Spring cleaning – This is where it starts

Happy Spring! Have you or your family done a busy spring cleaning, where your whole home gets a detailed scrub down. I recall even our drapes came down to be washed, area rugs were beaten and windows were cleaned until they squeaked.

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Grab your favorite hot beverage, maybe a larger size and get cozy.

Did you ever wonder where this cleaning frenzy came from?

It seems to date back 3000 years ago. The practice was called khaneh tekani. It was carried out by Persians. Spring was the first day of their new year. (خانه‌تکای) khaneh tekani, translates to shaking the house down. The belief of doing this would help prevent illness in the year to come. This was done on or near March 20 as part of the Nowruz festival celebrating the spring equinox. The homes were made of clay and wood, part of the cleaning was to repaint and even clean the grounds around the outside of the home.

https://basirat.ir/en/news/6870/spring-cleaning-for-nowruz-in-northern-iran

Many parts of the world took part in Spring cleaning, detoxing, removing unwanted energy and things from the home. Buying new clothes and sharing in the energy of new and healing.

My little tips for spring cleaning

Get a box, large basket or something that will hold your things. I will move everything off a counter to clean. Put it in the box.

Have a cleaning caddy or something that organizes your cleaning tools and supplies

Set a timer based on your energy, if you can only do 10 mins, set your time 10 mins take a break.

If you have low energy you might ask for help with tasks or if you have the means, hiring help can take stress down.

Have a plan for where to start.

I often make snacks (cut vegetables with hummus) , crackers and cheese, granola bars, cans of fish, and hard boiled eggs. Protein and nutrient dense food will help you to feel better. Stabilizing blood sugar and helping muscles repair. Before a deep clean or make a meal like soup or stew. After I’m done a big clean, the last thing I want to do is cook.

If you are going to go in a cleaning flurry and you have chronic pain, my guidance is to take control of your pain as best you can before you start.

Take your pain meds, have ice packs in the freezer and your heat packs handy. If you can plan for recovery days I recommend that.

I have long and light weight extension tools to help do my jobs. Be kind to your body.

May you spring be filled with new growth, I hope you treat yourself to a nice hot beverage after the cobwebs are cleared.

It is spring, do you do a walkthrough in your home to make a list of things that need need to be done? Are you like me and see the dust in the air or smudges on the windows and want to scream, “I really do clean my home often, not just once a year!”

This year I noted the tap in the bathroom has a drip. This made me think how lucky we are to have clean running city water to use as we need. I don’t take clean running water for granted. I lived in an area where we took 2 water jugs strapped to a dirt bike heading quite far collect water. If you wanted a shower in the middle of summer you could go to the campgrounds and use their shower or go to the river. If you’re inspired you can fix your faucet. Mine is being a challenge as the under the sink shut off valves are stuck. I’m a bit of a handy human, but there are limits. If you think you can do your own tap please remember to turn off the valves before starting or call a plumber. It is hard to think that having taps with clean running water is blessing so many live with out.

Decluttering, maybe you have never thought about this a privilege. We have stuff, more than we need. We value our stuff. It is a challenge decluttering. When I want to get things done I set a 15 min timer. Because I have a hard time stopping when I set timer, I do a self check and mental body scan. If I’m still okay, I reset my timer. It is amazing what in 15 mins you can get through. I highly recommend this method if you have health problems, 15 mins can feel short but if you’re dealing with chronic pain or health stuff it can feel like a lifetime. I will do a blog in the future of how to break down decluttering. There are many emotions that can be brought up.

We are so blessed to have homes with stuff. I worry a lot about getting rid of things. Things that fill my mind, what if I end up needing said thing… What if someone in my family needs something? How will I give it if I let go.

Painting the walls, I have paint but have not finished painting. The things we are privileged to have… Paint brushes, rollers, paint trays and paint. There are places in the world that use old beverage containers as walls.

Take out old electronics..

Yes many of us have that old something that plugs in. We have electronics recycling places to take many of our old un-wanted things. Some places in the world old things just get tossed on the road.

The dust that builds up in my home in a week makes me frustrated. A dear friend of mine grew up in India, she said that they had to broom every day, they have dry air that blows the dirt right in. So I guess my week of dust is a blessing.

Take time to care for yourself and the planet. Remember to be thankful for dust and dirty dishes. They are a blessing you may not recognize. I look forward to seeing your note, please share what blessings you have or challenges you have over come.

Tag: Spring cleaning

Spring cleaning tradition

Being grateful for first world problems.