Spring is here. It’s time to open the windows and let in some fresh air, enjoy the longer hours of sunshine, and get cleaning.

Spring is a time for renewal, and spring cleaning is a great opportunity to create a fresh start and revive your living space.

I used to watch this home organizing show on Netflix called “Get Organized with The Home Edit,” and I’m thinking it’s time to rewatch the series.

These two expert home organizers and their team visit people’s homes and organize various spaces from an office to a pantry or kitchen.

It’s inspiring and satisfying to see the work that they do. It makes you want to get up and clean.

They know how to maximize the use of an area and seem to do it all within reason. For example, they won’t get rid of a junk drawer but rather turn it into an organized space that allows you to actually see what is inside it.

The first time I watched it, I spent hours organizing my closet, using their techniques and suggestions to help me clean it and best utilize all the space available.

They give lots of great ideas, and I’d recommend the show and their book, “The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals,” to anyone interested in a makeover or even just to learn new ways to stay organized.

One thing that stuck with me about the show is its use of the word “edit.” It’s their first step in the whole process. It involves evaluating belongings and determining what to keep, categorize, and contain.

I also like how they use this editing process instead of simply tossing things out. They mention that editing things out of your space is just as valuable as keeping and rearranging the area.

As someone who is a borderline pack rat and likes to hold onto things because “you never know when you’ll need them,” editing things out sounds a lot easier than throwing them out.

Their motto regarding the editing process is that “if you haven’t used it in the last 12 months, you probably aren’t going to.” It encourages a review of items and a decision about whether they are still needed or loved.

And they do all this within reason as well. For example, they’ll set aside a box or two of sentimental things or items that you’re not quite ready to part with but should instead be moved to storage.

They go over the importance of labels and being able to see everything that you own. I noticed this was especially important in the pantry/refrigerator episode to avoid food waste, which I am certainly guilty of more than I’d like to admit.

As the core motto of The Home Edit states, “a decluttered home equals a decluttered mind,” and maybe that’s what we could all use right now — I know I could.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a clean and organized physical environment can reduce stress and boost productivity, and a clutter-free mind can have a similar positive impact.

And while The Home Edit often takes on large spaces, the NAMI recommends starting small. Trying to tackle everything at once will only overwhelm you and make you want to stop cleaning overall. Start with a drawer or a corner of a room.

If The Home Edit’s mottos don’t resonate with you, you could try NAMI’s. They suggest embracing the “KonMari” method: Ask yourself if each item “sparks joy.” If not, donate, sell, or recycle.

As for decluttering your mental space, the alliance recommends challenging negative thoughts, practicing gratitude, letting go of grudges, and limiting social media.

There are ways to start small with those mental steps as well. It’s all about finding a process that works best for you.

So, if you need some motivation to get you started with spring cleaning this year, maybe a show or book — whether it’s The Home Edit’s or not — will inspire you to start making changes in your home. Perhaps even this column might help.

Put on some music, watch a show, listen to a podcast, or whatever your choice of entertainment might be to play in the background, and get to work. It’s what I hope to do.

And, while I hope this is helpful to you and maybe inspires you to get cleaning, I’m also writing this in hopes that I can take my own advice and do some decluttering myself.

Spring cleaning can be a fresh start for us all.

Torianna Marasco can be reached at 989-358-5686 or tmarasco@TheAlpenaNews.com.