10 ways to have a blast during spring time

JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – As winter bids farewell and the days start warming and brightening, it’s possible to start feeling your mood improve, as you’re less weighed down by the cold and dreary days of winter.

Spring is a time to renew your goals, refresh your home, and to unearth your garden from its wintry layers. As the ever-growing days beckon you to spend more time outside, you’ll easily find many ways to keep you outside the house enjoying the fresh spring days.

Start planning

The beginning of spring is the best time to plan how you’ll enjoy the rest of spring. Whether it’s gardening, spring cleaning, starting a new course, having a makeover, organising renovations, or any other project or activity that is perfect to undertake during spring; planning for it will help you to make the most of the spring months.

Spring is the ideal time to set the pace for the coming warm months, including any transitions or transformations you’re hoping to make.

If you want to take a summer vacation, start planning for it now if you haven’t already started

Spring clean

This age-old tradition of clearing away the cobwebs of winter will give your house a fresh beginning for the warmer months ahead and make the house and surroundings more inviting and enjoyable for you and your family and friends.

Spring is a great time to do thorough cleaning, because many of us have pent-up energy to expend, and after being cooped up for much of winter, the energy levels are on the rise again.

Spring cleaning is not as mundane as routine cleaning because it’s about making space, clearing out things, and even making space should you find unwanted things around.

Focus on your garden, if you have one

The garden will need some tender loving care after winter to encourage new healthy growth. Plants differ in what they need at this time of year, but it’s a good idea to know which plants in your garden need a spring pruning or tidy-up; some may need dividing, and now might be a good time to take cuttings from certain plants.

Have a good look around the garden to see what jobs need doing and to check whether new mulch and compost layers are needed and whether there are weeds to be removed.

Consider redecoration or renovation; perhaps even a move

This is a good time to sit back and assess the strengths and weaknesses of your current living space, and to reach a decision about whether or not it could be improved through a change in decoration styles or additions through decorations. And if you’re finding your house is too small or big, or that it’s not meeting your needs and you don’t want to renovate, spring is usually a good time to place your house on the market and to find a new one with ease.

Bring flowers into the house

Spring flowers will bring joy into the house with their bright colours and lovely fragrances. Aim to have new, fresh flowers in the house every week during spring.

Read How to arrange flowers, How to make homemade flower food for cut flowers, and how to stop cut flowers turning smelly for more ideas.

Rejuvenate your energy levels

As well as spring cleaning the house, car and garden, consider spring cleaning your health as well. Winter is a time of eating more than during the rest of the year, and if you’ve slipped into eating habits that aren’t as healthy as they could be, spring is the time to mend your ways and to begin eating healthy, fresh foods again. Improve your nutrition intake and feel your energy levels soar again.

Spring is a wonderful time to make dietary changes, because there are so many delicious baby or young vegetables, salad vegetables and fresh fruits available. Make the most of these foods while they’re fresh, as they taste best when young and will enthuse your taste buds to want more!

Consider getting a makeover

It could be as little as a new hairstyle or as big as a whole wardrobe change, but spring is a perfect time to consider personal appearance changes.

Over winter our hair has been hidden under hats and scarves, and spring might reveal a hairstyle you’re just not happy with. Talk to your hairdresser about options that will bring you up to date and feeling good about how you’re looking again. And check through your closet.

Are your spring clothes in good condition and still wearable or are they looking decidedly old or perhaps even “last season” if you’re very fashion-conscious?

If you’re ready to change your wardrobe, spring is the perfect time to do it. Use a short break or a weekend to clear out the closet entirely and to only put back the things you really love wearing.

Everything else can go to charity or the rag bag, and then you have an excuse to do some shopping for a few new items that will blend in well with the clothes you’ve kept.

Get outside more often

While the TV season is still well under way, timing your life by the TV timetable seems less sensible as the days begin to lengthen and the sun shines more often.

Find lots of ways to spend time outdoors, including exercising, walking the dog, gardening, getting back into team sports, or simply taking regular walks to enjoy the scenery.

Check out the festivals

There are many festivals and other community events held during springtime and a lot of them celebrate spring.

Find out what’s happening in your local area or even where you’re prepared to travel to and enjoy the festivities on offer.

Smile and take time to check out what’s changing around you

Listen to the birdsong, watch the birds building their nests, look out for animals beginning to have their young, and watch the plant life around you emerge, shoot ahead, and finally start to blossom.

Every week brings subtle changes until suddenly it seems as if spring is in full bloom around you.

Set yourself a goal of noticing all the little changes that get spring to this point.