Subconsciously, I’ve been doing my own bouts of spring cleaning. Although I’m the type of person who’s dedicated to constant cleaning and decluttering at any time of year, I recently found the urge to purge my closets.
Perhaps it’s the warmer weather that makes me feel productive…either way, I’m in the mood to get things done before summer antics begin and I start leaving the house.
You spend the winter huddled up in your home, collecting new clothes and items because there’s nothing else to do but online shop. And I get it, with the Little Treats trend, I’ve gathered a surplus of sweatshirts and skincare products over time.
My main checkpoints for spring cleaning are as follows:
- Dust all surfaces (yes, even behind furniture)
- Store all winter items away
- Wash all linens (including your throw pillows and blankets)
- Clean out pantry
- Donate at least 10 items from your home (clothes, blankets, etc.)
I like to spread out my spring cleaning over the span of one to two weeks so it’s manageable. Instead of stressing out over the mountain of cleaning ahead of me, I deep clean for an hour each day.
But there’s another type of spring cleaning that you may have forgotten. No, I’m not talking about vacuuming your stairs or shaking out your welcome mat…I’m referring to your mental health.
But How Can I Spring Clean My Mental State?!
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After a never-ending winter, it’s easy to get lost in a glut of life stressors. You’re trapped inside for months marinating in the buildup of clutter and dust…the sun sets earlier, so less time spent outside…you get my drift.
Things can look bleak when you feel overwhelmed by life. Whether it’s family, school, work, finances, or a grinding sense of anxiety, everyone has something going on. And that’s why it’s so important to prioritize your mental health during these transitional weeks.
Sure, the summer is approaching and you’re ready to live your Mamma Mia dreams (falling in love with three men at once by the sea)…but wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to worry about life’s woes from morning to night?
What if you headed into summer 2024 with a fully optimistic mindset that things are going to work out? That, my friends, is why we’re here. To spring clean our mental health in order to have the best summer ever.
Why? Because we deserve it.
How To Get Your Mental Health In Order By Summer
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Sadly, healing isn’t linear. I wish I could give you the step-by-step process to lessen your anxiety and feel 100% better in only three months’ time…but I can recommend some tools that can help lessen the burden of being alive.
We’ve all been dealt a different set of cards: your best day ever may be someone else’s worst day in existence. But we can all choose how we react to these triumphs or tribulations. We can choose to let the pain and suffering linger, or take those cards we’ve been dealt and turn them into gold.
Most of my 20s has been about feeling lost and like I don’t have life figured out…until I realized that everyone my age feels the same. Then I decided to start leaning into life and letting things happen. I can’t expect an outcome, just roll with the punches.
So, leave our problems at the door, let’s revel in summertime…so here are my tips for a mental spring cleaning your mind that will leave you feeling mentally refreshed and ready for summer!
See A Therapist
Ahh, I’ve stumped a lot of people already. Once a taboo topic, therapy is one of the best not-so-hidden secrets to mental clarity. Even if you don’t feel like you have any “problems” going on in your life, therapy can be a great tool to help achieve goals and get some insight on life that you may not normally receive.
Try A Self Esteem Workbook or Journal
We all could use a vote of self-confidence. A self-esteem workbook will help you take time out of your day for yourself. Do one or two pages each night…or whenever you can grab the time.
Journaling is an awesome tool to help you work through your issues. It doesn’t have to be an extreme diary that details each and every event…but an anthology of lists, musings, and notes that make you who you are!
…Or A Self Help Book
No matter what you’re facing, there’s a self-help book for that. It can be super helpful to find out that you aren’t the only one who’s had this problem…and bonus! You may discover a few coping solutions in the process.
Have You Listened To Your Podcasts?
If you aren’t a reader, I get it. We’re in our podcast era lately, too, so don’t do fret about ditching the self-help books for a mindful podcast…or three.
Make A List Or Two
Lists can help you get control over your life. Whether it’s daily accomplishments, goals for the next few months (or year) crossing things off my to-do list is such a fabulous rush.
Create lists of spring cleaning tasks, of mundane daily achievements like making your bed or doing laundry, and list out potential purchases and budgets. The options are endless when it comes to organizing your life with the power of lists!
