It’s always refreshing getting ready for Spring. Spring brings to my mind new life and new beginnings; however, it is also a time of getting ready. It was traditional in our home to spring clean, which meant we would have the house in a state of chaos for about a week. We would tackle the project in some cases one room at a time, the bedrooms for example, and the main living rooms became a disaster as we removed, washed, rearranged, and then put it all back together again. As girls we hated this part of spring because it was a lot of work and it lasted for a long time. Had we thought and then planned the project out we could have avoided maybe a few extra moves and a few extra days to our spring-cleaning yearly ritual.
Our homes can and I believe should be our sanctuaries especially now as the world seems to be in a constant state of chaos. We all need that place where we can BE and allow all the tensions built up during the day to be expelled from our bodies in one deep cleansing breath. One of the many benefits of spring cleaning is to create and invite new energies in and remove what has become stagnant during months or even years because we’ve become too busy just surviving. I continue to believe that as humans we are here to thrive, learn, grow, love, and live our lives the best we can. Sharing with others in ways meaningful to us is an important part of what we are here to be and do.
What Can You Do Right Now
What can you do right now to create a more harmonious, tranquil, and loving space for you and your loved ones? I would suggest following the simple steps, which I have done and found to be helpful to me. I share in the hope that they will also help you if you choose to follow them or that they inspire you to begin creating your new home sanctuary.
First, KISS it! Keep it simple smartie. Begin by not creating chaos in the process.
Second, take a few minutes or hours and consider where it would be most important to begin, so that you will see immediate results. Best to start with a common area room that is going to take only a few adjustments like changing out pillows, placing a new plant in the room, etc.
Third, once you are inspired look around your home and change the location of the furniture, or exchange furniture from one room to another and without having to buy anything new you have created new room. Important to keep it to 3 areas of each room that you decide to tackle. If you are anything like me, you will get so inspired that you just might create more work than necessary. The objective is to KISS it (keep it simple smartie) and create the first rendition of making your home your sanctuary.
When you are out of practice of seeing your home and life with fresh eyes, the very simple and mundane idea of spring cleaning, moving a few items around to create a new way of viewing your home may seem too simple and won’t have enough gusto for what you may consider too much effort. As my sister likes to remind me, “Perfection is in the Practice”. Have compassion for yourself and remember that any step taken is a step in the right direction. Keep the vision of what you want to achieve and make those small and simple adjustments that will see you having more energy and drive to accomplish them.
I’ll end by suggesting that when you come upon resistance from yourself or anyone else you consider asking yourself this question, “If this is so, what else is possible” and remember that really your world is your oyster.