My little secret is that I love tidying up. I crave the deep clean my house receives on a weekly basis. I look forward to my annual spring cleaning ritual; the pinnacle of my ever-so-slightly-OCD-ish calendar.
I’m a bit late to the game, but I recently discovered the “KonMarie method” from Marie Kondo’s ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising’. Kondo sees tidying as a cheerful conversation, in which anything that doesn’t “spark joy” is to be touched, thanked and sent on its way. She encourages a rapid, dramatic and transformative one-time organising event. Completed methodically and lovingly in no more than six months. It’s not an ongoing battle against clutter, which I think we can all relate to.
This got me thinking; could I apply the same theory to the other areas of my life?
NON-TOXIC HOME CLEANING
A great start would be reducing the number of harmful chemicals in your home. There are plenty of natural brands, such as greenscents, which are free from harsh substances, like phosphates and chlorine bleaches. They’re also far more environmentally responsible.
The other option is to ditch shop bought brands and make your own cleaning products. Baking soda cleans, deodorises and is amazing for scouring the kitchen sink. While white vinegar cuts grease, removes mildew, odours, some stains and wax build-up. Google ‘best home remedies’ for more examples of cutting out harsh chemicals. And you’ll save a few pennies too.
STRAIGHTEN OUT YOUR FINANCES
My geek crush is Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert. I’m hooked on his Monday night ITV programme ‘The Martin Lewis Money Show’ – it’s got some fantastic money-saving tips and advice.
It’s much easier to ignore your financial situation than bite the bullet and get your finances in order. But I promise you, it’s one of the best things you can do to start afresh. It’ll also bring you peace of mind knowing you’re in control and getting the best deals. Why not start small by cutting down on anything you don’t need, such as shop bought lunch or your morning cup of coffee?
REVIEW YOUR EATING HABITS
If, like most of us, you didn’t stick to your New Year diet, it might be time to ditch the word “diet” from your vocabulary altogether. Commit to eliminating fast and processed foods, white flour, sugar and red meat. Drink more water and eat more fresh fruits. You could expand your palate by going meatless for a meal or two and trying new vegetables. Give dairy a rest for a while and see how different you feel.
Switching things up exercise-wise can help too. Doing the same activity on the treadmill three times a week can get boring. Join a new club, learn a new sport and you might even make some like-minded new friends in the process.
BE A NATURAL BEAUTY
I’m also making the transition to more natural and organic skincare and cosmetics.
The same way you look at food labels, you should do the same for beauty products. My top tip would be to educate yourself and do your research before you buy. To help you on your way, watch out for these top offenders: parabens, synthetic colours, fragrance, phthalates, triclosan, SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate), formaldehyde, toluene, propylene glycol and sunscreen chemicals.
There’s loads of other ways you can spring clean your life but I hope this helps you on your way! If you have any more spring cleaning tips, I’d love to hear them in the comment section below.
Advice from TOTM Communications Manager, Daisy Pratt.
