When the spirit of spring takes hold, we find ourselves wanting to clear the clutter from every area of our lives. We don’t just long to dump the junk from our closets and dust the corners that were barely noticeable in the dark days of winter; we want to streamline our lives in more meaningful ways, too. Shasta Nelson of GirlFriendCircles shares tips on how to strengthen our existing friendships and cast off the ones that aren’t working anymore.

When we’re crazy busy but still want to maintain the friendships that we treasure, first thing’s first: how can we keep those relationships that we treasure going strong?

Consistency is key. Instead of the scheduling emails that can go back-and-forth for a week (“I can’t do Tuesday but are you free for Wednesday lunch? How ’bout two weeks from next Thursday?”), set one regular date and stick to it. Nelson suggests making a standing date for brunch the third Saturday of the month, or cheap manis every other week.

3 signs your friendship is a healthy one

Get deep. Our friendships sustain us not when the conversation skims the surface of boyfriend updates and work woes, but when we feel like we’re connecting with someone in a meaningful way, being heard and understood. If you can’t talk about the meaning of life face-to-face without feeling like you’re in Philosophy 101, turn it into an email exchange, suggests Nelson. “Email each other a question to answer like what are three things you wish you had more of in your life, what is one of your favorite childhood memories, or what is one thing about your life that surprises you right now?”

And what about those toxic friendships? You know the ones. Either you have a friend who has turned terminally negative, doesn’t support your dreams and endeavors, who frequently breaks plans or causes you more stress than joy. Sometimes a real friend can practically turn into a frenemy. How can we spring clean those relationships without guilt?

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If you are thinking about regifting this holiday season, ask yourself the following questions:

1) Is the gift regiftable? Never regift handmade or one-of-a-kind items. Signed books and monogrammed items are off-limits. Do you have to be told not to regift free promotional items? Some gifts that are good candidates for regifting include good (unopened!) bottles of wine, new household items and inexpensive jewelry.

2) How is the condition? Only new, unopened gifts in good condition should be considered for regifting. Never give partially used gift cards. Don’t give items that you have owned for a long time. A general rule of thumb: if you have to dust it off, it is not regiftable.

3) Is this going to work? Successful regifters use common sense. If you are going to regift, be sure you know who gave you the item, so you don’t return something to the original giver. Only regift items to people who are not likely to see the original giver.

Gifts for your BFF for under $50

4) Do you have good intentions? Don’t just give a gift to give a gift. Be sure that the recipient will appreciate the item. Remember, if you feel that an item is undesirable, the recipient probably will too. If you are regifting simply because you ran out of time, gift cards are simple to obtain and always well received.

5) How does it look? When it comes to gift-giving, go for show! While gift bags in good condition can be reused, wrapping paper is a one-time thing. Always spring for a new card or gift tag.

6) Can you handle it? If you don’t plan to announce the gift as a regift, ask yourself if you can keep the secret. Never feel guilty about regifting once you’ve done it.

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BP Member mariposa_mami

BP member mariposa_mami starts the discussion in the BP news section with the shared article Should I tell my husband I helped our 15-year-old daughter have an abortion?

She asks “When do you know as a parent the right time to keep your child’s confidence?” Hello Beautiful let us know what you think and join the debate here.