It’s hard to beat the joy (and relief!) of spring, as we all emerge from our winter dens to discover days outdoors with warmth and sunshine and the people we love. But with the changing season inevitably comes . . . the (sometimes) dreaded spring cleaning. Listen, we know spring cleaning doesn’t spark joy in everyone, but it can. A decluttered home is a space for relaxation and rejuvenation, like a spa day for our brain, and it’s more in reach than you think. This week, Emily guides us through seven simple tasks that’ll take your home from winter hibernation den to a clean spring oasis for you and your loved ones. But here’s the best part: these tasks don’t have to happen only during spring. If your efforts to declutter extend to August? So what! Spring cleaning can become summer cleaning as we’re making strides to live a more simple, decluttered life that serves us well.
7 Steps to Ruthlessly Declutter Your Home
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Walk through your home with a trash bag. Remove everything that is not serving you well.
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Walk your home with a donation bin. That book you read five years ago but will never pick up again? Bye!
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Clean out your fridge. Grab your courage, and take on that tupperware that’s mysteriously gone cloudy.
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Purge your purse. Do you really need twelve lip glosses jangling around in there? Make your purse work for you, not the other way around.
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Clear out your computer. An organized work space is a happy work space. Declutter your desktop and add a fun new background while you’re at it.
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Refresh your bedroom. Make it a place of serenity and relaxation, not one cluttered with random glasses and photos on your nightstand.
- Clear out your bathroom. Simplify your routine by batching similar products together. This way you can save yourself five minutes of frustration when your favorite eye cream has mysteriously disappeared and it’s way past your bedtime.
Quotable Quotes
“Do you think you'd feel a little better if you leaned into this new spring season? Do you think you’d like to have more shelf space in your pantry? Would you like to not bump into random boxes in your closet floor? Do you think it's time to part with your Christmas decorations and say hi to them again in November? Then it's time for a little spring cleaning.” – Emily Ley
“Your goal here is to create a space free from the daily clutter one step at a time, and get to a point where you can enjoy your home to the fullest.” – Emily Ley
“Decluttering needs to be a focused process. Don't get sidetracked into rearranging things when you're on a mission just to clear out your space. Trust me, there will be plenty of time for decorating later.” – Emily Ley
“Whether you realize it or not, physical clutter invites mental clutter into your life. I am very serious here. A clean home is like a spa day for your brain, and in the end, it's just another way to make space for what really matters.” – Emily Ley
A Blessing for Your Week
May your home be filled with love and joy.
May you create a space that makes you feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
May you fearlessly make space for what is most important to you and your family.
And after all that is done, may you find the comfort to live and breathe freely.
Simplicity Tip of the Week
Just pick one thing we talked about today and go do it. Here's the fun part. If you can't finish today, that's okay! Just know that if you start in the kitchen, you can stay there for as long as you need to. The time it takes to clean out your home is not nearly as important as the comfort and simplicity a declared home will bring you in the long term.
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