Table of Contents
Spring may be all fresh air and birdsong, but for those of us with autumn hearts, the season’s energy doesn’t mean rushing to strip back or pare down. At A Long November, we believe in gentle shifts, quiet rituals, and a kind of spring cleaning that nurtures the soul rather than empties the cupboard.
This is not the blitz-and-bin approach of glossy home magazines. It’s about emotional clearing, energetic refreshment, and creating space that feels aligned, intentional, and comforting. Less about scrubbing grout and more about lighting a candle, misting the air with lemon balm, and parting with what no longer fits your story.
Here’s how to welcome spring with a cosy cleaning ritual that speaks to your soft, nostalgic spirit.
1. Begin with Intention, Not Pressure
Before you lift a cloth or rearrange a shelf, pause. Spring cleaning, when done with heart, starts from within. Ask yourself:
- What do I want to feel in my space this season?
- What corners have gone unnoticed, energetically or emotionally?
- What am I ready to release—not just physically, but mentally?
Light a candle or burn a little dried rosemary or sage if it suits you. Even opening the window and letting the breeze in for a few minutes can be a simple act of shift.
This isn’t about productivity. It’s about presence.
2. Clean with Care: Homemade Lemon Balm Spray
Forget harsh artificial scents. Instead, create your own gentle surface and air cleaner that smells of early spring gardens and sunshine:
DIY Lemon Balm Cleaning Spray:
- A handful of fresh or dried lemon balm (or substitute with lemon peel and mint)
- 250ml white vinegar
- 250ml distilled water
- A few drops of lavender or bergamot essential oil (optional)
- A clean spray bottle
Steep the lemon balm in the vinegar for 1–2 weeks in a sealed jar, then strain and mix with the water and oils. Use this spray on surfaces, windowsills, or mist lightly around your reading nook for a refreshing, herbaceous lift.
Cleaning with something you’ve made feels less like a chore and more like a seasonal ritual.
3. Rearranging Altars, Corners and Comforts
Whether you have a formal altar, a bedside table with your treasures, or just a few corners that act as visual anchors in your home—refreshing these spaces can bring emotional clarity.
- Dust each item slowly, holding it, asking: Do I still need this here?
- Swap seasonal elements—replace pinecones with dried flowers, or amber candles with beeswax or pale green ones.
- Add a written affirmation, a fresh page in a journal, or a folded note of gratitude.
Even something as small as turning your reading chair to face a window can shift the energy of a room. Think: revival, not removal.
4. Mindful Letting Go (Especially of Books)
For many of us, books are sacred. But over time, even they can pile up into quiet clutter. Rather than seeing donation as a loss, view it as releasing stories back into the world.
- Choose 5–10 books you’ve read but won’t return to.
- Hold each one, thank it (yes, really), and ask where it might belong now.
- Donate to a local community bookshelf, leave one on a bench, or wrap one for a friend with a note: This made me think of you.
Letting go becomes easier when it’s done with reverence. What you keep becomes more precious. What you give becomes part of someone else’s comfort.
5. Refresh the Air, Gently
While chemical sprays promise spring in a can, true renewal comes from simple, honest elements.
- A simmer pot with lemon slices, rosemary and bay leaf
- A bowl of warm water with a few drops of eucalyptus oil placed near a sunny window
- A fabric pouch of dried lavender under your pillow or tucked into drawers
It’s not about strong scent, but soft presence. Let the house breathe again—open a window for ten minutes while you sip a mug of something warm.
6. Honour the In-Between
Spring isn’t all light and brightness. There’s still mud, mist, and cloudy days. There’s beauty in the tension between seasons—the co-existence of bloom and frost.
Lean into that.
- Keep your blankets out, just fold them differently.
- Burn one candle instead of five.
- Brew herbal tea alongside your morning coffee.
This kind of cleaning honours both what was and what’s coming.
7. Close the Ritual with Something Lovely
When your gentle refresh is complete—or even if you only managed one drawer and a spritz of lemon balm—end it with intention.
- Brew a cup of chamomile or nettle tea.
- Sit in your favourite spot.
- Journal how your space feels now, what shifted, what surprised you.
You might even write a letter to your future self next spring. Slip it into a book or drawer to find again one day. Let your cleaning leave not just order, but meaning.
Final Thoughts: Cosy Doesn’t Mean Cluttered
Spring cleaning doesn’t need to clash with your love of cushions, layered textures, or tiny corners filled with memory. A cosy home can still be an intentional one. In fact, cosiness deepens when surrounded by what is chosen with care.
So let the sunlight in, but keep your jumper nearby. Welcome the scent of green things, but keep your cinnamon tin. This is a springtime made for soft hearts—and a cleaning ritual that feels like coming home.