Ready For a Little Spring Cleaning?

Branch of spring plum blossom with pink flowers and budsNow that Spring has sprung, I thought a little Spring cleaning might be order.

No worries – what I have in mind doesn’t require any special cleaning equipment. (Definitely no vacuums, dusting cloths or spray bottles).

(Unless, of course, you choose to).

It’s no accident, by the way, that Spring is considered a time of renewal.

In fact, in ancient Chinese art, the plum blossom is a treasured symbol of Springtime – since it blooms early in the season, thus signifying new life ahead.

And in traditional Chinese medicine, Spring is also the season for cleansing – making this the perfect time of year to cleanse your home, body, and even your mind.

But here’s the most important thing you need to know:

In traditional cleanses, there is often one critical piece that’s missing!

Want to know what it is?

Keep reading and I’ll share with you exactly what I mean.

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Is Detox a 4-Letter Word?

Bathroom ScaleAs the New Year approaches, hardly a day goes by that I don’t see an email or Facebook post advocating a full body detox.

The general idea is to undo the damage from all the holiday indulgence.

(I even offer a Kitchen Detox Makeover; it’s not quite the same thing, but a detox just the same.)

And of course, with New Year’s Eve just five days away, the holiday celebrations aren’t even over yet.

So, what’s the point of a Detox, anyway?

Is this just some “new agey” thing?

Why would the human body even need to detox? And what exactly are you detoxing from?

Well, I admit, I’ve been among those to roll their eyes in the past, at the slightest mention of the word.

Maybe other people embraced the idea, but I sure didn’t

But then I realized a few things.

And the most eye-opening realization was this:  my body is detoxing all the time, anyway, every single day.

It’s doing this all on it’s own, with absolutely no prompting from me.

In a nutshell, this is how your body is always detoxing:

 

Your Skin

You know how great you feel after a work out, especially if you’ve worked up a good sweat?

Well, guess what?

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It’s Time For Spring Cleaning!

CleanersiStock_000009262565XSmallSpring has finally arrived!

How did you mark the occasion?

Do you have an annual tradition for celebrating the first day of Spring?

(Me – I went skiing, which – last time I checked – is generally not considered a Springtime activity).

It’s no accident, by the way, that Spring is considered a time of renewal.

In fact, in ancient Chinese art, the plum blossom is a symbol of Springtime – because it blooms early in the season, signifying new life ahead.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Spring is the also the season for cleansing.

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that more people participate in detoxes of every kind during this time of year.

With this in mind, here are three simple ways you can welcome Springtime into your own home, and your life.

 

Cleanse Your Cupboards

You may have already cleared your cupboards, fridge and freezer of gluten-containing foods, along with your other allergens.

But why not go a step further?

This is the perfect time to thoroughly clean out your kitchen, and release any foods that don’t truly support your health.

So – out with the tired spices, white flours and processed junk food!

In with whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat and gluten-free oats.

Bring on the whole grain crackers, and minimally processed staples like pasta and whole grain flours for baking.

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HAVE YOU CLEANSED YOUR HOME?

We hear a lot about Cleansing and Detoxing the body.

But have you ever considered a Cleanse for the home?

It’s the same idea, really.

You’re getting rid of the old to make way for the new.

A friend recently suggested that I read a book called “Soul Space” and I’m sharing with you here, because I was absolutely captivated by it, as it so closely resembles my own design philosophy in an uncanny kind of way.

You see, a few weeks ago, if anyone had asked, I would have said there are very few things in my home I don’t love.

The idea of celebrating the beauty around you and surrounding yourself with things you love is something I’ve written about many times.

After all, it’s a key step in writing you Bio.

(You know, the one that’s written without words).

Until I read this book, I never thought twice about the living room chair that I ‘inherited’ from a former retail space – along with the business – when a former business partner and I parted ways.

So here’s the thing.

I don’t love that chair.

Do I use it?

No.

It’s too big and deep for me, and I avoid sitting in it whenever possible.

When you look at it that way, it’s kind of silly to keep it, isn’t it?

Do you have anything similar to that in your own home?

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