The very idea of “spring cleaning” can seem kind of old-fashioned, something our grandmas did back in the days when they kept house as a career. Today, we are so much more productive and together as women, as people. Aren’t we?
Pursuing education, careers, travel, health, and deep friendships are all important aspects of modern life. These pursuits can enhance your life in many wonderful ways, and bring much satisfaction and success. They also take up large amounts of your time, which necessitates you leaving some other things undone. Are you dealing with a living space that needs a bit of TLC? Are you comfortable with your home environment, or is clutter a problem?
Marie Kondo, a tidying consultant with a bestselling book called “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up” and a popular show on Netflix on the subject, teaches that if you simplify and organize your home once, you will never have to do it again. “Life truly begins only after you have put your house in order,” she says.
We should only keep those things in our lives that bring us joy. No matter how mundane or how little it may mean to anyone but you, it will be transformed into something priceless as you use it with care and respect. During a spring clean of your living spaces, it won’t be necessary to go in and dump everything without consideration. As you go through a thoughtful selection process, you will increase your sensitivity to joy, which will in turn touch other areas of your life. Taking good care of your things will affect the way you care for yourself, and before you know it you are spring cleaning your life, taking better care of your body and your mind. Perhaps you will start choosing better foods, or a fresh workout plan that fits your lifestyle more completely. Maybe you revisit the kinds of things you are reading or watching on television.
During the process of spring cleaning our homes, we will also pay attention to the dusty corners of rooms, and we’ll be moving furniture and cleaning light fixtures, baseboards, and closets. Life is no different. Spring cleaning gives us the opportunity to reset both the rooms of our homes and our emotional and spiritual interiors.
“Again, I envision spring-cleaning as a catalyst to help me restart my home, and thus my sense of openness to the possibilities that spring entails. Cleaning is not the end, only the means to reflect on your home and what you want for it,” says Ms. Kondo.
Aesthetic and practical updates should also be prioritized during your spring cleaning. Creaky doors, stained countertops, fingerprints on windows and mirrors, and scratched walls or furniture can contribute to an unhealthy feeling about your home when you see them every day. Paying attention to these items and fixing them will go a long way towards a feeling of well-being and satisfaction, and the same is true of your internal living spaces. Are you harboring unhappy feelings towards someone? Do you have unfinished business with a family member? Have you been thinking about handling a bad habit but haven’t done it yet? Addressing broken and unkempt things in your home will lead to pinpointing unhealthy things inside you, as well. Once you address these various items, you will become more appreciative of both your internal and external environment.
The effectiveness and focus of Marie’s philosophy on being mindful, introspective, and forward-looking are bringing peace and comfort to many people around the world. Spring is here, and it’s a great time to spring clean our lives.