Beyond the Boxes: Spring Cleaning for the Soul

The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and the breeze is blowing in. We’re looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Spring has sprung! You might be tired of these cliches, but one that I can’t find myself tired of: “spring cleaning.” It’s time for some priming and polishing, and if you’re like me, there’s a good bit you’re ready to kiss goodbye.

This spring, I’m focusing on mental cleansing: decluttering the mind and opening the heart. This yearly ritual provides a time dedicated to clearing out what no longer serves you. It typically takes the form of physical organization, dusting off the forgotten cracks and sorting through forgotten piles.

Image Courtesy: @alexander.hoyle on Instagram

But this go-around, I’m getting down to the nitty-gritty. The not-so-aesthetic restructuring for simplifying the messiest corners of the mind. I’m getting rid of the unnecessary. But these aren’t necessarily things I can just throw out, though. I’ve cleaned my space, I’ve re-organized, and now, I’m ready to methodize simple peace — without all the fluff I thought I needed.

To tackle these micro-organizations, I’ve compiled a cleaning list of scattered habits I have vowed to do less. This elimination is my aim at a recipe for real peace. If you, like me, often feel as though the resolutions never quite stick, you might find inspiration from my personal collection.

Urban Outfitters

The “lifestyle retailer” really tackles it all. Urban Outfitters, a chain known for its trendy upkeep, frequently partners with influencers to market to their target audience. The shop might lure you in with fashion, but the hand-crafted, niche, perfectly aestheticized items can’t help but catch your eye. Like this boba tea-themed lamp or this knotted taper holder, these novelties drive a feeling of false necessity.

But, once awake from the knick-knack trance, you end up with a lot of overpriced – let’s be real – junk. Although maintaining the allure of filling your space with aesthetically pleasing items, this pricey build-up of purchases often leaves consumers with the desire to constantly keep up a trendy collection. While I’m speaking of my own experiences, all of us have our own Urban Outfitters. Stop clutter at the source and seek to avoid the retailers of your personal impulsive buys.

Spending $6 on Coffee

Goodbye, lavender vanilla oat milk lattes. Farewell, extra shots of add-in espresso. So long to my favorite, matcha tea latte with soy milk, two shots of espresso and cold foam on top. Hello, my perfectly useful, short of $55, at-home Keurig coffee machine.

Buying coffee is not necessarily something to reprimand yourself for, but when you find yourself pushing past $6 or $7 on coffee, multiple times a week, it’s time to cut down. I realized most of my bank statements were from my local coffee shop, instead of things with more long-term or practical use. This spring, I’m wiping away the unnecessary coffee splurges and relearning the purchase as an occasional treat. It can only bring more excitement when I do have that lavender latte craving.

8 a.m. Class

Image Courtesy: @andotherlawstories on Instagram

I’m not a morning person, and I will no longer try to be. As a third-year student in college, I have signed up for my fair share of early-bird classes. I started wondering why I didn’t dress up as much, and why I was unable to remember class notes — all the while waking myself up five minutes before I had to leave for said class.

I tried waking up earlier, but with my sleeping struggles and chaotic schedule, 9:30 a.m. or later is the sweet spot for me. When I allow my brain to wake up and get prepared for the day, I accomplish more of what I want to do. Get rid of the guilt this spring, and allow yourself to be productive on your own time.

Looking Up Zodiac Compatibility

I’m a sucker for Zodiac-themed posts, articles, information, you name it. At age 13, I developed a hobby of staying up late into the night, researching if my 8th grade crush was capable of liking me back as a Scorpio. At 19, I still found myself looking to the stars.

“I don’t actually base my life around it, though,” I would reason. But I romanticized the red flags. “What an Aries thing to do,” I’d ponder and chuckle. Only now am I letting people show me who they are through their actions and not their birth date. This season, I’m prioritizing seeing things clearly and not taking my weekly horoscope too seriously.

Tinder Validation

Ah, how I wish this one was absent from the list. But downloading dating apps to swipe through for hours at night — just to delete it a week later — is too frequent a pastime. It can be fun and distracting, but I don’t want to rely on a short-lived confidence boost this blooming season. I will be matching myself to what makes me feel good and find it IRL. Delete that app this spring, or don’t! But I’d rather be frolicking in the fields instead of swiping through another group referencing “The Office” in their bio.

Snapchat

If you still keep streaks, you’re far beyond my reach. The Snapchat app has allowed access into our 24-hour lives, encouraging users to post what they’re eating, where they are and who they’re with. While I no longer send black screens to improve my “snap score,” I still catch myself making use of the app a little too often. Abandoning the pressure to impress my peers, or cultivate my relationships strictly through snaps, I’ve decided cutting back on one social media app won’t kill me. Plus, I’ll be upping my phone space with this spring cleaning hack.

The truth is, this list could look like anything. Doing what’s best for you isn’t always dipped in coconut oil and lavender. It’s individualized; instead of feeling guilty for not having made your bed or drinking green juice every day since the ball dropped, the goal is to cut out the things that no longer give you peace. The green juice may work for some, but if it doesn’t for you, there is no reason to force it down anymore.

I encourage you to simplify your physical and mental space, and see how life looks fully decluttered. I’m excited for the private moments like finding my own favorite coffee creamer from the store and to hear it brew along with my morning yawn in the kitchen alone. Finding organization, and letting go of all that hinders it, can be private and peaceful. Let the spring breeze infiltrate a clean, intentional mind and spirit.

Strike Out,

Writer: Grace Benneyworth

Editor: Kate Corcoran

Graphics: Jordan Corina

Gainesville