (#COVID)
Clean out the front closet — review our boots, coats, mittens, hats, etc.
Review our mail basket and get rid of anything we don’t need
kitchen
Reorganize the pantry and cupboards — look for foods that need to be eaten and incorporate them into our upcoming meal plan
Reorganize the fridge — look for foods that need to be eaten and incorporate them into our upcoming meal plan
Reorganize the freezer — look for foods that need to be eaten and incorporate them into our upcoming meal plan
Wipe out the fridge and fridge drawers
Wipe out the freezer drawers
Vacuum or wipe out the drawers and cupboards (including the cutlery holders and any other dividers)
Wipe down the cupboards and appliances
Wipe down the kitchen counters
Wipe down the kitchen table
Clean dishwasher
Clean microwave
Shake rug outside
bedroom
Wash our bedding and swap out for summer sheets and blankets
Do laundry
Clean out nightstand
Move bed and vacuum underneath
Wipe out drawers
Declutter clothes + donate any I no longer want
living room
Wash our couch cushions and pillow covers
Swap out items on our shelving unit for more spring vibes
Wipe down the TV
bathroom
Clean the bathroom
Wipe down the shower
Add eucalyptus into our shower
Go through all of my skincare products — swap out winter specific ones for springtime ones, get rid of anything that’s past expiry, move things to the front that I want to remember to use
Go through all of my makeup products — swap out winter specific ones for springtime ones, get rid of anything that’s past expiry, move things to the front that I want to remember to use
Wash makeup brushes
Fill up my shampoo + conditioner at a local bulk store
Fill up our soap at a local bulk store
Wash all our towels
miscellaneous
Water our plants
Buy myself flowers
Wipe down the baseboards
Wipe down mirrors
Clean out/ wash our cat’s bed, litter box, closet, etc.
Dust
Vacuum
Clean window sills
Sweep the balcony
digital
Back-up all documents on hard-drive (deleting what I no longer need)
Move all photos from laptop and computer to Google Photos and hard-drive (delete those that I don’t need)
Clean desktop (I like mine completely clear!)
Delete apps from my phone that I don’t use
Organize my finances for my bookkeeper
Update my Things 3 — my productivity software (update to-dos, delete old goals, etc.)
Look at recurring events in my schedule and delete any that no longer serve/ interest me
04 inviting in more opportunities for community
Again as we shift from mostly being indoors, to inviting in more outdoor activities, the spring allows us to also invite in more opportunity for group events and outdoor activities.
Obviously this year things continue to look different for us with COVID, and so I am moreso looking at ways I can invite in more digital community.
This is very much aligned with my intentions to create a membership community for my events, which I’m excited to be working on behind the scenes!
05 editing my morning + evening routines
It’s important to revisit and edit your rituals and routines quite regularly to ensure they’re still aligned with you and the season of life you’re in.
The morning and evening are great opportunities for us to make time for the self-care we often neglect. For me this looks like a mix of reading, watching TV, making coffee or tea, playing board games, going on a walk, doing yoga, meditating, etc.
As we move into the spring season I plan to keep my self-care front of mind, working on cultivating a routine that allows me to wake up earlier with the sun and spend more time in the mornings doing things for myself before I jump into the tasks of the day, and more time in the evening disconnecting, and getting to bed early.
06 revisiting my goals + intentions for the year
We often overestimate what we can accomplish in a year, and so it’s good to periodically check-in with the goals and aspirations we had at the beginning of the year.
Reflect on how things are going, look at where you may have over-committed, and set progress goals for the next couple of months that will help you to reach those larger goals.
Plus, it’s very possible that timelines have changed, projects have shifted, or priorities have changed, and so revisiting your goals can help you to look at what to revise, cut, or invite in.
ask yourself
What will allow me to invite in the feelings of cleansing that the season shift brings?
What do I feel I need to shed from my life? My routine?
What is my intention for the upcoming season?
Where do I want to spend my energy moving forward?
Where do I want to stop leaking energy?
let’s connect!
Let me know your intention for the season below, or by tagging me on Instagram @jasmineirven!
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
