As winter bids farewell and the days start warming and brightening, it's possible to start feeling your mood improve, as you're less weighed down by the cold and dreary days of winter. Spring is a time to renew your goals, refresh your home, and to unearth your garden from its wintry layers. As the ever-growing days beckon you to spend more time outside, you'll easily find many ways to keep you outside of the house enjoying the fresh spring days.
1. Start planning. The beginning of spring is the best time to plan how you'll enjoy the rest of spring. Whether it's gardening, spring cleaning, starting a new course, having a makeover, organizing renovations, or any other project or activity that is perfect to undertake during spring, planning for it will help you to make the most of the spring months. Spring is the ideal time to set the pace for the coming warm months, including any transitions or transformations you're hoping to make. If you want to take a summer vacation, start planning for it now if you haven't already started.
2. Spring clean. This age-old tradition of clearing away the cobwebs of winter will give your house a fresh beginning for the warmer months ahead and make the house and surrounds more inviting and enjoyable for you and your family and friends. Spring is a great time to do thorough cleaning because many of us have pent-up energy to expend and after being cooped up for much of winter, the energy levels are on the rise again. Spring cleaning isn't as mundane as routine cleaning because it's about making space, clearing out things, and even making space should you find unwanted things around.
Check that you've got all the cleaning supplies you'll need. Look closely at brooms, brushes, mops, and sponges to see if they're still in good condition or whether its time to replace them.
Have all your cleaning solutions ready. If you're making your own cleaning solutions, check out wikiHow's suggestions under Home cleaning preparations.
Wait for the first few warm days of spring and get started. Clear the trash and clutter, sweep down cobwebs, dust everything, and donate or dispose of anything you don't need in the house anymore.
Don't forget the garage, car, any out-buildings, and garden sheds.
Clean out your computer files and emails. No time like springtime to get rid of your digital mess too! The less cluttered your digital life, the more time you have to enjoy the days of spring.
3. Consider redecoration or renovation; perhaps even a move. This is a good time to sit back and assess the strengths and weaknesses of your current living space and to reach a decision about whether or not it could be improved through a change in decoration styles or additions through decorations. And if you're finding your house is too small or big, or that it's not meeting your needs and you don't want to renovate, spring is usually a good time to place your house on the market and to find a new one with ease.
Redecoration doesn't have to mean the entire house. Perhaps sprucing up your bedroom or your living area will be enough of a new direction for you and/or the family this year.
Renovations can take time to plan and get consent for. The earlier you start thinking about them, the better.
If you're not sure whether it's better to move or renovate, read How to decide whether to move or renovate to help you make the decision.
4. Bring flowers into the house. Spring flowers will bring joy into the house with their bright colors and lovely fragrances.
Aim to have new, fresh flowers in the house every week during spring.
5. Rejuvenate your energy levels. As well as spring cleaning the house, car, and garden, consider spring cleaning your health as well. Winter is a time of eating more than during the rest of the year and if you've slipped into eating habits that aren't as healthy as they could be, spring is the time to mend your ways and to begin eating healthy, fresh foods again. Improve your nutrition intake and feel your energy levels soar again.
Spring is a wonderful time to make dietary changes because there are so many delicious baby or young vegetables, salad vegetables and fresh fruits available. Make the most of these foods while they're fresh, as they taste best when young and will enthuse your taste buds to want more!
Consider detoxing your body. Some people enjoy going on fasts as part of a detox but you should really run going on a fast by your doctor first, just to be sure it's safe for you.
Improve your sleeping schedule. If you've been getting into poor sleeping habits over winter, spring is a good time to fix your sleep schedule to restore your energy. Read How to sleep better for more ideas.
Have a massage or more. Or book yourself into a day spa for a full day of pampering.
6. Consider getting a makeover. It could be as little as a new hairstyle or as big as a whole wardrobe change but spring is a perfect time to consider personal appearance changes. Over winter our hair has been hidden under hats and scarves, and spring might reveal a hairstyle you're just not happy with. Talk to your hairdresser about options that will bring you up-to-date and feeling good about how you're looking again. And check through your closet. Are your spring clothes in good condition and still wearable or are they looking decidedly old or perhaps even "last season" if you're very fashion-conscious? If you're ready to change your wardrobe, spring is the perfect time to do it. Use a short break or a weekend to clear out the closet entirely and to only put back the things you really love wearing. Everything else can go to charity or the rag bag (or pet's bed) and then you have an excuse to do some shopping for a few new items that will blend in well with the clothes you've kept.
For women, now is an excellent time to discard outdated makeup. Makeup wasn't made to last, so throw out anything that's old, caked up, or obviously in bad condition.
Read the fashion magazines and websites to find out what's in season. You don't have to buy everything; just purchase a few items that will give your current clothing a spring fashion edge. And read How to create a fashionable spring wardrobe for more ideas.
7. Get outside more often. While the TV season is still well underway, timing your life by the TV timetable seems less sensible as the days begin to lengthen and the sun shines more often. Find lots of ways to spend time outdoors, including exercising, walking the dog, gardening, getting back into team sports, or simply taking regular walks to enjoy the scenery.
If you're not keen on running about or hitting balls, try yoga, tai chi, or pilates in the local park.
Take your camera when you go walking. Look for signs of spring emerging everywhere and take photos that you can use for collages, decorations, and photo projects; or, you can just share the marvels of spring through your photos with people online (upload them to a site such as Flickr).
Take the kids down to the local park or reserve with some balls, rackets, kites, and a picnic basket.
Spend an hour or more letting them charge about playing games and finish up with a lunch or dinner meal on a rug.
Spend time playing with your pets outdoors. They'll appreciate the attention and you'll enjoy interacting with them in the outside world.
Dust off the bicycle and start seeing your neighborhood again from two wheels. Gather some friends and spend the day biking. If you want to explore, bring a phone with a GPS installed in it. You can discover some secret places, and get back home on time!
8. Check out the festivals. There are many festivals and other community events held during springtime and a lot of them celebrate spring, such as cherry blossom or tulip festivals. Find out what's happening in your local area or even where you're prepared to travel to and enjoy the festivities on offer.
9. Smile and take time to check out what's changing around you. Listen to the birdsong, watch the birds building their nests, look out for animals beginning to have their young, and watch the plant life around you emerge, shoot ahead, and finally start to blossom. Every week brings subtle changes until suddenly it seems as if spring is in full bloom around you. Set yourself a goal of noticing all the little changes that get spring to this point.