spring cleaning

Spring cleaning isn’t something I normally acknowledge. My approach to cleaning is to wait until I’m forced to give the piles of dirty laundry and random paperwork my full attention with one large glass of Trader Joes red wine in hand. However, I’m starting to be more intentional with the items in my living space and I’m beginning to realize the powerful impact the seasonal purge can have on me emotionally. One thing I’ve noticed about myself is that I sometimes get caught up in a specific look or interior decor style and go on an Etsy shopping spree, only to later realize that it never really fit my lifestyle or my needs in the beginning.

For example, I recently bought a couple of white antique milk glass pieces to store my jewelry in, thinking that I wanted to slowly evolve my space into a more modern, Art Deco style, but then realized afterwards that they didn’t fit my lifestyle.  They ended up feeling sterile when placed next to the stack of my favorite well-loved books and film cameras, and I didn’t ever own enough jewelry to put them to their intended use.  Which made me realize that it’s OK to get rid of something, even if you love it aesthetically, if it just doesn’t work for you. As much as I appreciated the beauty of these pieces, they just didn’t feel like me.

After allowing myself to not feel guilty about parting with material objects that weren’t of service to my needs, I became more excited about spring cleaning and I already feel more like myself. I moved all of my furniture around (three, maybe four times) until it finally felt right and began purging all of the random crap that seems to find its way into my bedroom. I look forward to coming home and going into my room now. My books and objects, while fewer, bring me greater happiness than before because they are on proper display now.