For most of you around the country, spring has arrived and has brought with it warmer temperatures, blossoms, and sunshine! Not for us Midwesterners, but we’re used to this seasonal mind game. But we’re over it, Mother Nature. Bring us spring!
Regardless of what your weather looks like, according to our calendars spring is officially here which means now is the perfect time for a reset.
While we are all familiar with the concept of spring cleaning, it applies to more than just organizing your cupboards and dusting off your furniture! The turn of the season is a great opportunity to assess the status of not only your home, but your health as well.
Today we are giving away some of our top spring cleaning tips for your health and home! Let’s clear the cobwebs after a long winter and step into spring with our best foot forward!
Home
Let’s be honest: winter takes a toll on us. Between grey skies, freezing temps, and oftentimes dangerous conditions outside, we end up spending a LOT of time indoors during the winter. Which means mess and lots of it!
So when spring finally arrives, it’s high time for us to roll up our sleeves and get to work organizing, cleaning, and airing out our homes. Try these spring cleaning tips for yourself this weekend!
1. Open Your Windows!
A. Open Your Windows!
If you live in a place where it’s starting to get a little warmer during the day, give your furnace a rest and open the windows to let some fresh air into your home.
After months of being sealed shut, things start to smell a little, well, musty inside. Let the breeze bring in the fresh scent of spring! You’ll be surprised how much of a difference air quality alone will make in your home.
B. Clean Out the Kitchen!
Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Year’s. Valentine’s Day.
All of these holidays have passed and they are sure to have left their mark in your pantry and cupboards. If you have leftover treats sitting in your fridge and freezer, throw them out! For starters, if you haven’t eaten them at this point, you probably aren’t going to so why have them there as a temptation? Secondly, they are taking up space and resulting in unnecessary clutter! If you aren’t going to eat it, throw it out and make room for fresh ingredients.
If you have leftover pantry ingredients from holiday meals, like seasonal canned goods, consider clearing out what you won’t use and taking those items to a food pantry! Canned and boxed goods are always welcomed and what you would otherwise waste will be put to good use.
C. Wash Your Windows!
You don’t need to hire a professional window washer for this task! All you need is some hot soapy water, a bottle of Windex, and a roll of paper towels.
Remove your window screens and scrub them with a rag and some hot, soapy water to clear off any lingering dirt from the harsh winter. Finish your windows with a little Windex treatment and oua-la! Now the beautiful spring light can shine into your home and brighten it right up! Goodbye grey skies- see you NEVER!
HEALTH
A. Physical Health
We’ve spent the last three weeks talking all about getting your body spring break ready and our hope is that you tried and enjoyed the workouts we posted!
If you are still stuck in a training rut from the winter, take this change in season (and more importantly, weather!) to get back in the swing of things.
Has it been too cold for you to run outside? Now is your chance to get back on the trails! Start easy with a few miles a couple times a week or a nice, long walk! With daylight savings time in full effect, we have more hours of daylight after work so take advantage and get outside!
In addition to stepping up your fitness routine, now is a great time to clean up your diet as well. Swap your processed snacks for fresh fruits and veggies and throw out any tempting pantry items that aren’t improving your health! Whether you went on spring break or not, swimsuit season is approaching fast! Set yourself up for total confidence this summer by starting NOW!
B. Mental Health
This may not really apply to you lucky Southerners and Californians, but seasonal depression is REAL! After weeks on end of cold temps and grey skies, it’s easy to catch yourself feeling sluggish, apathetic, and a bit depressed.
The arrival of spring is a great opportunity to assess where you’re at. If you’ve been struggling with the winter blues, our first suggestion is to get outside! Nature is an immediate mood-lifter, especially after months of being cooped up inside.
The second thing we recommend is surrounding yourself with people you love doing the things you enjoy doing. Many of you isolate during the cold months and bury yourselves in blankets on the couch with a constant stream of Netflix to keep you entertained. And while there’s a time and a place for that, it isn’t now! If you’ve been isolating, call up your pals and go do something! Hit up your favorite patio restaurant/bar, running trail, or state park and your mood will lift just like that.
Don’t let spring pass you by without taking a moment to reset your priorities. Be honest with yourself and see where you may have lapsed over the winter months. Once you figure out where you could use a little clean-up and organization, it’s as simple as making the decision to start! Stay tuned to the ISN blog where we will be diving deeper into reset strategies for your fitness, diet, and mental health over the next few weeks! And happy spring!
