Springtime Cleantime

by Karrin

Cleaning out my closet has always been a term that implies one has to air their dirty laundry. As if sorting through the past is a bad thing. Cleaning and springtime go hand in hand. It feels great to bring a dusty, cluttered area back to life. Our environment speaks to us about our past, our current reality but most of all, about where we are going. A persons space tells you where they are going more than anything.

Everybody has some sort of memory attached to cleaning that is somewhat threatening. Go clean your room! You better pick that up! Whose trash is this? All these simple phrases trigger a stress response.

Everybody is unorganized yet parents and other authorities can have a tendency to overreact. Those who learn to pick up the most often look like they never need to. The truth is, everybody has some area of life that could use organizing and we often hesitiate to do so.

It's not so bad once the cleaning muscle gets warmed up. We've got to give ourselves time to get into the motion, gradually increasing our time and stamina with every project. A big storage closet full of memories must be approached gently and respectfully, like an out of shape body. Getting a closet in shape cannot be done in an aggressive way. Slow and steady wins the race. Just like getting the body in shape forces ones to face emotions and build character, cleaning out a deeply cluttered closet takes a patient spirit mixed with firm resolve.

Bringing up memories, one right after the other, causes people to need a break. In the beginning take many short breaks and be open to the experience. We often dread what we "have to do" yet when we actually get to doing it, it actually turns out to be a worthwhile experience. Many fears and negative voices keep people from cleaning out the garage or other neglected and cluttered areas in their home. The problem is, once the idea that something needs cleaning gets in your mind it won't go away until the task is done.

Worrying about what has not been done is a worthless strategy. Getting started with small little pieces and going at your own pace can be very interesting. It feels invigorating to see a space get cleaned up. Cleaning is its own reward. The little memories that do come up can help us appreciate our past and the people we love.

Learning to be patient with ourselves, respect our space, and take care of our own environment is a prerequisite to loving our planet. Recycling old items feels great. Allowing for new growth and new resources once the old environment has been renewed is wonderful. New growth comes when decay is cleared and new seeds are planted.

Springtime is the perfect time to clean. The flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, its natural to want to make our environment sparkle with new life. Give yourself the gift of a clean closet. Take your time, go at your own pace, arrange it the way you love it. Each closet contains its own secrets and holds its own treasures. What's in your closet?