9 Steps to a Cleaner, More Zen Living Space: Quarantine Edition
as you all know, we’re in this quarantine together and we need to do everything in our power to stay strong and healthy as we weather through the storm. some of us are working remotely, some of us are out on the front lines as essential workers. regardless, my heart goes out to everyone who is doing their best to make the most of their situations. in this time, I also know how crucial it is to keep ourselves from going mad and so today I want to share some tips on how to reset your overall space during covid.
creating a zen living space is not just fluff, it’s part of our wellness practice and very much an important practice within yoga. Saucha, or cleanliness, falls within the 8 Limbs of Yoga. just as our bodies can become full of toxicities, so can our homes and thus lifestyle. when our living spaces are cluttered, the mind follows. “Saucha reaches beyond that immediate meaning of personal hygiene. To be cleaned also means to have your senses refreshed and vibrant, seeing things clearly and truly.” (Jyoti Murray, desa Seni)
spending time cleaning your home will do wonders for your mental health and ability to concentrate. it is important especially when we want to bring creativity and fresh new ideas into our lives. as we begin to dispose of the unnecessary items, we also remove negative thought patterns from our subconscious. keep a watchful eye of what you bring into your home as it directly affects what we consume in other areas of our lives: what we eat, watch, listen to, find entertainment in. as we purify our homes, we make room for a more radiant life and high-vibration behaviors.
as we continue our practice during this quarantine, take note of the fact that when you detoxify your body, your mind will follow. this parallel can be applied to all aspects of your life: as you clean your home, notice how you begin to feel. organizing your physical surroundings will also free up space in your mind. pay attention to your own spiritual growth throughout this process and during the quarantine. now is the time to reset the cycles and patterns within your household.
“The body is your temple. Keep it pure & clean for the soul to reside in.” - B.K.S Iyengar
1. Set a Daily Schedule to Carve out time for Home Organization.
In order to really dedicate time to your cleaning and organization process, you need to set aside a good amount of time should your schedule permit. I wanted to complete the entire condo within a week or two so I would work at least 2 - 4 hours a day on each project.
2. Throw away those expired products.
This includes any old food, seasoning, or sauces in your refrigerators and freezers. Remove expired bathroom products or donate the ones you don’t use! Go through your spice rack, drawers, pantry, every space that stores perishables! If any cleaning products have exploded, developed strange residues or now produce a foul odor, it’s time to get rid of it. If any of these items are still in consumable condition however, please consider donating!
3. Sell the clothes you don’t wear!
This is huge for me because I have tons of pieces that are no longer my style, I don’t want to tailor, or just don’t wear anymore. Poshmark, Depop, ThredUp, and Mercari are great places to put your items up for purchase. You can find me on Poshmark @shopswirlybae!
4. Sack it if you don’t have containers!
No I don’t mean throwing away your things! I mean use burlap or reusable bags for extra storage space. We use this method for a lot household items like batteries, hair ties, assorted candy, rubber bands, etc. It makes your drawers neater and you can find what you need faster. Plus it’s better for the environment!
5. Organize your reading material.
Now’s the time to put your books within reach. So often we don’t make time to read or broaden our horizons because it’s simply out of sight! We have to make our books visible and available to us so remember to place your books at eye level or near your night table. Even if it’s just a few pages a day, you’re better off for it and making progress.
6. Deep Clean your appliances!
I know some of you will hate me for this, but it’s time to deep clean a few important areas of your home! If you can, clean behind your appliances and really sanitize. As I was deep cleaning, I pulled the stove out and saw so much grease, different sauces, crumbs and cobwebs! It took me over an hour to clean but it’s great maintenance for your home, less for you to do when you move! Don’t forget the refrigerator, microwave, and toaster!
7. Sanitize your yoga mats, sportswear, workout gear, or lifting equipment.
every season, I love to put all my yoga mats outside to wash them with soap and water, spray them down, and air dry! if you have basketballs and soccer balls in the garage, weights, bose balls, gym bags, etc. then gently wash or scrub them down and let them dry naturally. it cuts down on the bacteria from sweat and the outdoor elements. it’s so vital to keep your gear clean and ready to use as we go from working out in public settings to doing everything at home.
8. start a digital detox.
This was the hardest and longest project for me! It was also very therapeutic and insightful. Every file, document, photo, video, spreadsheet, powerpoint that you own, review it and properly file it to the appropriate device. I went through every file I had from 2006 to 2020 and it took me four weeks to finish the process! It was so difficult organizing everything but I knew that once I was finished, I would be so much more organized and would know where everything was should I ever need it in the future. Remember to only keep what is essential, update all of your security settings and passwords, then back up your devices to a hard drive - I use the WD My Passport for Mac 2TB External Hard Drive. you will love yourself for it! for me, it was an emotional process having to go through my files, seeing photos of when the self love was lacking or moments that were painful. But I feel so much stronger that I conquered this task and can finally move forward in creating new memories!
9. Clean your make up brushes!
wash your beauty blenders, brushes, eyelash curlers, and any utensils that touch your face. especially during this pandemic, we need to be extremely clean and careful about contamination. now’s a good time to swatch your foundations and palettes as well but be sure to properly discard what doesn’t suit you. I’d also recommend going make up free while we’re all on quarantine! focus on your skincare and work on cultivating self love in the meantime.
