Can you feel that? It’s warmer, brighter and the mood is lifting; spring is in the air! Many people use milestones like the start of a new season as an opportunity to reorganise and declutter their homes, garages, desks and wardrobes. As we knock on September’s door, there’s no better time to make changes in your life, so here are four classic spring cleaning tips from bsmart.
- Sort out your clothing cupboard
When you tackle this job, give yourself plenty of hours as it can be time-consuming. A handy tip is to divide the clothes into four categories: the keep pile, the mend pile, the donate pile, and the throw away pile. Neatly fold or hang the items you love and wear often, put together all the clothes you still want but that need a new zip, button or patch, be ruthless about what you can donate and be practical about the things that really should be thrown away.
Spring cleaning your cupboard is something small you can do to get rid of the clutter and help someone in need. When it’s time to freshen up your wardrobe with a few new items, you can also enjoy cashback on your purchases when you use your bsmart card at Edgars, Old Khaki, Poetry, Ackermans and more. To find the closest retail stores to you, click here.
- Kick-start healthy eating
This doesn’t mean throwing out everything in your fridge and pantry, but rather adding nutritious ingredients into your diet. Swap simple carbs - like white bread, rice and pasta - for complex carbs such as quinoa, wholewheat pasta and rye bread, and include more seasonal fruit and vegetables into your diet.
Instead of making major changes, start with smaller shifts so you get comfortable with your new habits and are more likely to stick to them. In addition, make portion sizes smaller, eat on a smaller plate to give the illusion of more food and look out for hidden sugars in your food.
Whether you’re shopping for fruit at Woolworths or Pick n Pay, getting your vegetables from Spar or Checkers, or treating yourself to fresh fish from John Dory’s – as a bsmart member you can get cashback when you eat in or eat out. Find your closest supermarket or restaurant by clicking here.
- Increase your water intake
With the temperatures rising, the amount of water you drink will become increasingly important. Carry a water bottle around with you to make sure you drink as much as possible on a daily basis, especially if you are exercising regularly. Not a huge fan of water? Drink herbal teas, choose fruit and vegetables with a high water content, or add ingredients like lemon, mint or fresh berries to make the water taste more appetising.
- Get Outdoors
There’s so much to do in South Africa, from rooftop yoga classes to a walk in the park with your four-legged friend, so get out there, get active and get some vitamin D. Not everyone has a goal of running a marathon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get fit and enjoy a beautiful spring day.
Get into the garden and plant flowers, take up hiking, go biking with your kids, or simply enjoy a stroll around the block. And when you want to buy those new running shoes from Shoe City, herbs from Ferndale Nursery or a new bike from Game, use your bsmart card and get cashback on your purchases. To find your closest retail stores, click here.
At bsmart we aim to help our members live smart, spend smart and save smart, and we do this by sharing useful lifestyle information and advice. We also assist our members to save, by paying out cashback bonuses every three months or annually. To learn more contact us or click here to sign up directly through our website.