Embrace Spring With An Open Window
Spring is almost officially here, although I am sure Spring looks different depending on where you live. Here in Northern California, the trees are blossoming and new green shoots are pushing through our thankfully soaked soils. No matter your weather, it is time to start thinking about spring cleaning and refreshing our spaces for the new season. Before you jump into an elaborate and official Spring Cleaning Attack, I would like to offer a gentler yet impactful start to the season. Open up your windows! The benefits of opening up the curtains AND the windows are plentiful and free!
Living with the curtains or shades always drawn cuts us off from the outside world, and can increase feelings of depression, stress, and even anger. Letting in the light at all times of the year helps to regulate hormones and neurotransmitters that have a positive impact on mood. Now is the time to give those windows a good clean as well. In my home it looks like we hosted a spider convention in the upper corners of our windows this winter, and while I am pro-spider I am not into looking like a haunted house. In addition to the spider webs, there are streaks from our dog's nose and just general dust from the season of hunkering down. Giving the windows a good cleaning and washing or vacuuming window treatments will make everything just FEEL better, and is a great way to welcome warmer days ahead.
Opening the actual windows, even just a crack for as little as 10 minutes a day (NOT while your heater is cranked) also provides myriad benefits. Modern homes are tightly sealed and HVAC systems only circulate and filter air. And if you live in an older home like I do, letting the place breathe is still important. Getting fresh air inside the home will do the following for your indoor health:
-Refresh the oxygen levels in your home
-Eliminate stale odors after sleep or cooking
-Improve air quality by releasing toxins from dust, germs, and pathogens
-Lower carbon dioxide levels for better sleep
-Release window condensation that can lead to mold
-Improve mood, energy, and focus
I understand that for some folks the view out the window might not be inspiring or uplifting, or privacy is needed due to close proximity to other dwellings. In that case, I still suggest cleaning and opening up the windows for a good 10 minutes a day to reap the above benefits, and replace heavy dark window coverings with something that lets in light but keeps things private, such as a light linen curtain. And of course, if you are out of town do what feels safest for your home. So open those curtains, clean those windows, and let the light and fresh air in. If this is the only thing you do as part of your spring cleaning routine, your mood, health, and the health of your home will certainly be uplifted.