They always say spring is a good time to clean out. I've never actually been one to follow the cleaning protocol when it comes to my home. I just work each day, managing to get one thing done or another with no specific plan in mind. I found that when I did have a plan, the plan was just a taskmaster with a dictator attitude, intimidating me into thinking that I wasn't working hard enough or fast enough. Thus, the plan when into file 13.
My husband shared a bit of wisdom with me when it came to work. He said it's very easy to live to work all the time. When you find the first thing that comes to mind is your 'to do' list instead of something you're looking forward to, you know you have the mindset that you're living to work. It can be a frustrating way to think, and a bummer approach to life. Because, you never do get all the work done, and it's always there waiting for you the next day. (And the house will not disintegrate if it doesn't get dusted TODAY.) (I'm not referring to anyone who works a job outside the home and has a deadline to meet, obviously.)
My husband went on to give me the antidote for living to work. It's just the opposite: working to live. That certainly turns the perspective on its head, don't you think? Working to live. It kind of gives what you do a true sense of purpose. You have to ask yourself if your work brings life.
Well, that brings me back to my introduction: cleaning out. They say when you declutter your home, it actually feels different. It opens up paths of energy that were formerly blocked. And, of course, you realize as you go through the piles and closets and shelves, a garbage can is a good thing to have close at hand, or bins: one for throw away, one for give away, and one to keep...somewhere. Plus things have a tendency to present themselves when you least expect. Then you find yourself saying, "I wondered where that book/notebook/kitchen gadget went to."
It's always nice to find something you were looking for; basically a perk for cleaning out.
Well, the first place I decided to work on was my office, since that's where I check my emails, do my office managing work, and where I keep my cat Sophie's water and food dishes. I figured my desk was the perfect place to start dismantling piles which included mail, recent bills, homemade note pads, The Writer, Homeschooling Today, my growing novel manuscript (which is safely in its own file), and other miscellany. I also had my computer desk which was covered in swatches of paper with notes taken. Plus on the floor I had goodie bags left over from my most recent dental cleaning and photos developed from last year.
It is absolutely amazing how quickly stuff piles up. And just looking at it was making me tired. It took a couple of hours, but I threw out so much I was amazed. That always feels good, to just get rid of stuff I don't need, making room for the new stuff. Or just plain 'ole good energy.
I can see my desk and computer table again, not to mention all of the floor without bags and such.
They say it's best to start cleaning out in one room, working your way from one pile to another. It does take time, but once you get started, you may end up feeling like you're on a mission: Mission Clean Out. You might even find yourself putting on your detective hat wondering where you got that something-or-other from (and it can get quite gross if you're cleaning out your fridge. My husband who had a stronger stomach than I do has taken on that job more than once.)
Once you've cleaned out one room and are ready to tackle the next, don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back for your progress. You might want take a good long look at your handiwork before it starts cluttering up again. Better yet, take a photo of the room so you have a visual to work toward when it's time to clean out again. (Or perhaps, throw stuff out before it becomes a pile. Yeah, I know. It seems like too much to ask. It's easier to just leave it for the next day; maybe that photo really will come it handy...)
Now I'll reward myself with some time to do something I really want to do. Play with my cat. Laugh with my husband. Live a lighter life. Breathe in the spring air. Inhale all that new energy.
And thank God for giving me the idea in the first place. Can you imagine a cluttered Heaven?
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