Spring Cleaning

It's that time of year, when the obsessive begin obsessing about the big Spring Clean!

I recently saw something that piqued my interest, it was about a new holiday(yea right who needs another one of those) called "Discardia" invented by Ms. Dinah Sanders. I gathered it takes place during solstices, equinoxes and new moons or pretty much whenever you want it to. "Discardia is celebrated by getting rid of stuff and ideas you no longer need. It's about letting go, abdicating from obligation and guilt, being true to the self you are now. Discardia is the time to get rid of things that no longer add value to your life, shed bad habits, let go of emotional baggage and generally lighten your load." The website I visited has some excellent tips for every area of your home and life at http://www.metagrrrl.com/discardia/

I asked my husband why we had so much stuff in the garage and to sum it up he says this, well YOU buy stuff, arrange it in the house for awhile, you get tired of it, move it to another room and then you put it in the garage. Sorry I asked! Of course none of the two or three gas powered remote airplanes and all the paraphernalia that goes with it is his JUNK! The last couple of years I believe I have purchased less and purged the house of more. Not quite minimalist. I just have to love something to keep it. So...how many of your Granny's doilies and tchotkes do you keep out of obligation? How about the gifts that you receive that are not really you or you have a gazillion of them already? I abhor clutter, so I rotate things, give stuff away or toss it. If you haven't used it in six months you probably won't use it six months from now. I LOVE a clean house. The rewards for a clean house are too numerous to mention, however after the chores are done I allow myself to get to the fun stuff. Yes, I did mention I am obsessed, right? Confession time, cleaning, while hard work, allows me to vent my frustrations, meditate (yes, meditate) or lets my mind wander aimlessly. Taking care of your home when done with mindfulness can be positively spiritual. In addition to other responsibilities you may have, making your home a haven from the storms of life is an utmost priority.

We often make resolutions at the beginning of a new year that are often "discarded" before said year is off to a good start. I prefer the discardia idea of getting rid of things that no longer work for you. Toss the archaic thinking and embrace the new you. I stick little notes everywhere. One thought that I love comes from William Shakespeare "to thine own self be true" Amen to that Brotha! I once saw a skit where the lady was carrying a bucket in each hand and she was being very selective about what went into those buckets for the day. Do we really want to carry around a bucket full of anger, irritation, petty annoyances and so on? I would rather carry a bucket full of laughter, love and joy. Even those words sound lighter! Lighten your load, clean out your heart and mind while you are cleaning your house! Happy Spring Cleaning to You or Happy Discardia My Friends!