(So fresh and so clean, clean)
— OutKast
Every spring, we throw open the windows, dust off the shelves, and reset our homes. It’s a ritual—a moment to start fresh, to clear out what’s no longer needed and make space for what matters. But there’s another space that could use that same care and attention. One we often overlook.
Our digital lives.
Over time, without noticing, we accumulate apps, emails, podcasts, subscriptions, alerts, and notifications. Each one adds a layer of noise. Eventually, that noise becomes normal. We forget what it felt like to have a quiet mind. We carry the weight of all that input—mentally, emotionally, even physically. It’s no wonder we struggle to focus. The world throws too much our way, and if we aren’t aware that it’s too much, we’ll continue to drift further from clarity and presence.
Spring is the perfect time to clean up. Not just our closets and kitchens, but the screens we stare at every day. It’s a moment to ask: Do I really need this? Does this app, subscription, or notification serve me—or distract me? When we begin to curate our digital experience, we create space not just on our devices, but in our minds.
And in that space, we can breathe again. We can sit still without reaching for something. We can walk without checking. We can even, if we choose, turn toward something deeper—a quiet prayer, a few minutes of meditation, a moment of real stillness. What a gift that is, to reclaim just a little more of our own attention. To remember that we don’t need more—we often need less. Fewer inputs. Fewer distractions. More presence.
Clean what needs cleaning. But don’t stop at the surface. Clear the digital clutter too. Your mind will thank you.
— Joe