Spring is finally in the air! It’s been a long winter, even for Hawai’i. Lots and lots of rain and north winds that make you not want to get out of bed. Well, we finally had some warmer days and it feels energizing!
Every spring, I go through a little spring-clean-fever. This year is no exception, and this time around I’m really feelin’ the clean freak coming out. Maybe it’s all those organizing shows I’ve been watching while hiding under my blanket during winter, that got me thinking that this year I’m going deep with my spring-clean?
Part of my New Year’s resolution is to live a simpler life and my ‘word’ for 2019 is JOY. I guess it’s no coincidence that the guru of decluttering, Marie Kondo says: “If it doesn’t spark joy, it’s time to let it go”. So, I decided to bring JOY into my spring-cleaning, and dive into all aspects of my life with the intention that everything should in some way spark joy, create happiness around me, and make my life simpler!
Less Clutter
I think it’s pretty normal that when women start cleaning up their ‘clutter’, they start with their closet. This is where I spend a lot of (wasted) time every day. Trying to find that special t-shirt or just staring into the closet-abyss to find absolutely nothing to wear.
So, I decided to try the Marie Kondo approach and took every piece of clothing out of my closet, to evaluate each one and see if it ‘sparked joy’. It’s amazing how much stuff has just been hanging there for years, not being used. My closet got seriously slimmed down, and totally reorganized. T-shirts and tank tops are now folded the KonMari way and I can see everything when opening up my drawers. My closet got all new hangers, and everything is streamlined.
Every morning I open my closet and it puts a smile on my face. Plus, I get ready in no time – it’s amazing!
And, what did I do with the 1/3 of my closet that didn’t ‘spark joy’? I put it on Poshmark! It’s genius and I’ve already made several hundred dollars.
Less Junk
The second part of my house that is getting a spring-clean is the kitchen. This is also a place where my time is not optimized - I can never find anything to eat and I have a hard time figuring out what to make for lunch and dinner. Often, I end up with a meal that doesn't benefits me and I don’t feel good about myself for treating my body this way. It’s definitely time to get my pantry and fridge in good order so that I can be the happiest and healthiest version of myself!
Less Stress
After cleaning up my closet and getting my kitchen in order, I took a look at what else in my life was causing stress and worries. It almost always boils down to time. Or to be more specific, the lack of time. Sometimes I feel that my days just fly away and I don’t even have a moment to enjoy and relax. To feel less stressed, I personally need to work out and have a few minutes for selfcare & meditation. But with the lack of time during my day, I feel like I’m chasing my tail. Time to change that! I’ve made a very conscious choice to fit these elements into my day, and it makes such a big difference in the way I feel. I feel happy and I think I’m even more productive.
Less Screen Time
We all know we’re spending too much time on our phones. I’m no exception. How much time exactly do I spend staring into my phone every day? Well, there’s an app for that. I just have refused to look at it, as I was too scared to figure out my number. I’ve always made excuses that I need to check social media as it’s ‘part of my job’ as the marketing director for Honey Girl Organics. Truth is, I don’t really need to check 4 (ok 10+) times a day. Twice is enough. I’m still working on it, but my app shows that my screen time has gone down significantly after being more conscious about it.
Less Products
Part of my spring-clean-routine is to dive into every cabinet and drawer to clean out what is not needed. It’s embarrassing how much stuff I find…! My bathroom especially, is crowded with lotions, potions, plus all the ‘newest & greatest’ beauty products you can find. Yes, it’s part of my job to know what’s out there in the green beauty world, but when my bathroom looks like it belongs to a beauty hoarder, it’s time to get on a better routine.
Do all these beauty products really make my life better, and most importantly – do they actually work?
I’ve probably tried more brands and products than most people. I still look my age. And I’m totally ok with that. Aging is something that I’ve come into agreement with. Now I just want to use products that make me look and feel my best – and they need to be ‘green’, of course!
As I get older, moisture seems to disappear from my skin and body faster than anything else. Dry skin is now my norm even in the humid weather here in Hawaii. My #1 skin care advice – drink plenty of water every day! And, my skin care routine is pretty simple. I found that these products are all I need to keep my skin healthy:
- Find a great cleanser that removes makeup completely without stripping my skin. I learned that an oil-based cleanser is working better with my dry skin, and it actually makes my skin super soft and smooth.
- Use an exfoliator twice a week to whisk away those dead skin cells. I like to use a physical scrub like HGO’s sugar scrub.
- Invest in a serum that works with your skin type. During the winter when my skin is extra dry, I use the HoneyGlo Regenerating Face Serum. It just melts into my skin and also helps with sunspots, fine lines & wrinkles.
- My most important product – my holy grail - is my moisturizer! I love HGO’s Super Skin Food – it feeds my skin like no other moisturizer does and it just works! It helps keep my dry skin at bay, it has lots of Vitamin E, it softens my skin and helps the appearance of my wrinkles. This is the product I cannot live without.
- I always use sun-protection now, and keep the HGO Protect stick in my purse.
When it comes to my makeup, I think I used to have a (hoarding) problem. I would own 20 different eyeshadows that I probably used a few times a year. I could never seem to find that perfect foundation, and I would have lipsticks in every shade possible.
But when your skin is on the dry side, makeup is not your friend. I’ve thrown out the powders and foundations that just settle into my lines or dry patches. It actually makes me look older. Instead I’ve switched to a type of BB cream that moisturizes, provides a healthy glow and SPF - all in one. I like Jane Iredale’s BB cream for everyday wear. Then I finish up with Tata Harper’s Cheek & Lip Tint and I’m good to go!
Less Is More
So now that I spend less time getting dressed in the mornings, my eating habits are better, my phone usage is down, and my skin care routine is minimal – what do I do with all that extra time? I make sure to spend it on things that spark joy and make me happy! 😊
Sarina Erstad is HGO's Sales & Marketing Director