Springtime brings out our natural instinct to find new alignment and recenter. Just as the flowers begin to bud and the leaves return, human beings yearn for some sort of positive change, some way to tap into the refresh that nature experiences. One way to engage in this natural renewal is by doing a bit of spring cleaning. Some people jump at this opportunity to throw away any junk that has been piling up in their homes– old greeting cards, unwanted magazines, articles of clothing that haven’t been worn for years, forgotten at the bottom of their closet. But others avoid spring cleaning because they know if they really dug into it, they’d be stuck there forever. I fall into the latter category.

For me, spring cleaning is synonymous with stress. When I start cleaning, I know that I must do a thorough job and I can’t stop until it’s perfect. I won’t be happy with a quick vacuum or refrigerator purge. I am determined to do everything– wash down every window, every baseboard, and every cabinet. For my wardrobe, I use the Marie Kondo theory of letting things go that don’t bring joy (e.g. donating a quarter of my closet). In order to keep myself in check, I’ve come up with a more manageable list of priorities. Breaking down the tasks helps me tackle this potentially endless affair and I’m hoping it might help you out too!

Who Needs the Cleaning?

If you live in a household with other family members or even just roommates, you need to bring them in on your plan to clean. Everyone doesn’t necessarily have to clean on the same day, but everyone should be in on the collective plan to declutter and remove unwanted messes. If you have little ones, they should decide which toys they no longer play with. If you have a husband, he should be given specific tasks that require some physical labor (that’s their job!) and if you have a roommate, they should help clean the shared spaces. If you live alone, you should find an accountability buddy to ensure that you complete the tasks you want to complete.

Identify the “What”

It’s important to understand what type of spring cleaning you’re trying to do. Some people will just focus on getting rid of excess clothes (like old Jersey hijab styles or abayas you no longer wear), junk mail or trinkets. Others will want to bring out the vacuum cleaning, the bleach, the steam cleaner and wash all the bedding in the house. You can do it all, but it’s important to be realistic. You might not be able to tackle everything and you should accept that reality. It’s best to make two lists: the must get done list and the would be nice list. If you accomplish the first one, the priority items, then you can choose to do the second list if there’s time and energy left. Learn more about Healing Without Perfection: How Growth Happens

Know the “How”

Have you ever watched organizing or cleaning videos on IG or Tik Tok? It might seem boring to watch those, but there’s a technique to cleaning. In fact, there are content creators that make serious money by filming themselves teaching people how to clean or showing people how they clean really messy homes. The point is that there is an easy way and a hard way to clean. You have to be smart and learn the best way to maximize your time and energy. Watching a few videos on socials will help you learn technique and also inspire you to get in there and CLEAN!

FAQs:

How should I declutter my hijab collection during spring cleaning? 

Keep versatile solid wovens, Jersey hijab staples, and seasonal print hijab pieces. Donate chiffon hijab styles you haven't worn in a year.

What abayas should I keep vs. donate? 

Keep classic Abayas for women in neutral tones and open abayas that layer well. Donate trendy Abaya Dress styles that no longer fit your lifestyle.

How do I store satin silk hijabs online purchases properly? 

Hang silk satin hijab and pure satin silk hijab to prevent wrinkles, or fold them neatly in a drawer away from direct sunlight.

What are signs I need new Abayas online after spring cleaning? 

If your abayas are faded, pilling, or no longer fit comfortably, it's time to shop for fresh Abayas online from VELA.