6 Ways To Spring Clean Your Life For A Reset

When we think of spring cleaning, our minds usually go to all the spaces and rooms in our homes that need decluttering and deep cleaning as a new season starts. It allows us to start fresh by purging the old and making room for the new. 

While traditional spring cleaning is important (and always on my to-do list), the best type of cleaning we can do is in our own lives to help improve our physical and mental health.

Spring cleaning our lives creates space for renewed growth, positivity, and personal development. It helps us learn how to let go of negative thoughts, unhealthy habits, and toxic relationships. When we can pause and reflect on what’s affecting us and what areas we want to change, we start shifting toward the life we truly desire.

If you’re in need of a reset for growth and renewal, keep reading for 6 ways you can spring clean your life:

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1. Notice What’s Causing You To Feel Overwhelmed

When we reach the point of feeling overwhelmed, it’s because we’re taking on too much at once or continually pushing through each day without giving ourselves a moment to pause and reflect.

This past year was a rollercoaster of emotions: from navigating grief and dealing with personal health issues, all while trying to keep up with my weekly writing schedule and remain in a good and positive headspace. There was a point when I felt stuck in the continuous cycle of telling myself I needed to keep going and moving forward, yet not knowing how because I felt overwhelmed by even the smallest tasks.

Our priorities can change from season to season. And it’s okay if we need to adjust accordingly. Since I was having trouble sleeping through the night, I didn’t have the mental energy to work out right when I woke up. I could no longer efficiently write two articles a week, on top of trying to freelance for other publications on the side. Once I was able to pinpoint exactly what was overwhelming me, I started making intentional choices and focusing on what mattered most, even if I couldn’t keep up with the same schedule I had before.

2. Reflect On Your Habits 

Reflecting on habits requires being mindful of your routines and what you want to adjust. These habits include anything from eating healthier, exercising a few days a week, or adjusting your overall daily wellness routine. By paying attention to where you’re putting your energy, it’ll help you focus on the habits you want to change or improve. 

At the beginning of each year, I choose a word I want to stick by rather than coming up with a list of resolutions. The word I chose last year was “intentional” because I wanted to be intentional in everything I did. Whether it was exercising, writing, or taking time for self-care. 

As I started feeling the need for a deep spring-cleaning reset for my own life, I took a step back and analyzed the areas where I knew that I wasn’t being intentional anymore, such as meal prepping and journaling. I made minor changes in these areas, such as setting aside a couple hours on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead for meals and making it a point to journal a few times a week, whether it was a quick gratitude entry or free-writing to get my thoughts out of my head and onto paper. 

By setting aside time to notice what your current habits are, it’ll help identify the smaller changes you need to make that eventually lead to bigger changes overall. 

3. Make Space For What’s Important 

Have you noticed anything in your life that’s currently important to you but you haven’t been prioritizing? Spring cleaning your life requires making space and investing in what brings you closer to your wants and needs. Once I noticed that I wasn’t making my self-care a priority, I knew it was time to re-evaluate what was most important to me. 

When we set intentions ahead of time, it’s easier to invest in what’s important to us. It’s probably not surprising that I love reading, since I’m a writer. However, there was a period of time when months went by, and I didn’t read a single page of a book. 

Reading is something that always inspired me to write, inspired my own creativity, and overall helped me become a better writer. In January, I set a realistic reading goal for this year on Goodreads, which ended up averaging about 2-3 books a month. I also invested in this Kindle that I love, especially since it’s small enough that I can bring it anywhere (and I found that it helps me read even more!).

Shift your focus and prioritize what matters to you the most. You’ll feel more fulfilled when you make space for what brings you happiness, rather than spreading your energy thin on anything that drains you or doesn’t bring you closer to where you want to be.

4. Do Something For Yourself, By Yourself 

It’s easy to get caught up in the daily distractions in life, especially when there’s only so much that you can focus your energy on. Personally, I know that I’m able to gain more mental clarity when I do something for myself, by myself. 

One thing that I plan on being more intentional about during my spring life reset is to start journaling, either first thing in the morning or late at night. Journaling is something that helps me sort through my thoughts and have a clear headspace. Other activities you could do for yourself besides journaling are listening to an uplifting podcast, getting outside for some exercise, or taking a bath with some relaxing music. When we do something for ourselves with positive intentions, it starts spilling into other areas of our lives. 

Do something for yourself even if it’s only setting aside a few minutes in the morning or at night when you have no other distractions. We have a lot more mental clarity when we aren’t constantly surrounded by outside distractions. Not to say that’s always realistic, because all of our lives are busy no matter what season we’re in, but you’ll feel more refreshed and renewed when you’re able to take any amount of time for yourself, even if it’s only for a few hours a week. 

Related posts you might like:

• Reminders For Overcoming Burnout
• 5 Ways To Find Yourself Again
• 25 Mental Health Journal Prompts

5. Let Go Of Anything Holding You Back 

One of the most important aspects of spring cleaning your life is to let go of anything holding you back, including negative thoughts. Sometimes we get so stuck on where we’re at that it’s hard to focus on where we’re headed. If you take time to identify what you’re specifically struggling with, it can help you let go so you’re able to focus on the present moment and the future. 

There were times I held onto people and things I didn’t want to lose. But by holding onto the past and what we’re supposed to let go of, the only thing it does is hold us back even more. We think it’s harder to let go because all we’ve known how to do is hold on, but we’ll find there’s more strength in letting go of something that isn’t meant for us anymore. 

Once you’re able to let go of anything that’s holding you back, you’ll find more growth, renewal, and strength. Some of the best spring cleaning you can do is gain awareness of anything that’s holding you back from who you are, while making room for what’s meant to be in your life. 

6. Focus On Relationships That Bring Color To Your Life 

I read a quote recently that said, “Pay attention to how you feel after you spend time with somebody.” When it comes to growth and becoming a renewed version of yourself, it’s important to focus on the relationships that bring color to your life, not take it away. 

By nurturing the healthy relationships in your life and letting go of the toxic ones, you’ll realize how much better you feel when you surround yourself with the right people. The people who make you feel more like yourself, not less. 

Sometimes it’s inevitable who we’re around, but it doesn’t mean that we have to give our energy to negative or toxic people. Spring clean the relationships in your life by prioritizing who is positive and healthy for you. 

Spring cleaning your life requires awareness about the things that are affecting you and taking a step to make a change. It’s an opportunity to start over fresh and new, enabling you to notice areas where you feel overwhelmed or anything that’s preventing you from becoming a better version of yourself.

Take this spring as a chance for growth and renewal from anything or anyone that’s interfering with who you strive to be. You owe it to yourself to feel fulfilled in every area of your life. The best growth comes over time, and you’ll be thankful for the renewed “you”, no matter how long it takes.