Spring Rejuvenation - Part 3 - Spring Organization from Elise

Happy Friday Lovelies! What a crazy week this has been. I have literally spent nights up til 3 AM working, have looked at the clock and had 5 hours pass by without even knowing... It has been crazy. But today I have a SPECIAL treat for you. Please meet my TOP SPONSOR Elise!

This woman is amazing. You will be seeing her a lot here through out the month as she is my top sponsor. I had the opportunity of going to college with her and she is a freakin blast. Not to mention, she would let me break into her apartment through her window just to borrow clothes when she wasnt home. So.. Please meet Elise with some awesome Spring Rejuvenation advice. I actually read this last night and then spent like 2! hours purging and re-organizing my WHOLE closet and now I feel SO much better. So please meet ELISE!!

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Hey! I’m Elise and I blog over at “that’s comma with a k.” a page full of totally random posts about
my life as a wife [who rarely has dinner prepared] ,stay-at-home mommy [who spends most of
her day cleaning up soggy gold fish, thinking about doing the laundry, & blogging in sweats! I can
promise you that my hair and make-up is done though, and yes, I’m fully aware that I have big hair…
I do it on purpose & I’m totally okay with it!], and a total wanna-be-runner training for 10k [I think I
can, I think I can, I know I can!] I’m pretty sure I have absolutely no business writing a blog, except
for the fact that I need a place to put all of the 230952803958 pictures of my boys. Oh! And because
sometimes I think I’m pretty funny and feel the need to share my daily adventure with anyone who
will listen! [hopefully that’s you!]

When Lindsay asked me to write a little something something about some “purging” tips, I was

taken back to the lovely days when I knew Linds in college & she would sneak in through my

window, early in the morning, wake me up to tell me good-morning, borrow my clothes, and then

head out the way she came in! A few years later & states away, we are still friends and still love

each other’s fashion.

Now, about that color coordinated closet of mine… [not at all perfect, but I try!]



I used to find “spring cleaning” a nasty chore, and by spring cleaning, I’m talking about going

through the clothes in my closet. I thought of it as flat out, just emotionally difficult. I’m one of

those girls that if someone were to recall an event or date from 2,3,4 years ago, I could tell you

exactly what I was wearing. As silly as it sounds, clothes have a funny way of tugging at our

heart strings and emotions right?!

But somewhere along the way, it has become something I look forward to. Something I like to

call “purging into spring!” Once it became something that I did every year, I started to share

my “purging” tips with friends, and over the years I’ve come up with a little list of three essential

rules that I have to live by [or nothing will get done]. I hate to burst some bubbles, but I am by

no means an expert in organization, purging, closet space…none of that! I’m just a girl who isn’t

about to let an old, two sizes too small, out-dated, tight shirt put a kink in my day, or depress me

for the week!

one.

DRESS FOR NOW! I’m not opposed to hanging onto “skinny clothes” for

some needed motivation [guilty as charged] but really, let’s not keep it all. It’s just not

necessary! I’ve had to take this to heart, especially after having a child. I’m pretty sure

that I don’t need Hollister written, stretched across my chest [which probably should

have never happened] and I certainly don’t need

two. If you haven’t worn something in a year then out it goes! No questions asked.

Regardless of price, condition, or its size. Why is a year the magic time?! Because

whether you realize it, you have just covered every season in that period of time! If you

haven’t worn it during the year, lets be honest… you probably never will. I’ve come to

the conclusion [and so should you] “Me and this “just in case” business…we are done!”

When I purged a few weeks ago, I’m sad to admit that I pulled 15+ shirts from my closet,

with tags still left on them…



[I should probably have a “giveaway”…anyone interested!? Ha.]

most bought more than 6 months ago! That’s telling me a few things…either I don’t

get dressed in “normal” clothes enough, I have a bad shopping habit [yes, I think

there is such thing], or I wore the shirt with the tag left on….none of which are good

things…donate or consignment pile they went!

three. When going through your closet… Try everything on. UGGG I know… I’ve

never been one to love this rule, but I’ve learned, and re-learned, and now I can’t stress

it enough! Do not hold something up and say “oh this is so cute, I have to keep it.” I

read a quote once “Sometimes we linger way too long in something that’s not working

because we hope things will change and get better”…women and relationships?!

Clothes in your closets?! I’m seeing a pattern….Stop it right now & get rid of it!

Overwhelming!? It’s okay, because you are going to remember to have some fun. I

know it sounds a little lame, but seriously. Turn your music up loud, sing and dance

your little heart out, do a fashion show for goodness sake!


Thank you for letting me spend a little bit of your day with you! I had a blast! If you need

a little break from your closet [or life in general], come on by, visit, & follow me at the

blog!

Spring Rejuvenation - Part 2 - Yoga Fitness from Gaby

Hello Lovelies! Hope you enjoyed yesterday's first part of Spring Rejuvenation from Erin. Today I have some more awesomeness on getting ready for the Spring season with some amazing Yoga and Fitness from the lovely and oh so talented Gaby. This chick is seriously one of my favorite blogging buddies and she is so awesome and incredible. So without further adieu.... Meet Gaby!

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Hi Lindsay's friends! My name is Gaby and I blog over at This Little Port. I'm a Sydney based yoga teacher, yoga practitioner, crafter, baker, and blogger. Today I'm here to share with you some yoga inspiration for spring.

So... when you think of spring your mind probably jumps straight to spring cleaning. It's usually a time of year when we feel energized and excited to take on new projects and get organized. And while the world around you is going through a transformation, it's a good time to acknowledge that your physical body is also going through a time of transition.

Here, I'll share with you some poses that aim specifically to detoxify the body, but also the mind and spirit. I would recommend doing some kind of a warm up beforehand. This is a great youtube video that will guide through a sequence of 10 warm-up poses, called 'the magic 10' in Jivamukti Yoga (Posted at the bottom) After that, if you're familiar with sun salutes, it'd be a good idea to do 5 rounds. This pdf has photos of 2 types of Ashtanga sun salutes.

* disclaimer - always be careful when practicing without a yoga teacher present. Go slow and if something hurts, stop!

1. Prasarita Padottanasa

From a standing position, step the feet out wide and bring the outside edges of the feet parallel with the short edges of your mat. Starting with your hands on your hips, inhale to arch the back gently and look up, as you exhale fold forward and lower your hands to the mat. Keeping the spine long begin to walk your hands back in line with your feet for more of a stretch. Hold for 5 breaths.

2. Parivritta Padottanasana

From Prasarita Padottanasa, bring your left hand on the mat, underneath the forehead. Press it down into the floor or on to a book or a block if you don't reach the floor. On an inhale, ground down through your left hand and as you exhale, begin to reach your right arm up for a twist. Keep your hips square and your legs engaged. Hold for 5 breaths then swap sides.

3. Ardha Matsyendrasana

To come into this pose, sit with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee and step your foot over your left thigh. Stay here with your left leg still straight out in front of you, or bend your left knee so that your left foot comes to your right hip as in the photo above. Make sure you're not sitting on top of your feet; if you are, keep the bottom leg extended. Inhale your left arm straight up, on an exhale twist to your right and hug or hook your right knee with your left arm. Hold for 5 breaths then swap sides.

A note on twists from the book The Spirit of Yoga:

"Twists work in many ways. For instance, they adjust the spine, tone the spinal nerves, and ease stomach ailments by stretching the inner digestive organs. They are also wonderful detoxifiers as they wring the old blood from the spine, recharging it with fresh sustenance."

It's precisely because of this detoxifying quality that we should do lots of twists when it's springtime!

4. Setu bandasana

Lie on your back with your arms by your side, palms of the hands facing down. Bend your knees so they're pointing up and bring your feet to inner hip distance (not as wide as you think!). Your ankles should be right below your knees (do as I say not as I do, ahem...). On an inhale, slowly begin to roll up the spine vertebrae by vertebrae. Leave your hands as they are or interlace them behind your back, drawing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold for 5 breaths, and repeat 3 times. Be careful not to turn your head from side to side!

5. Tarasana

Sit down with the soles of your feet together and your knees out to the side. Reach the feet farther away from you until you can grab your shin bones with extended arms when you sit upright. And here's the best part... Melt your body down over your legs, really just let it all hang out. Let your spine round, let your head be heavy, have your arms wherever is comfortable. Hold for 5 breaths.

6. Viparita karani

In English, we call this pose legs up the wall, which pretty much explains what we're going for :) All you have to do, is bring both of your legs up a wall, making sure that your sit bones and your legs are touching the wall. Bring your arms by your sides with your palms facing up and close your eyes.

Fun fact about this: karani means attitude, and as it doesn't end with 'asana' like all of the other poses it isn't actually a pose. Rather, it's an attitude. Viparita means reversing. Therefore this pose means 'reversing attitudes.' So if you're ever feeling down, all you need to do is chuck your legs up a wall for a while. You can hang out here for as long as you want, but make sure to stay for at least 5 minutes.

Finally, rest in savasana for 10 minutes.

Happy spring!

-Lindsay here, hope you enjoyed Part 2 of Spring Rejuvenation - Yoga and Fitness. Til tomorrow! We have another guest post from the lovely Elise with some Spring de-purging and self organization. Happy Thursday!