31 How-To Suggestions for your Beauty & Style Spring Housecleaning

Did you take good care of yourself during February?  Did you find time to take good care of yourself, making an otherwise dreary time of year a month of indulgent pampering?

With March just a deep breath away, you’re going to need all that energy to tackle some Beauty & Style spring housekeeping and maintenance.

So roll up your sleeves, put on your favorite music, and get to work on these 31 spring housekeeping suggestions:

1. Go through every single clothes closet, pulling out everything that you haven’t worn in the last six months.
2. Take a look at your “haven’t worn” pile of clothes.  If you haven’t worn it because it’s not the right season, you can put it back.  Otherwise, deal with the separation anxiety and let it go.
3. Bag up all your clothing discards and take the a clothing bank, shelters, or consignment shop.
4. Launder everything that needs it.
5. Refold all your sweaters, jeans, whatever your fold up in your closet or drawers.  Neaten things up.
6. Look for drawers that don’t shut all the way, neaten it up and remove things that don’t belong there.
7. Match up socks, and discard anything that is missing a mate.
8. Reinforce loose buttons, buying new ones if you need
9. Take care of any mending or repairs that need to be made.
10. Polish your shoes.
11. Toss out worn shoes – and don’t forget those run down sneakers and athletic shoes.
12. Replace laces that are getting worn.
13. Re-sole or re-heel shoes that you love that are a little worn down around the edges.
14. Clean up boots and winter shoes and get them ready to put away for the season.
15. Get some decent hangers, and make sure everything is buttoned up and hanging nicely.
16. If it doesn’t fit now, chances are it’s not going to fit in a month from now.  Ask yourself, “do I really need this to take up space in my closet?”
17. Look in your jewelry box or drawer and untangle everything.
18. Consider individual bags or clear jewelry envelopes to store your jewelry in.  Keeps things neat and organized, and you can see what you have.
19. Lost one earring?  If it’s something inexpensive, toss it.  If it’s fine jewelry, consult a jewelry to see if it can be repurposed.
20. If you have keepsake jewelry that you don’t wear, consider having it repurposed so that you can enjoy it.  If you want to keep it intact to pass on to another generation, store it somewhere safe and away from your day to day jewelry.
21. Sort through your lingerie.  If it doesn’t fit, isn’t comfortable, has holes, tears, or sagging elastic — TOSS IT!
22. Toss bras that make you squirm, no matter how pretty they are, and go in  for a proper fitting.
23. Go through your makeup and toss anything that looks or smells funny.  If you don’t know when you bought it, chances are it’s past its prime.  Makeup isn’t like cheese – you can’t just scrape off the mold and use the rest.
24. If you haven’t worn that great color of shadow, lipstick, etc., consider giving it away (if it’s fresh and relatively unused), otherwise toss it.  You know you’re never going to wear it, and holding onto it takes up room and reminds you of a shopping mistake.  Let it go!
25. Wipe up messes caused by broken powder, foundation that has spilled, and crumbling shadows.
26. Lipsticks can be used with a lip brush if they’re broken, but put them somewhere where you’ll use them up before they get old.
27. Find something pretty to store your cosmetic items in.  A basket, container, or drawers.  Keep your every day items right at hand.
28. Go through all your cleansers, moisturizers and serums.  Do they still look and smell fresh.  If not, toss.
29. Do you have lots of little samples that you’ve picked up.  If you’re really truly going to try them out, find a pretty basket or vase to put them in and keep them nearby.  They’re just making a mess of the drawer or counter, so keep them together and use them up.
30. Promise yourself to use up any half empty jars/bottle/tubes of lotions, creams, shampoos, etc., before opening a new one.  It’s okay to have one or two that you alternate, but if you have 10 different body lotions open, you need to use them up before opening any more.
31. Reward yourself for your month of work by making a list of all the “holes” you’ve now created in your wardrobe.  Whether it’s a new piece of clothing, a new lipstick, pair of shoes, or piece of jewelry, you now know what you have and can plan purchases for the coming season.

Did I miss anything?  What are you going to start on first?

Photo credit: SXC