Who needs spring cleaning anyway?

After much excitement and time consumption. My live-in boyfriend, also known as Paul, and I finally have a washer and dryer in our apartment. Please hold your applause. If you're not a city dweller than you may not have any idea how much this can be taken for granted. But if you are, then YES! Isn't it exciting?!

Well, I haven't been so happy to do laundry in quite some time. And with all the spring cleaning involved. (We basically have been using the laundry room as our garage for the past year and a half... You are wondering how we put it off purchasing a washer and dryer for that long, but somehow we did.) We managed to clear all of our stuff out of the laundry room, sweep, mop, and dust it clean. And not just the laundry room. It sparked the urge to detail other rooms of the house as well. Our place was sparkling by the time our washer and dryer were delivered. It was very gratifying.

Then, I realized that all the stuff we moved out from the "garage"/laundry room, we (temporarily) moved into the office. Which has somewhat compromised my ability to manuever around in there. I couldn't really get to my laptop for 3 days or reach the cord I use to upload my ipod. Suddenly the novelty of "spring cleaning" and 3 days of glorified laundry are wearing off. Not only do I have 5 loads of laundry to fold, but I can't even get through my office without tripping over six inch platform heels, bar stools, dry cleaned duvet covers, and couch pillows that no longer match our newly painted living room. I didn't realize how much work this was going to provoke.

On a lighter note, Friday (when the W&D arrived) I was still feeling very inspired. The cleansing of our apartment, with all the dust blowing into my nostrils, was in turn very inspiring for me to cleanse my body. The feeling of spring in the air. Flowers blooming. Birds singing and bees humming. Allergies are in full affect! It is natural for us to have the desire to cleanse our living spaces, minds and bodies.

So what does cleansing mean to you? Does it mean an extreme, such as a juice fast or a master cleanse? Does it mean solely eating whole foods, nothing processed, for a week? A few days? No alcohol? No caffeine? No dairy? No gluten?

Cleansing can often seem overwhelming when viewed as "I should not have this", or "I cannot have that". We tend to set our standards a little too high... Which in turn sets us up for what we view as "failure".

How about looking at it like this: What "good for you" foods can you ADD into your daily meals this week? Which in turn will help crowd out the stuff you are seeking to limit. Don't look at it as deprivation. Look at it as opportunity. A chance to give your body a break from toxins. To be energized by whole foods: Fruits, vegetable, beans, legumes, greens, grains. Don't think, "What am I not allowed to have?" Instead ask, "What delicious nutritious foods can I ADD in today?"

Good luck! Feel free to share any ideas or things that worked for you.

Check out my website for links to more recipe ideas: fullerhealth.net