#49 spring cleaning

Out with the old, in with the new? No, opening up for renewal.

Hello my lovelies,

Today, with spring blossoming once again, I thought I would make a little commentary on something so many people do: spring cleaning. As someone who needs a tidy and clean home consistently, I actually do “big cleans” (as I call them) multiple times a year, mainly in autumn/winter ready for festivities and during spring. I always feel so much better for it. I see them as intentional acts of love for my space, my home and immediate environment. This year I did it a little differently.

It has always felt like a necessity to clean so I could make space for more in my life. I brought more mindfulness into it this time and really take my time to try and reflect on how the clean felt. I did it in my typical organised fashion but instead of burning out (fully), I made a task for each day, an intentional amount to not overdo my actions; I journaled how I felt before and after the cleaning to see if I noticed the biggest impact. I also asked for help, very different to my normal attitude.

I started by decluttering. FINALLY reorganising the medicine drawer, the tech drawer and the incense drawer. This really motivated me on the first day, I actually felt so fresh. From there, I decluttered and reorganised my clothes, I found new homes for all my journals. The cleaning was the hard part, so I asked Luke for help in some of the heavier things like cleaning windows. I focused entirely on windows, deep hoovering, dusting, cleaning down the doors and handles. By the end of day 10, I was finding my energy sapped.

For so many years I have done it all in one or two days. The boom and bust cycle of my long ago days is still ingrained in me, better to get it all done before I collapse and take forever to recover. I did feel as though I wasn’t truly resting after. I also felt I was neglecting my usual duties and the laundry never seemed to end. However, I was booming and busting despite the manageable tasks., I hyper-fixate on tasks I need to do, so journaling really helped me to stay on track.

Once all the cleaning was done I felt so good, it was great to see a gleaming home and I had pride, I still have pride, from what I accomplished. A surprise was just how dusty everything was, especially the top of doors. I have never really considered the amount that gets trapped. This is coming from someone who dusts multiple times a week.

The good that came from the spring clean was knowing that I can now put in place a deeper clean of things like doors, handles, light switches and skirting boards more regularly. I felt like the rooms had new life and that everything looked so much cleaner and healthier. So, I have scheduled in every couple of months a deeper clean, I would love to commit to once a month but something tells me my body and mind right now wouldn’t agree.

I feel empowered by this clean, I imbued positive energy as motivation. I want to feel I have a healthy home bringing a sense of renewal for spring, offer myself hope in that my home is safe, and calming. Since the clean I have been keeping on top of the housework and I don’t feel as pressured to do and just have little habit building once again.

I was particularly motivated this year. How? By the handy self-care app Finch. I do subscribe rather than use the free version but they offered a spring cleaning challenge to get a digital badge. Finch is essentially a tracker for self-care habits as a game, having a pet finch (that looks like a penguin) journey across the world and make new discoveries. I was able to see the tasks beforehand and wow did it inspire me. I also love this months blossom theme. Very spring indeed.

Spring cleaning isn’t for everyone but I feel I made the most of the first couple weeks before the equinox. I feel ready to have an even fresher and kinder-to-self start.