Spring Into Action: Holistic Spring Cleaning With Our Heirloom Collection

Are you ready to “spring into action” and declutter your homes, bodies, minds, and souls this spring? Getting started is honestly my biggest hurdle when tackling my cluttered kids’ closets, transitioning attics and basements from holiday hoopla and wintry wastes into some semblance of sanity, and trying to fit onto those summery sundresses after a long hiatus from the gym. Don’t fret because this blog is all about helping you to put more spring into your step in the upcoming months when those flower flourish, days grow longer, and vegetable gardens prosper. Check out our top 10 ways to spring into action with our holistic spring cleaning tips and involvement ideas via our heirloom collection at Classic Childhood:

1. Home Alone: Forget the movie madness and spring clean your homes, garages, apartments, offices, trailers, and townhouses by embracing the minimalist trend called Swedish Death Cleaning. Don’t worry, since it’s not as Goth as it may sound, so there’s no need to sport black lipstick and nail polish. The concept is uplifting and invigorating on a holistic level. Research shows how this process is not merely for the elderly and those home movers but can assist anyone who wants to achieve more clarity by purging your homes and work spaces of any unnecessary belongings (Dubiel, 2018). It’s a concept that originated from Margareta Magnusson’s book called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning and specifically involves “going through all my belongings and deciding how to get rid of the things I do not want anymore. Just look around you. Several of your things have probably been there for so long that you do not even see or value them anymore” (Magnusson, 2018). And you probably assumed the best things from Sweden were those delectable Swedish fish candies, right? For more insights about this trend, click here! 

2. Rescue Rangers: While the name sounds more like an episode from the precious Paw Patrol cartoon that my kiddos love to watch, we strongly encourage you to partner with us and rescue some fabrics and beloved clothing items for upcycling. Not only will you help others, but you’re also assisting the planet, too, perfect for upcoming Earth Day! At Classic Childhood, we pride ourselves on rescuing gently used men's shirts and then transforming them into our signature bubble rompers. 

Rescuing is the hottest fashion trend globally, too. Greenstein (2019) cites an interview with Jennifer Bacon, show director for Texworld USA and Apparel Sourcing USA, to confirm the popularity right now. In fact, the “most requested segment remains to be sustainable fabrics such as Tencel, organic cottons, recycled polyesters in all types of fabrics in both knits and wovens” (p. 15). Get a piece of that Project Runway vibe without leaving your hometown and rescue ranger with us!

3. The Village People: Okay, bust out your best YMCA dance moves since we’re all about the “It takes a village” concept. Ready to not only clean out those closets, drawers, and bins, but also connect past and future generations with us at Classic Childhood? We ‘ve proudly partnered with our neighbors in Austin, WeWork as well as with local textile recycler Josco Products, to rescue as many men's dress shirts as possibly before they end up in the landfill. Going green will feel so good! We know you’re busy bees this spring with kids, jobs, family events, household chores, and vacation planning, so get classy with our village at Classic Childhood to reduce the fabric wastes from the “fast fashion” industry!

4. Pay It Forward: What a better way to logistically, mentally, and spiritually spring clean than to pay it forward! For example, donate some of your gentled used and discarded home items to a local charity such as an adoption or foster care agency, church, mosque, or temple, women’s shelter, homeless organization, etc. Also, every time a Classic Childhood customer purchases one of our Heirloom Collection rompers, 5% will go to a charity that cares about children’s wellness and/or environmental causes.

Pay today in the heartfelt way!

5. Blast from the Past: Spring cleaning can better align the body, mind, and soul because it’s closely tied to nostalgia. Ready to get a blast from the past before donating that dusty, barely viewed, never used, bulky knickknack from thirty years ago? Experts find immense value in this ritual as “…it is rewarding to spend time with these objects one last time. When I was younger, I never used to have the time to sit and think about what an object meant to me in my life or when and how it came into my possession. Each item has its own history, and remembering that history is often enjoyable” (Magnusson, 2018). Sorry, grandma, but the tacky glass candy dish shaped like a hen isn’t the most 2019 or kid friendly, so it’s saying sayonara soon!

6. Simplify: Spring cleaning aims to simplify and make us feel gratitude for what we have. When we’re so overwhelmed with stuff, we don’t take the time to truly appreciate and reflect on our numerous blessings. Likewise, RADER (2018) also reiterates how Swedish death cleaning allows people to realize that their lives could be made simpler if they learn to live with less (p. 4). Again, we invite readers to donate their unwanted shirts to upcycle. We honor the donor by entitling our rompers with their names, so grab Uncle Bill’s coveted USMC shirt, abuelo’s guayabera, pappy’s beloved Hawaiian tee, or paw paw’s favorite hunting shirt, and contact us at donateshirts@classicchidlhood.com today!

Image by Kaoru Yamaoka

7. All About the Bass: Forget the spray tans and unattainable Heidi Klum outward appearances. We’re all about body positivity, so channel your inner Meghan Trainor, Miranda Lambert, Rihanna, and Shakira. A great way to spring clean your body isn’t to fad diet or fast on apple cider vinegar for months. Instead, we urge you to eat mindfully and really focus on portion control to savor your meals without the inhalation or The Biggest Race mentality during mealtimes. Experts from a 2019 Harvard study reveal how mindful eating not only helps with weight loss but with diabetes self-management, better heart health, and even self-esteem. Affirmations in front of your mirror also invigorate you, so feel the girl power like Pink, Queen Bey, and J. Lo!

Image by scottwebb

8. OM Out: Get your Zen on with meditation to spring clean your mind. There are tons of apps out there to help if you have no idea where to start. Just setting aside 5 minutes a day can make a profound difference. In a 2019 study from Harvard Health Letter, meditation not only enriched stress management but also helped to boost concentration, immunity, and pain reduction since it can “lower your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen consumption, adrenaline levels, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol” (p. 1). You don’t need special salt lamps, mats, pillows, or a genie in the bottle. Just clear your mind and OM out!

9. Cruise: No, we’re not talking about the all-inclusive Caribbean adventures. Emulate those lyrics from Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” featuring Nelly and spring clean your vehicles. Parents, we all know that our backseats look (and smell) like from commuting with our kids, tweens, and teens each day, so use spring cleaning to purge your cars, trucks, mini vans, RVs, and boats of Goldfish crackers, jellybeans, French fries, sports equipment, crayons, toys, shoes, gloves, hats, balloons, stickers, and all of those mystery items that your vehicles are harboring. Sound familiar?

10. Step by Step: Hey, I’m no spring chicken, so that throwback New Kids on the Block song holds true! You don’t have to strive to be as meticulous as Marie Kondo's Netflix show, Tidying Up. Just attempt baby steps to spring clean and “spring into action!’ Stop being a pack rat and try holistic spring cleaning with our heirloom collection!