Spring Cleaning for the soul.

 

Dear reader,

It is that time of year where one gets the urge to just rid the house of old stuff that has been accumulated over the years. Since we moved in, over 3 years ago into the house where we are now, we still have some unpacked boxes out in the garage. My husband and I decided to tackle the multiplying rubble of 'stuff' once and for all and rented an enormous skip. Skips are are rather expensive these days so we asked the neighbour if they wished to go halves with us on the cost and share the the joy of getting rid of rubbish. Not wanting to suggest that our neighbours have lots of unsightly rubbish in their house but simply telling them of our plan to clear out our stuff and knowing that the neighbours have been decorating  I thought they might want to throw away some of that rubble which has been littered in their garden for months now. Not, that I am being a nosey neighbour and counting the days either. But one notices these things.....

However, we tackled the mountain of old books that are not worth any money to us or a charity shop, old records, art work, toys, clothes and general useless things we've kept hold  of for the sake of thinking that we may need them one day. That 'one-day' came yesterday and I had had enough and just wanted to de-clutter the garage which is massive, the size of a double. It took us all day and we are still not done. So far there is light at the end of the bloked up tunnel and I can visualise the garage being turned into a studio space for my future crafy ideas and I guess to make room for more stuff to store for  my future may-be useful pile of stuff. I have really run out of names for all this stuff so 'stuff' it will remain and be named. 

I also decided to tackle a corner of the back of the garden that has been used as a dumping ground for old shelves, bits of wood, buckets, boxes and other bits and bobs. The difference it has made to the size of the garden. I am now getting excited about that little space, where I imagine vegetables growing with possible a few little Hens clucking around and will make themselves at home there. I will first have to completely clear out the corner and gradually plan my lay out and slowly implement little boxes of soil for my veg and then when it looks good  I will hint and mention to my husband that "Would it not look lovely with some real chickens in this space?"....I have to work on that as he sees it as a bit of a chore as well as a bit mad and do I really want to look after more 'stuff'?  And of course he is right but hey, we have plenty of chaos in the home, why not add to it?!

The result may not be so visable to the observer but I know the hard work, sweat and achy back that has been put into the clearing up and because of that I feel rather pleased with myself. Whils being out in the garden tackling the old fence that has been left to rot I have happily practised my karate kicking technique with my metal toe-cap, walking boots on. The sheer joy of permission to destruction of old crap is delightfully rewarding! 

It's funny how one feels this heavy invisible weight has been taken off and once spirit lifted just from removing this burden of crap that we don't use.

 

Since I am also interested in the tradition of things I found this.

 History of Spring Cleaning

It has been suggested that the origins of spring cleaning date back to the Iranian Norouz, the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring^{[citation needed]}. Iranians continue the practice of "khooneh tekouni" which literally means "shaking the house" just before the new year. Everything in the house is thoroughly cleaned, from the drapes to the furniture. A similar tradition is the Scottish "New Year's cleaning" on Hogmanay (December 31), a practice now also widespread in Ireland, New Zealand, and to North America.

Another possibility of the origin of spring cleaning can be traced to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time memorial feast of Passover (Hebrew: פסח pesach‎). In remembrance of the Jews' hasty flight from Egypt following their captivity there, during the seven-day observance of the Passover memorial or remembrance, There are strict prohibitions against eating or drinking anything which may have been leavened or fermented with yeast (Exodus 12:15, 19). Jews are not only supposed to refrain from leavened foodstuffs (known in Hebrew as חמץ chametz), they are expressly commanded to rid their homes of even small remnants of chametz for the length of the holiday (Exodus 12:15). Therefore, observant Jews conducted a thorough "spring cleaning" of the house, followed by a traditional hunt for chametz crumbs by candlelight (called bedikat chametz [Hebrew: בדיקת חמץ]) on the evening before the holiday begins.

In North America and northern Europe, the custom found an especially practical value due to those regions' continental and wet climates. During the 19th century in America, prior to the advent of the vacuum cleaner, March was often the best time for dusting because it was getting warm enough to open windows and doors (but not warm enough for insects to be a problem), and the high winds could carry the dust out of the house. For the same reason, modern rural households often use the month of March for cleaning projects involving the use of chemical products which generate fumes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_cleaning

I hope you get as much joy out of your Spring Clean as I have, which is something I normally find very boring and I am sure I am not the only one thinking this.  

If it's not for the house then  happy spring cleaning of the soul!