.. and all the dust that comes along with it.
It starts with the age-old little white lie we tell ourselves in January, “I will keep my house tidier this year! I will be more organised! I will no longer be the hoarder you once knew!” and ends with us frantically searching in old boxes for a Tupperware lid lost in the Easter brunch shuffle.
And so, we weave our way through the year, finding lost items on the way and then when September hits, we all collectively dust off our dust pans and brooms and proudly declare, “it’s time for a spring clean!”
The dogs flee. Partners scatter. Children rush out the house to avoid being roped in. It’s no small feat. And so it begins.
But what exactly, begins?
Wikipedia tells us that “spring cleaning is the practice of thoroughly cleaning a house in the springtime. The practice of spring cleaning is especially prevalent in climates with a cold winter. In many cultures, annual cleaning occurs at the end of the year, which may be in spring or winter, depending on the calendar.”
We also use the term “spring cleaning” metaphorically for any kind of heavy duty cleaning or organising activity e.g. a person who gets their affairs in order before an audit or inspection could be said to be doing some spring cleaning.
As for its origins, there are various articles that cite different sources as the start of spring cleaning. The Persian New Year, which falls on the first day of spring, is one of them. Iranians start the practice of khaneh tekani (which here means “shaking the house”, and my new term for spring cleaning). Everything in the house is thoroughly cleaned, from the drapes to the furniture, and everything in between.
Another possibility has been suggested that the origins of spring cleaning date back to an ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the springtime festival of Passover. And then we have the Catholic Church, who thoroughly cleans the church altar and everything associated with it on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.
Regardless of its origins, I think we can all agree there is something cathartic about digging up old clothes, dusting off unused tea cups, and sifting through various canned goods. Not only are we sprucing up our own lives, but for those who decide to donate some or all of the unwanted items, there is the amazing opportunity of helping those in need. We so often take the things we have for granted and a good spring clean can help the mind “reset” and appreciate the lives we have, while helping others.
Be it by donating to a friend or someone organising a really nifty fundraiser, giving some of our less-needed goods away helps people more than we can think. Someone organising a fundraiser has the opportunity to earn some money from the things you’ve donated, and in turn you’ve ‘technically’ bought a dog a bag of treats, without actually spending your money. How cool? Way cool!
As we all lean into the spring-time festivities, remember to set some time aside to go through your junk drawer, that old box of jerseys, or even your car. Not only will you benefit from the sense of peace and accomplishment, but others can too.
Best get started now, those Tupperware lids aren’t going to find themselves!
Emily Longman
Many hundreds of years later, Valentine’s Day cards started being mass-produced with the cards of the 1840’s being manufactured with lace, ribbons and other decorations. In today’s world, there are one billion Valentine’s Day cards purchased EVERY year with approximately 85% of them bought by women.
Cuppa Daisies 