Find What Works For You

I've never been good at organizing or cleaning up. Up until a few days ago there was still a pile of laundry begging to be put away and a desk cluttered with makeup supplies. Listen, we all can't be Marie Kondo. Although I highly recommend watching her videos. As I rifled through my closet, putting away that aforementioned pile, I realized that I hadn't looked at most of that stuff in years. Old clothes, shoes, and accessories that I never wore or lets be honest wore too much. I thought of a way to dedicate my day to refreshing my closet and my room. If the lack of organization skills were not enough, the lack of motivation was surely it.

So when I saw this challenge I thought of the advice I would adhere to most when trying to Spring forward to keep myself from falling back. I compiled a checklist of everything that helps me the most. It's for sure not for everyone but hopefully someone will find it helpful. Here are my tips on a fun Spring cleaning.

First and foremost, Do Not Disturb.

I can't stress this enough. Though it seems like an obvious first step, I've forgotten a time or two. The focus, the dedication, and the preparation will all be there, and yet with one or two *dings* of a text message or Instagram notification, I am left idle with unfinished tasks all around me. My phone glued to my hands as I spiral down my entertaining but unfulfilling feed. Hours later I'm tired and have officially thrown in the towel. But, if I don't know to check my phone, I can't be distracted by it.

Second is the music, the beautiful music.

The right playlist can make or break any situation. For example, I love Billie Eilish but that playlist is not going to get me in the mood to clean. I'm more likely to bump Reggae or Hip Hop, something that will jolt my energy and make me want to move. Having the right music is crucial to having the right head space. Personally, I can't function without a good playlist. Obviously I can manage and get through my day, but I am so much more productive when the right song blasts through my speakers and fills the room. It's like a vortex that sucks me in and forces me to buckle down and focus.

Some might argue that this is distracting and that it keeps you from the task at hand. I argue that in order to focus on finding the will to accomplish the work at hand, I need to occupy my mind with upbeat positivity, and what's more upbeat than a good song? It's like when you study for a big exam and they tell you to listen to classical music because it stimulates your brain activity. Music is the key to almost everything.

Up next, food.

Make sure you are not hungry. Being hungry is such a distraction. Have you ever been to the grocery store hungry? You walk out with food you don't even normally eat. All because your hunger got the best of you and you shopped with your stomach. Trust me, if hunger distracts you, you'll end up leaving your task to hunt for food. Next thing you know you and your snack are on the coach watching RuPaul's Drag Race compilations on Youtube. My high school principal used to always say, "prior proper planning, prevents poor performance." This is true for most things in life. Snacks are no exception.

Okay stay with me now, next is wine.

I can understand why this might seem counterproductive. I always find that a little liquid courage never hurts. In fact, I'm having a glass as we speak. With the right music, snacks, and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, the sky is the limit. Just make sure you stick to your limit otherwise the wine will just take you up and bring you right back down. That will surely just lead to a nap.

This should probably be higher up but tools.

I don't distinctly mean hammers and nails, but storage bins, trash bags, dusters, the vacuum, etc. You don't want to end up with a cleaned out closet and organized piles but nothing to put them in. An ill-advised, impromptu errand run to the store halfway through, can be just as distracting as an Instagram feed. Especially for people like me who can turn a shopping trip to Home Depot into an all-day affair. I like to get my supplies in advance, pile them next to my speaker and get down to it. This way I have no excuse to leave.

Now this step will all depend on the end game. If you'rr like me, most of your spring cleaning involves making space which means throwing away or giving away. In which case you'll probably just need trash bags and cleaning supplies but if you're like my mom there is some element of storing your winter clothes, ergo bins.

Last but certainly not least on my list are incentives. I need incentives as motivation. If you put away that pile of laundry, you get five minutes of MTV's The Challenge. Seems fitting as I myself am climbing the metaphorical mountains of junk, struggling to continue as the puzzle pieces of keep or giveaway constantly halts my productivity. I know what you're thinking, why open Pandora's box and possibly go down that rabbit hole? It's risky I won't lie, my inner child is in competition with my better judgment, but the ultimate prize of a new outfit or pair of shoes keeps me going. Instead of TJ awarding me the large check at the end, it's the thought of my credit card being approved for the sale.

Above all try to make a plan and to stick to it. You know what works best. Write it down and push through.

Even if it's just a list of what to do today and what to save for later. Rome was not built in a day, you don't have to do it all in a day. Just like skincare, there is no perfect science to cleaning and organizing. Do what you know will make you happy and comfortable and try not to overwhelm yourself. Take on what you can handle, otherwise you'll be frustrated with a large mess to clean up. If your plans change, adapt and stay positive. It is a marathon, not a sprint and your mental game is crucial. If all else fails hop on Netflix and watch Marie Kondo, if she can get me through she can get you through.