Posted by Les Mauvaises Herbes
Let’s be honest, winter was itself, happily whipping our faces and spirits over and over again. Whether you spent lots of time having fun outside or spent the cold season wrapped up in a blanket while clutching a chamomile infusion, spring is finally knocking at our door. We’ll need to open it to let in the soft breezes that will sweep away our little stuffy winter vibes. The days are getting longer and buds are budding: we welcome spring and pamper our minds, bodies, and cozy nests. Everything gets a refresh!
1. Great body cleanup
Dusting off the corners
A few weeks ago, Élodie, our assistant director of development, let loose and shared her spring body cleaning routine with you. She concocted three recipes for a fresh start! Oh, and by the way, these recipes are obviously not exclusive to spring. Repeat without moderation; they are 4-season recipes!
Recette · Intermediate
Beetroot Foaming Exfoliating Butter
A superb body scrub recipe that you can use directly in the bathtub. Its key ingredients? Beetroot powder (moisturizing and rich in vitamins C and E, which help maintain skin elasticity) and mango butter (very emollient and softening). It makes you want to try it.
Préparation15 min
Conservation6-12 months
Rendement125 ml
Recette · Beginner
Body serum: Ho wood and wild mint
This serum is made from hemp oil, a wonderful local resource rich in fatty acids essential for skin elasticity. A touch of mango butter gives it a velvety and soft finish!
Préparation2 min
Conservation6-12 months
Rendement50 ml
Freeing your mind
Now, look, taking care of your shell is all well and good, but your mind also needs your attention. Start planning some nice refreshing outings, or even summer trips:
- forest hikes;
- yoga sessions;
- meditation;
- activities in parks;
- a little drink on your terrace or balcony, quite simply.
Breathe mindfully, close your eyes, and take the time to feel the warmth of the sun and the breath of the wind on your skin. Science is increasingly interested in the benefits of mindfulness and walks in green spaces. It’s even starting to be prescribed by doctors in some countries!
"Wellness" tip in express mode
Did you know that when you feel stressed, you can close your eyes and take 3 deep abdominal breaths: inhale deeply through your nose while expanding your belly, and exhale through your mouth? It’s a real reset for the nervous system. Skeptical? Try it.
2. Great nest cleanup
“Ah! How the snow has snowed! My windowpane is a garden of frost.” Yeah well, it’s dirty now!
Stuffy odors, dust, and accumulated dirt better watch out. Arm yourself with an armada of natural and eco-friendly solutions to create a sparkling revolution in your home. Take a look at our favorite recipes below and our book Remue-ménage: Homemade Cleaning Products. You will inevitably be impressed by the simplicity and effectiveness of our recipes.
Recette · Beginner
Multipurpose and ULTRA simple scouring cream
Scrubbing the tub, the shower, the bottom of the sink, the ceramic stovetop... these little chores aren't always glamorous! But this scouring cream makes it ALMOST pleasant, hehe. Bonus? It's rewarding because it's natural, ecological, economical, and you made it yourself. The famous Vim can go home!
Préparation10 min
Conservation6 months
Rendement400 ml
Recette · Beginner
All-purpose cleaner (vinegar-free!)
Oh, a simple all-purpose cleaner made from... rubbing alcohol!? Yes! Shall we set aside traditional vinegar? Don't worry: we love it and we use it. But its smell doesn't please everyone, and it's not recommended on certain stone surfaces, hence this all-purpose, all-terrain cleaner, without vinegar!
Préparation10 min
Conservation6 months
Rendement500 ml
Recette · Beginner
Triple soda powder
Were you looking for THE recipe to replace that fluorescent green powder in a can from your childhood, the one we generously sprinkled everywhere to clean anything and everything? Forget it and discover the three-soda powder! It’s almost magic. Brace yourself – you’ll never be able to live without it.
Préparation10 min
ConservationUnlimited as a powder
Rendementabout 100 ml
Recette · Beginner
DIY Cleaner for Sparkling, Streak-Free Windows!
A simple window cleaner recipe that REALLY works and leaves no streaks. Yes, yes! It's possible.
Our secret? Arrowroot powder!
Préparation2 min
Conservation6 months
Rendementabout 500 ml
3. Decluttering 101
Living with a ton of superfluous items can become frankly annoying. A bogged-down environment can be a reflection of the state of our thoughts and our life, and embody the constant reminder of our unfinished projects. So ciao bye, visual pollution! We’re giving you little tips to declutter your environment slowly (or in a whirlwind, it’s your choice).
The donation box
At all times, keep a box that is easy to access to place things you want to get rid of, as you make accidental discoveries! Once it's full, you can give everything to charity or take photos and suggest things to friends.
Clothing cleanup
We know, our wardrobe takes up a huge amount of space. Once again, as you make discoveries, hop, into the donation box!
Mariane also has a great trick, which is to do a closet reset:
- Take all the clothes out of your closet and put them back in facing the wrong way on the rod. That is, the hanger hook facing you. When you wear and then wash a piece of clothing, ask yourself if you liked wearing it. If the answer is no, hop! into the box. If the answer is yes, put it back in your closet by turning the hanger around (hook facing the back). If, after 1 year (or a duration you have determined yourself), some hangers are still backward, well, that means you’ve gone through 4 seasons without wearing those clothes. That doesn’t look good… So, bye-bye! In. The. Box.
Another little trick: organize the contents of your drawers vertically. Helllooooo, Marie Kondo. Total game changer: this way we can see the contents much better and it contributes strongly to buying fewer new clothes since it’s hard to forget you already have that black t-shirt that goes with everything.
Buy less, buy better
It’s not rocket science, but rather a habit to adopt. Also, avoid impulse buying. If you put something in your online cart, wait until the next day to buy it. Sometimes we change our minds, and that’s okay! Also, focus on used items and/or quality, durable pieces that you truly love. Clearing out the ads that appear on your social networks is also a must to achieve this, promise!
4. Preparing your garden
Get ready for dirty fingernails and a happy heart
Do you have a balcony or a little patch of earth you can play with? Perfect! Get yourself some medicinal or cosmetic plant seeds! In addition to giving you the means to go even further into the world of herbalism by concocting your macerates from plants you’ve pampered with your own hands, the fantastic bees, the adorable bumblebees, and all the other wonderful pollinators we need to take care of will thank you by buzzing by your side. A beginner? Don't panic. Read this:
For minimalist and responsible gardening, keep an eye out when walking in your neighborhood or at thrift stores: all kinds of pots, boxes, stakes, and abandoned tables and chairs or ones given away could be your new favorite finds. During your forest walks, take the time to collect beautiful fallen branches to use as stakes (while respecting private property and regulations, of course). Free. Pretty wild, right? Just what you need to create a beautiful little green space that is refreshing and ecologically consistent.
5. Those houseplants that are just asking to be repotted
Did you know that right now, in spring, is the ideal time to repot your houseplants? Indeed, they are a bit like us in winter: in rest mode, blanket, novel, watching the snow fall outside the window. They too need a little pampering with the return of the warmer season!
In spring, they begin their annual vegetative period and emerge from dormancy. The more time passes, the more the roots have taken up space in the pot, sometimes to the point where the substrate becomes virtually nonexistent! Its role being to retain water and nutrients, well my goodness, we have a problem!
Quick tip: if you take your plant out of its pot and the roots follow in a very compact clump and the whole thing stands up by itself… it is really time to place it in a larger pot, haha!
For repotting, simply opt for a pot with a slightly larger diameter and water abundantly before and after repotting, particularly to adjust the soil level since watering after repotting will eliminate air bubbles.
There you go! Happy spring 🙂
