Spring Cleaning

simple shui tips

Green cleaning

As you approach your spring cleaning, might I make a suggestion?

While you whistle and work away, take inventory of your surroundings, particularly your things. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I love and/or use this?
  • Does this make the room look messy, disorganized, and/or hopeless?
  • Are there too many things in this space?
  • Is there any unfinished business that I should either complete or part with?

Clutter (yes, I am using the word again) has the amazing ability to drain our energy. And it just so happens, I have 2 recent experiences to share with you.

The first has to do with moi! When I got pneumonia, I was acutely aware that not only had my thinking led to my predicament, but my house was a culprit as well. I knew if I looked around objectively, I would see exactly how I felt. In the weeks leading up to this little hiccup of mine, I had been lamenting about how tired I was — I kept saying, "If only I could take a month long nap…" Hmmm. When I walked around my house last week, I noticed ALOT of unfinished business lying around. Do not be deceived. Clutter looks great organized! I have paintings and pictures on the floor resting against the walls, lamps that have hard-to-find burned out bulbs, and vases without plants. The list does not stop there, but you get the idea. So what does this say? My interpretation: I was TOO BUSY to take care of my house, which means I was too busy to care for myself.

While that may seem like a stretch for some, I offer my second case. I have a client right now that is in the process of cleaning her office space. We picked out new paint color, discussed a vision for her space, and pushed up our sleeves and got to work cleaning out everything. During the process, we discussed all the avenues she could be pursuing in her job. One suggestion I made specifically seemed like a stretch to her. I said, "Think about it." Two days later, she emailed me. The very thing I had suggested to her had shown up in her life, and all we had done was discuss it!

This is what happens every time you start clearing out the clutter and making room for possibility in your life. Pull double duty in March, and while you clean, clear the clutter! By sweeping out the past, you give the present a much more inviting space!