Low-Energy Spring-Cleaning

As Spring arrives, so does the season of new beginnings, ridding ourselves of the old clutter that has piled up over the Winter.

However, when the rest of life continues to get in the way, especially if we are mentally or physically unwell, the notion of doing a full Spring-clean can feel, at best, overwhelming, and at worst, totally impossible.

Here are some ideas for some low-energy Spring cleaning tasks that can yield appreciable results without exhausting us. You don’t have to do them all, but choosing one or two of them each day will soon make a big difference.

LIVING ROOM

Books

Sort through your bookshelf. Donate books you have already read and don’t intend to read again.

Cushions

Plump your cushions! They’ll look nicer and feel so much cosier.

KITCHEN

Mugs

If you’re like me and you have way more mugs than you really need, donate or throw some away. Think about how many you really need, for example, if you have guests over, but don’t keep any more than that.

Cupboards

Empty your cupboards of old/out-of-date food. If you have stuff that is in-date but you know you don’t want, donate it to a food bank.

OFFICE/STUDY

Stationery

Sort through your stationery. Test your pens. Throw away any that don’t work anymore.

Emails

Clear out your email inbox. Watching that number of unread emails decrease is strangely therapeutic!

Computer documents

Sort your computer documents into files, so they’re easier to find and it clears up your desktop view.

BEDROOM

Clothes

Pull out all your winter clothes and store them away in the attic/under your bed so you can clearly see what you have to wear for this season. Donate anything you no longer want/need, or throw away/recycle anything that has become old and grotty. If this feels like too big a job, narrow it down to just coats.

BATHROOM

Toiletries

Recycle empty toiletry bottles, or donate items that you know you’re not going to use.

The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to do it all at once. Take your time, don’t overdo it. If you are unwell or exhausted and push yourself too hard, you will only end up setting yourself back. Take one or two tasks a day if you can, and the results quickly add up.

What low-energy Spring-cleaning tasks can you think of? Let me know in the comments!