By Sarah Sussman
With winter on its way out and temperatures beginning to rise above freezing, the change in season is a perfect time to re-evaluate and reflect on your life. It’s a time to declutter and clean your living space, spruce up your routine and get your finances in order. Here are some ways you can spring clean your life this year. [Photo credit: istockphoto.com/Choreograph]
If you’ve found yourself with a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, it’s probably time to do a wardrobe overhaul. Consignment is an economical, eco-friendly way to offload any like-new clothing that you don’t wear anymore.
The process is easy enough. Make sure your clothes are clean, laundered and in mint condition. Schedule an appointment to bring your garments in to be looked at, after which the consignment store will sell your items and give you a cut of the profits. SalvEdge and Trend Fashions Ltd accept a range of mid to high-end labels and brands including everything from H&M to Burberry. Danielle’s Consignment offers a 40 per cent payout for seasonal items that are less than two years old.
For higher-end designer clothing, head to Vespucci.
Clothing that is not in near-new condition should be donated. Women In Need Society (WINS) is a local charity thrift store that also provides clothing to women and families in crisis.
Everything else can go to the Throw ‘n’ Go drop boxes located around the city – including your unwanted underwear, accessories and even reusable shopping bags.
Winter driving conditions can cause a lot of damage to vehicles. Build-up of dirt and salt on the inside and outside of the vehicle can leave your car looking very neglected by the time spring rolls around. Use the change in season as a time to get your car washed, detailed and spruced up.
Bubbles is a car wash and auto detailing centre with a range of services for every price point, starting at $19.95. Keep things simple with an exterior wash and interior vacuuming or treat your vehicle to a luxurious hot wax, rust inhibitor service, high lustre clear coating, undercarriage rinse and more. Specialty leather care, vinyl care and interior detailing are also offered.
Spring is prime time for house and home renovations. The warmer temperatures are ideal for all sorts of fix-ups and repairs. Head to Rona, Lowe’s or The Home Improvement Warehouse to stockpile all your renovating and refurbishing needs.
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More things to do this spring in Calgary:
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With more hours of sunlight and less frigid temperatures, you may find yourself feeling a bit happier in the warmer months. Indulge yourself and commit to clearing your mind.
Find a nearby yoga studio and pop by for some drop-in lessons. The Yoga Studio, Calgary Hot Yoga and Soul Connexion all offer great options for all experience levels. If you want to try meditation, the Akshobya Kadampa Buddhist Centre offer a variety of drop-in classes throughout the week including guided meditation, meditations for world peace and more generalized basic meditations. Each class costs $12.
If you think you need professional help to clear your mind, the Calgary Counselling Centre offers counselling to individuals, couples, parents, families and youth who are experiencing emotional and social problems. Counselling fees are determined on a sliding fee scale, depending on income and ability to pay.
This spring, commit to cleaning up your fitness routine by getting out and moving more often. There are many local fitness centres and boutique gyms offering a plethora of fitness classes and memberships. If you’re ready to commit, sign up for a gym membership but if you’re hesitant, many gyms – such as GoodLife and World Health – offer discounted trial periods ranging from a week to a month.
For those seeking a no-frills, lower cost gym option, Fit4Less is a GoodLife-owned budget gym with memberships starting as low as $4.99 every two weeks.
If you’re not too keen to head to the gym, consider signing up or dropping in for some fitness classes. Located on 17th Avenue, Union Athletica is a boutique fitness centre with three studios for spin, yoga-barre and TRX. Classes are scheduled throughout the day, from 6 a.m. until late into the evening. You can test-run one class for $20 or try one month of unlimited classes for only $99.
If you’ve been avoiding reviewing your finances, spring is a great time to take on the battle. Money Mentors is an Alberta-based not-for-profit credit counselling agency that offers a range of financial services. Whether you require money coaching, want to pay off debt or want to start retirement planning, Money Mentors is a great resource.
Another great resource for those struggling with money, the Credit Counselling Society offers assistance with debt repayment, debt settlements, bankruptcy, budgeting, financial planning and more.
As you say goodbye to winter snow and temperatures, get excited to spring clean your life and get the ball rolling on everything you’ve put off during the winter months. It’ll feel so much better going into the warmer months with some added spring in your step.
