Covid-19 comes and goes —soon we hope!— but spring cleaning is timeless. And now’s the time. No matter how cluttered your brain, with fear, worry, cravings for cookies, you’re bound to experience life as just a bit easier when you unclutter and clean up your space.
Just try it. What do you have to lose? Tons of clutter and mess. That’s the point.
Pre pandemic, I reported on communities that spring clean together, meeting in little groups, moving from one home to the next, chatting, laughing, making the un-fun more fun because everyone is pitching in together. I’m pretty sure adult beverages are involved.
Messy closets are still calling and so are garages, but here are three ways to freshen up your personal well-being.
And you know what else? Doing whatever you do is going to feel really, really good. Out with the old makes room for whatever is next. And what is next? Hah! That depends on you and your willingness to embrace new ways of organizing your entire life:
SPRING CLEAN YOUR GEAR. I know many of my dear readers live a vibrant, active life. And will again, someday. I salute you! Take some time in the next days to pay attention to your sports and fitness gear, so as soon as you feel safe and ready, you’ll be able to spring into action.
If your bike’s been collecting cobwebs over the winter, wash it down, tune it up, make sure the brakes and tires are ready to roll.
If you’re dragging out last year’s running shoes, pay attention to the look and feel of the shoe. Are the bottoms worn thin? Are the heels ground down, the structure gone kaput?
It’s hard to think of giving up comfy old running shoes that feel as cozy as slippers, but this spring, think again. Pay now, buy new ones, or you may pay later, with sore feet, funky knees, and doctor bills up the wazoo.
SPRING CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN. This may be hard to swallow, but research has shown that people with clean, orderly kitchens tend to eat healthier food –in smaller amounts— than people who work in sloppy spaces with lots of clutter.
This is science we can believe in. Do your best to unclutter your countertops. Wipe up messes as soon as they happen. When dirty dishes arise, and they do, all day long, wash them and store them neatly. (Am I beginning to sound like your mother?)
Next, dig into the fridge, especially the corners, where the fruit cake from last Christmas is hiding next to something smelly that could be last month’s tuna casserole.
Be brave. Be strong. Recruit volunteers to help you.
Then, be braver. Go through your kitchen cabinets or pantry, and rid yourself of as much processed food as you possibly can. If you don’t know why, you’ve skipped several hundred of my columns. Do it anyway.
Then you have a choice. You can toss your rejects, or you can pass it on to non-profit food pantries that may welcome it because it’s better than nothing.
I know food pantries are hurting and can’t be picky these days but the sooner we get people, all people, eating clean, unprocessed food, the less vulnerable we are to pandemics of every sort.
The final step in this springtime detox is to replenish your shelves and your life with real food, or foods that are minimally processed, like soups, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Read labels! Watch for added sugars, toxic chemicals, and unpronounceable additives. There are tons of real food choices out there, at affordable prices, so don’t let that be your excuse.
Over time, if you wean yourself off the junk and use this horrifying and humbling time of the pandemic to eat and cook real food, you will be decreasing your risk of getting all sorts of life-threatening sicknesses. Including COVID-19 and all the killer germs and viruses that will follow.
I wish they were telling us about preventing this heart-breaking sickness as often as we’re being told to stay home, wash hands, and wear masks.
SPRING CLEAN YOUR BRAIN. Your brain gets cluttered too. You must have noticed by now, that stressful feeling of too much technology, too many distractions, too much incoming information, and too little time to stop being busy, and just be.
So here’s one great way to spring clean your overbusy brain: a breathing exercise to help you access a felt sense of peace and calm: Sit still in a quiet and comfortable space, and listen to the sound of your breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly and gently, through your nose. Extra credit for making the sound of the ocean as you inhale and exhale.
This will help your brain dust settle, mop up negative thoughts and sweep positive thoughts and energy to your heart and lungs
You can do it anytime, anywhere, sitting in a chair, standing in front of the screen. Where and when isn’t nearly as important as just doing it, taking a few minutes to use your breath to calm your brain, even if you’re worried you’re doing it wrong.
You’re not doing it wrong. There’s no wrong way to spring clean your brain. All is Well.
ENERGY EXPRESS-O! LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD
“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.” —Marie Kondo