The Ritual of Spring Cleaning

Apr 20
07:14

2010

Gabriella Gometra

Gabriella Gometra

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Spring cleaning is about more than cleaning your house. Revitalize your own energy and soul and reward yourself when it is done.

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As the season changes,The Ritual of Spring Cleaning  Articles we constantly hear mention of "Spring cleaning."'. Does this common term mean more than simply an exceedingly thorough housecleaning? How can we make our spring cleaning experience more pleasant? Is it appropriate to reward ourselves for partaking in this season-dictated ceremony? Spring cleaning is far more important than we often realize.
In itself the term "Spring cleaning" seems incredibly basic. Any cleaning that happens during a certain three months could be considered spring cleaning, but we have given such a simple term a much grander meaning. Springtime is when we go through the items in the closets, spending hours cleaning parts of the house we often don't even remember exist. It hits us like an instinctual compulsion, and the more we get done the more rejuvenated we feel. In fact, we are in essence rejuvenating our homes as we get moving the air that has stagnated over the winter months.
Often we have slowed to a near halt during the cold season as well, and spring cleaning gives us an opportunity to get our blood pumping again as we breathe in the air from our opened windows. It is truly rejuvenating to feel that breeze and hear the birds as we're on our hands and knees wiping the baseboard heaters. Spring cleaning is as much a spiritual ceremony of lightening ourselves and freeing us from the clutter that builds when we sit still for too long.
Yet even with all the benefits the idea of beginning our spring clean can be quite daunting. As we begin to list all the things that we want to get done it becomes clear that there is a lot of work ahead of us. Sometimes it takes a little push in the right direction to begin even the projects we know are vital. Purchasing some new music to feed the energy seems to help even the most hesitant housekeepers. Once we get started, the progress is often the only encouragement needed. When we look at this as an opportunity to create positive change in our lives, perhaps moving furniture or even adding a new piece (after getting rid of a few, of course) it really begins to be something that drives us, energizing our every moment. Only in the springtime do we get excited about cleaning!
All this work is definitely deserving of some sort of reward. For some of us, just the new openness and feeling of lightness our space provides is a great enough reward. The rest of us want a little something more. If we can afford it, it can be good to redecorate a room or two. This allows us to maximize the positive changes we are making to our living environment. Inviting a few friends over to share the space might be good...perhaps even a barbeque to celebrate the change of weather as well? But in reality, any reward we deem appropriate should be indulged. With all the work we did, we truly deserve it.
As scary as it can feel, spring cleaning is very important to more than just the cleanliness of our homes. Spring cleaning is transformative for our homes and our souls. Sometimes we need a little support to gain the courage to begin, and that is okay. As long as we find a way to motivate ourselves we will reap the benefits in the completely renewed space we create. Of course, we can always enjoy an additional reward...we have earned it.

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