Spring cleaning part demux
in last month's newsletter i talked about spring being the best time of year to detox/cleanse. i went over tips and techniques to detox your body with diet and exercise, but i want to add one more element which i think is crucial - your environment. often, people don't think about how their environment affects them, but we are tied to it deeply. how we keep our home and our workspace is a reflection of how we keep our body and minds.
during the winter piles build up around the house. we get too busy to clean properly. we are less active in the winter not only in our exercise, but in even having the energy to clean. well, now that the energy is coming back and the weather is good, it's time to do a big "spring cleaning" of our spaces along with our bodies since the 2 are so closely tied.
as you approach this think of it not as getting rid of things, but rather that you are making space for other/new things. go through each cupboard/drawer/closet and take everything out and evaluate it. when you have it in your hands and your are looking at it usual becomes obvious. have three piles:
- definitely keep
a. clean the space out and then place all of these items back in with each of the items having a "home" - unsure - will come back to
a. after putting the "keepers" back in look at these items again and think:
*have i used/worn this in the past year?
*is this something i need?
*am i holding onto this for someone else? (give it to them or get rid of it)
*is this of emotional value? (never keep anything that makes you feel heavy,
weighs you down or makes you feel depressed)
*if you don't know what to do with it, or where to put it, or why you ever
bought it in the first place, throw it out!!! - get rid of it
a. make 3 piles
i. garbage
always have a garbage bag with you as you go around the house to
throw things out
ii. sell
that non-digital camera you used to use, but now have moved on - sell it.
you have more space and money in your pocket instead of a
bag that continues to clog up your space
or you could even have a garage sale to make some money back.
iii. donate
there are organizations that thrive because of donations of our used items.
pack up some boxes of your old stuff help out others and help put
mother nature by putting less in a landfill
it is so freeing to throw out the condiments that are outdated. to get rid of that sewing machine you bought but haven't used in 10 years (the guilt of not using it will fade away when you don't look at it once a week and scold yourself for not sewing). donate those vhs tapes you haven't watched in 5 years that now allow you to put candles or some other thing that makes you feel light when you look at it on that shelf. and for you hoarders - it is hard at first. i have been a hoarder and am changing my patterns so i know this is hard, but it gets easier and you will feel lighter.
when you start throwing out a lot of physical clutter and you get on a roll, a new urge kicks in - the desire to clear out all the clutter in your mind. start to make a mental list of old convictions, fears, negative assumptions, past "mistakes," and depressing voices that weigh you down. then commit to eliminating them from your day-to-day thinking.
i would like to add one more thing on the cleaning front - along with how your environment looks think about what you clean with. most cleaning products on the market today are toxic. they are made with chemicals that are terrible for us. (this could be it's own newsletter!) let's just say that there are multiple studies that show that inside our homes there are actually more toxic than outside because of our cleaners, laundry detergents, fabric softeners and even our personal beauty products. that's pretty amazing and very scary! there are many options out there that are non-toxic. online you can find many natural cleaning products most of which you already have in your cupboard. save money, save the environment, and save yourself.
here is to having a clean space, mind and body for the rest of this year!!!
letting go doesn't have to mean "losing your grip", but it can mean relaxing enough to create some space