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I know exactly what the words, “spring cleaning” conjures up in your mind.
An image of a beautiful day spent in cleaning out the garage or that pesky back closet that has been avoided for far too long. While spring cleaning may seem overwhelming, it actually doesn’t have to be. Our living spaces closely correlate to our mental clarity and health, and how we care for them affects our day to day lives. Being intentional about the things that we own, actually frees us from a life of clutter and disorganization. The team at #ProjectBestLife was able to chat with some of the experts in the field of organization in order to make this sometimes overwhelming task not only easier, but fun.
Feng Shui Your World – Linda Ellson
Linda Ellson has been a practitioner of the ancient art and science of Feng Shui for over 19 years, spending most of her days helping people find the beauty in harmonizing and balancing a home.
“One of the theories of Feng Shui is that your whole life is mapped out throughout your physical space, whether we realize it or not. There’s an area for our career, our knowledge, our health, our wealth, our passion in life, and so many more. When we have things stacking up or things that are dirty and disorganized, whether you practice Feng Shui or not, I think we’ve all had that experience that when we give a good scrub down to our sink or our stove, just for an example, or clean out a closet, it feels really good on some level.”
Practicing some simple Feng Shui steps is sure to kickstart your spring cleaning and re-align what is important in your home. For a lot of us, our closets are the most difficult things to tackle, but according to Linda, even such a small space as that is important.
“One of the tips regarding closets and your clothes is you should be wearing things that you feel really good about, that inspires you and you’ve actually worn it in the past year. You should be able to freely move your hand through the closet. It’s not like you have to, you know, get in there and really jam it over. I did a thing with my clients a few years ago that seemed to help, and I love this idea: try a clothing swap!”
Creative Storage- Diana Augspurger
Having the tools necessary to clean and organize your space is equally as important as having the motivation to do it. Thanks to our friends at Creative Storage discovering what you need is no longer an issue.
Diana Augspurger has been designing spaces for people for over 37 years, and has become an expert at knowing just what people need to complete their organizational endeavors. Throughout the years, she has come to realize that the first step to getting your space in order is to declutter.
“It’s sort of like recovering from a cold. It puts a lot more energy into your step when your life becomes less cluttered. it’s a really hard thing to put your finger on exactly what that emotion is except to say that people just feel better. They feel good. And it’s an addictive process. Once we do one space in their house, they go ‘I want my whole house to feel like this.’ They thought they had one problem spot and then they recognized that it can fix a lot of areas for them.”
According to Diana the test to keep in mind while choosing what to keep and what to throw away is simple:
“Ask yourself, ‘is this something I would buy if I didn’t already own it?’ Probably not. Or ‘does this just have sentimental meaning to me for some reason,’ in which case do you still need to own it just because it was sentimental to you? No, you could photograph it and create a digital library of the things that you really have no need to own, but just don’t want to forget.”
Organize Your Life LLC- Sherri Papich
Sherri Papich, certified in-person and virtual professional organizer and productivity strategist with Organize Your Life LLC is no stranger when it comes to the realm of spring cleaning. The goal of the business is to be a catalyst for positive change and to help clients move through transitions in order to make their lives better.
“Overcome your overwhelm by breaking down projects into manageable tasks. Use your calendar to schedule time for an entire task including set up and clean up. don’t run from room to room when trying to organize. Sort, Declutter, Then containerize and label sections or zones. Ask for help, delegate and seek expert guidance where necessary. The goal is to find the objects that are actual treasures or that are needed for a full, healthy, functional life.”
Sherri was also able to put together a simple shopping guide to help narrow down some essential items for starting.
“Many people make the mistake of buying pretty containers before they know what they need to organize. Make sure to Declutter and sort before buying containers. Some of the best tools for decluttering are a black sharpie marker, white and black stretchy garbage bags, some boxes for donation and post-its or index cards for labeling your sorted piles. Once you have sorted and categorized like with like, you can search online or go to your local hardware, container or department store to buy organizational tools.”
Spring cleaning is all about starting fresh and narrowing down things that bring value to your life. Having a space that is functional, productive, and organized not only increases mental clarity, but is also a step in helping you live your best life.
For more tips and inspiration to help live a healthy, happy and balanced life to the fullest, subscribe to the Project Best Life newsletter.
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Trying to manage a proper work-life balance, saving for your future while paying all your bills, all while keeping strong relationships with friends and family… We know that life can get pretty stressful, and it’s easy to forget what’s best for your health both physically and mentally. Project Best Life is here to help with our podcast: Happy and Healthy. We provide tips from experts and share stories that will inspire you to live your best life, whatever that means to you. Listen now on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google
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Written and Hosted by Liberty Darr
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Produced by Jessica Marinelli
The products and services listed in the above article do not constitute an endorsement or approval by Project Best Life by Roswell Park or Buffalo Rising. Content on this site is for reference purposes and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.