Winter clear outs are good for the soul!

Ahhhh winter. Cue sniffles, snuggly blankets and snoozing the alarm clock when getting up in the dark is just too hard. Can you tell winter is not my favourite!? I don't mind the cold or the rain - it is the seemingly relentless grey that gets me down the most.

What this means for me is doubling down on the self-care - taking small actions to lift my mood and fend off the mid-winter blues. I take myself off for a manicure, schedule in time to catch up with friends and try to find ways to inject some fun into the weekends that will perk up the whole family. I also start to cast my eye around our home and really look at the things that are hanging around. Yep, I'm claiming that decluttering is good for the soul! Here are my top 3 reasons why a mid-winter clear out should be on your list of self-care activities during those cooler months.

1. You're stuck inside anyway!

What better rainy-day activity than hunkering down at home and methodically working your way through a bookshelf, cupboard or box of forgotten treasures as the rain falls gently on the roof above you? There is no need to break the land-speed record - go slowly and indulge in your memories as you go... but don't forget your mission is to move some items onto another loving home via your local charity shop.

2. You might rediscover old favourites

Clothes, recipes, artwork and books are all things I regularly find squirrelled away when I'm working with clients, to delighted cries of "I wondered where I'd put that!" Serve yourself up a dose of a delight this winter, it can be as easy as opening a box!

3. You'll get a head start on your spring cleaning

We know that spring is the traditional season for blowing out the cobwebs, but isn't that when we start seeing the long-awaited sunshine again? I reckon the smart money is on knocking off your seasonal spruce up in the depths of winter, leaving you footloose and fancy-free when the sunshine returns.

A winter clear out is a great way to take care of yourself AND make the most of time stuck indoors. But if you want to outsource your clear out to an expert while you jet off to the tropics for the ultimate winter indulgence, you know who to call!

This article was originally published in the June 2019 edition of Channel Magazine, a publication I proudly write for each month.

Cover photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash