Happy 1st March everyone!  Spring is here!  The sun is shining in the Scottish Capital today and suddenly Friday’s poppy field picture doesn’t look quite so out of place!

I always feel a huge sense of relief when March rolls around and Spring begins.  I think it’s symptomatic of me having had enough of cold, dark mornings, heavy snow boots and chapped hands.  I’m also susceptible to terrible bouts of the blues in January and February and it often means that I dread those months coming around.  While this year has been far more tolerable than previous ones (and I think, in all honesty, that I can thank the Thrifty Chick for that) I still feel very much cheered by the fact that Winter is now most definitely on its way out.

So with this in mind, here are ten thrifty reasons why we should all celebrate the arrival of the new season…

1. Long Weekends

Spring is a particularly favourable time of year for snapping up extra days off work, what with the Easter break, May Day and the Spring bank holiday.  I always notice a huge difference in my mood when the prospect of a long weekend is on the cards.  I feel more relaxed, I get out more and I also manage to get things done that I wouldn’t normally find time for during a normal weekend.  I return to work feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and consequently am much more efficient.  Just why the vast majority of employers don’t see that four-day weeks are the way to achieve a super-productive and largely content workforce I’ll never know.

2. Sailor Fashion

I’m not sure why, exactly, but the sailor look is one that seems to make an appearance in the shops every year, and usually around Springtime as well.  I always find it hugely refreshing to see rails of white linen trousers and navy blue striped tops after six months of looking at nothing but big coats and fake Ugg boots (yuck!).  It’s enough to make me want to set off down the Firth of Forth on my own maiden voyage!  And the beauty of the sailor look’s annual re-appearance is that trend junkies can rock out exactly the same outfits as they did last year, and the year before, without for a second looking by any means dated. I bought a stripey sailor-esque skirt in Primark two years ago now, and I still wear it all the time – Tres thrifty matey!

3. Warm Weather

I don’t think many people will be sad to see the back of the cold, dark days this year with all the snow we’ve had! Don’t get me wrong, I really have enjoyed Winter but I definitely won’t be much troubled if I don’t witness another heavy snow shower for several months to come!  I feel much more alive when the weather is nice, and April so often surprises us with a string of blissfully warm July-like days (apparently it has stolen these from July) when the suncream comes out and the barbeques get fired up.  Ah, roll on sunshine!  And as the temperatures go up outside, the thermostats can come down inside and energy bills can plummet towards something resembling a reasonable level.  At least that’s the theory.

4. Longer Evenings

And, of course, the clocks take their Spring leap forward at the end of March, leaving us with elongated days and many general feelings of increased well-being.  My own personal foray into the world of the 9-5 has taught me many things about myself, one of the most prominent being just how much I appreciate daylight.  Few things sadden me more than walking to the office in the dark at 8am, and then walking home in the dark at 5pm, as has been the case for a while now.  It just feels so completely unnatural.  Another thing I despise is the dip in energy levels I experience when there’s no sunlight to be had in the evenings.  The enthusiasm I feel for running, walking or even playing tennis in the winter is nothing compared to that when the sun stays out late and the day appears to have plenty left to offer even after work.  Sitting outdoors with a blanket and a flask of tea late into the sunset feels much more like living than huddling under a duvet watching Eastenders in January often does!

5. Salads

Spring is also the time when salads make their grand re-entrance to my meal planning.  I’ve had a few of these over the winter – mostly spinach-based, with smoked or peppered mackerel – but not half as many as I’m used to tucking into in the Spring and Summer months.  While soup has been something of a lunchtime lifeline of late (combined with home-baked bread from the breadmaker which is still going strong – I haven’t bought a shop loaf since Christmas!) I think it’s time to start phasing in salad a couple of times a week.  Cheap, ridiculously nutritious and also delicious – there’s no reason not to!

6. Easter

Chocolate eggs, picnics and two extra days off work.  What’s not to love?

7. Spring Cleaning

I find Spring cleaning to be incredibly therapeutic.  I’ve actually begun early this year, with several evenings of de-cluttering already in the bag and a good few more planned (I’m not really that dirty, but I like to do a good job and I do have lots of stuff!) – I quite honestly think it’s good for my soul.  Regular clear-outs are also useful when it comes to saving money – not only can you find things you haven’t seen in a while, but you also find new uses for old things that you might otherwise have replaced.  Disused tops often make nice new pyjamas and bits and pieces of fabric can be made into napkins or cushion covers.

8. Camping

The arrival of Spring also means that it’s just about time to think about outdoor holidays again.  Tents will soon be hanging out to air after months in storage, ready for new adventures and it’s not really all that long until festival season starts again.  My own caravan holiday is now less than 8 weeks away(!!)  I’m ridiculously excited about this and have been planning like mad the books I’m going to read and the board games I’m going to take.  I’ve already set aside a bottle of gin for cheeky mid-afternoon tipples as well – it’s going to be a good week!

9. Wardrobe Rotation

I always pack my most summery clothes away at the beginning of winter and don’t generally release them until the weather improves and the clocks go forward.  This annual wardrobe rotation is a big deal for me – I like to completely rearrange things so I don’t get stuck in a depressing ‘monoseason’ rut.  So when I do dig my summer things out in a few weeks’ time I’ll pack my heavy knits, winter coats and boots away until around Autumn, by which time I’ll have had a good break and will be able to appreciate them more fully.  Wardrobe rotations are great for thrifters, simply because they save you from buying new clothes on a seasonal basis.  You don’t get much of a chance to get sick of things when you only wear them for a maximum of six months at a time.  I sometimes also find myself seeing things in a new light after they’ve been away for a while – the dress I never wanted to see again suddenly becomes my can’t-live-without summer staple.

10. Nature

And finally…Spring never fails to remind me of how totally wonderful a thing nature really is.  It costs nothing to walk around, taking things in and simply feeling happy to be here.  After months of bare branches and flowerbeds weighed down with heaving great clods of snow, everything seems to come back to life in one magnificent burst of colour and fragrance.  Top of my list are daffodils, which just make everything look so pretty – yellow always brings a smile to my face!  As well as the trees and flowers jumping into action there are hordes of ridiculously cute baby animals all over the place – a trip to the countryside is well worth the time and effort in March or April.

Image courtesy of Flickr – Anvica.