Spring Cleaning Tips: Learning to Let Go

Most of us believe all that extra junk and clutter around us in the winter must keep us warm. If not, why do we end up with a ridiculous amount of stuff come spring? The last thing anyone wants once the sun is shining and the trees are turning green is to be stuck inside sifting through mountains of mess. But how and where to start can be more daunting than the actual task at hand, so we' ve combined a few spring cleaning tips!

The key to beginning what appears to be an overwhelming task starts with a change of attitude. Make it a game. Try listening to music and dance while you're cleaning. Set a timer and challenge yourself to finish one small task in 15 minutes. Take breaks. Play a favorite DVD in the background. You know what it takes to adjust your point of view.

The first spring cleaning tip is to remember to start easy. Begin by tossing things you know you can live without. Throw out all your old cosmetics, lotions, perfumes, and broken jewelry.Freshen your environment by rotating in new posters or pictures and rearranging the ones you have. If something is attached to a negative memory, lose it. Good riddance to bad vibes.

Every closet always needs a spring cleaning, not only to clear out what doesn't fit, is out of style, stained, ripped, and plain embarrassing (what were you thinking?), but to banish the heavy sweaters and boots you won't be needing for months. Store your winter clothes or put them in the back of the closet and drawers. Spring cleaning tips like the three-pile idea—one to keep (your favorites, your staples), one to donate (the things you haven't worn this year), and a third to try on and then decide—seems to work well. If you need some help, invite a brutally honest friend to keep you company.

Other spring cleaning tips to remember include the following: Note what you are getting rid of so you'll remember what might need replacing. Then organize what's left. Hang everything where it belongs. Sort by color to make getting dressed a snap. Don't forget to sort shoes in these same piles.

Take a before and after photo to reward yourself. After this purging, not only will you have given yourself much needed storage space, but you'll have given someone less fortunate a pile of great pieces for their wardrobe. When you're done, notice how light and free you feel. Once you start using the above spring cleaning tips—clearing out the outside—don't be surprised to notice the inside clearing out too. Not only is your closet decluttered, but your mind as well. Getting your life in order allows you to put winter behind you and move forward toward spring. Now both you and your closets have more room for new possibilities!