Let's Get Ready for Spring!

I have returned! Aha, sorry for being AWOL these past couple of weeks, uni's been rather hectic, and (as usual) i'd managed to leave myself a week to write a 2000 word essay. Dear me. However, with that out the way, and the Easter hols close by, I can get back to you lovely people :)

Today we're talking about Spring! Wooo! Flowers, pastels, spring chicks, spring lambs (so cute!), skirts, sandals, blue skies, sun, and the possibility of warm weather - what's not to like? And best off all it's just round the corner, and it means Summer's next :D

For me the start of Spring almost feels more like New Year than the real New Year, it makes me feel so optimistic for the coming months, and always makes me feel like I should be getting my life in order. So i thought why not share some of my tips with you guys on 'How To Get Ready for Spring':

*Plant Plants*

This time of year is the perfect time to get planting - whether it's out in your garden, in pots for you patio or even in pots to keep indoors. Personally I love having flowers and plants indoors - it's a lovely way to brighten up an area and bring some life into the room. Some great flowers that you can buy now to add colour to your garden or house right away are daffodils, crocuses and bluebells. Of course you can also start planting summer-flowering plants now too and watch how they grow over the coming months.

Herbs are also good options to start growing too. Having you're own fresh herbs is brilliant - they're great to add in all sorts of dishes, and you can use them in cocktails too ;) 

*Spring Cleaning*

Cliched i know, but i honestly think spring cleaning is a real necessity, for me anyway - it's a great way of clearing everything away from a grey, cosy yet cluttered winter to allow room for the sun to come in and of course some nice new dresses too! I not just talking mopping floors and dusting mantlepieces - i'm talking sorting out, de-cluttering and preparing yourself for summer! 

- Sort out your wardrobe: Donate or sell any clothes that you haven't worn in the last year. Look through all your tights and socks - throw away the ones with holes in. Take all your winter clothes and put them in storage/boxes under your bed. Organize your spring/summer wardrobe.

- Do some cleaning of course: vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, mopping (although you should really be doing this at all times of year - not just in spring - eek!) On sunny mornings open the windows and let the fresh air in, you'll be surprised the difference it'll make to your house and to your energy levels - fresh air always wakes me up :)

- Do some de-cluttering too: look through your shelves, draws, cupboards - donate or sell old ornaments, books and cutlery (i'm well aware i have far too many mugs but i have problems parting with them!), file away bills/letters/important documents, back up your computer files (i never do this as often as i should!), and look through your fridge and cupboards, check the jars and tins at the back that seem to have been there for years - they're probably out of date! Clear these out to make away for some lovely new spring foods :D 

 *Prepare for Sandals, Skirts and Strappy Tops*

After months of being covered in long sleeves, jeans, thick socks and boots, our skin and feet are going to be rather grey, dry and probably a bit battered. Now is the time to get them looking gorgeous again, and ready for their imminent public exposure. Start moisturizing your body every day - legs, arms, chest, tummy, unless you already do this, in which case props to you! I am terrible at remembering to moisturize! One of my favorite body moisturizes is Palmer's cocoa butter - although it's not my favorite smell in the world, i love how thick and creamy it is, and it always leaves my legs feeling super soft and hydrated. 

As for the feet, if you can afford a full pedicure then i'd say go for it. If not, grab yourself a foot file and some moisturizer - you can get a foot file from somewhere like Wilko's or Superdrug for a couple of quid and any thick moisturizer will do, although my favorite ones for my feet are the Scholl products (sold in Boots). Do this before bed: first, give any hard skin around your heels or on the balls of your feet a bit of a 'file'. Then take a small amount on your moisturizer and work it into those areas - take your time and really massage the cream into the skin. Once it's all been absorbed, take a large amount of moisturizer and apply it all over your feet. Don't work it all in, instead with your feet still very much covered in cream, put some socks on - thin, cotton ones if you can. Sounds weird i know, and it feels pretty weird too, but trust me on this one. Go to bed like this and when you take your socks off in the morning you will have feet soft enough to rival a baby's bum and gorgeous enough for flips flops and jelly sandals! 

*Renew your Resolutions*

Every season is a chance for a fresh start but especially spring - it's a season of new birth, animals waking from hibernation, re-growth of leaves on trees and plants flowering again, so what a better time than now to have your own re-start. By now, i'm sure most of us have forgotten what our new year's resolutions even were! I had to go back and visit my 'Goodbye 2013' post to find out! Getting back into fitness, writing more on this blog and working harder at uni were mine. This is a great time to look back on your resolutions, re-assess why you wanted to do them and re-motivate yourself!

What did you guys think of my tips? Are you doing anything to prepare for spring? Let me know :) 

xo