Simple Plans for Spring

A Simpler Life is where I share my reflections on simple living, seasonal living, creativity, minimalism and things of that nature. Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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Hello friends,

With a beautiful new season upon us, I’m feeling inspired. I love the energy, freshness and motivation that spring brings with it. It’s such a joyful time of year. I’ve been enjoying my time in nature and days spent at home. I truly value those quieter days when I can potter around my apartment or get lost in a book.

I moved to Oxford in 1993 to study fine art. It was my first time living in a city, and I was excited to start a new creative chapter. On meeting my student neighbours, I was grateful to discover we were all new to city life, so it was fun to explore Oxford together.

One day, one of my neighbours returned to our student accommodation to say he’d discovered a charming setting by the river not too far away. The following evening a group of us packed some sandwiches and cycled out, eager to see what he’d found.

He took us to Iffley Village, a quaint area on the river with sweet cottages and delightful English country gardens. I recall sitting on the riverbank as rowers drifted past and feeling grateful to live in such a magical setting. One that combined the excitement of city life with calming pockets of nature.

I continue to be enchanted by Iffley Village and Lock. Last week, everything was coming to life after the still winter months. Walking along the river was a lovely way to celebrate the Spring Equinox and welcome in the new season.

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Creating space

At this time of year, I like to clean, declutter and organise my surroundings. I approach this in a gentle way, tackling areas of our home when I feel motivated to do so. So far, I've addressed my wardrobe, dressing table and the dusty storage boxes under our bed. It felt great to open the windows and dust away the winter months, welcoming in the energy of spring. The things I no longer need, use or love will be recycled, sold or donated to charity.

I’m also taking a little time to declutter and organise my digital life – documents, subscriptions, photographs and so on. I like to regularly purge the things on my computer, especially because I create videos which take up a lot of disk space. It feels good to let go of the things I no longer need, creating space for new projects and ideas.

Making plans

Although I often take stock of where I am, I find a new season is a wonderful time to do this. I like to reflect on how far I’ve come and make adjustments to those things that are no longer working. Seasonal milestones also encourage me to be grateful – for where I am, what I’ve achieved and what I can learn from the things that haven’t gone so well. They also inspire me to look at my time and commitments, letting go of the things that no longer bring me joy.

Since taking the time to do this, I have set some spring intentions. A few gentle goals to keep me focused on how I would like to spend my time. For me, the best planning exercises are the simple ones. When I approach my life in a clear and uncluttered way, I’m better able to see what I want, and I’m less likely to lose sight of where I’m heading.

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Thank you so much for reading. May the new season bring you an abundance of spring blooms, joyful days and all the things you love.

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With gratitude,
Natasha

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