Chinese New Year-Get Cleaning!
As February begins, many of us are looking back at the January wondering where the month went. Is it really the second month of the year? Some of us made New Year resolutions or made big plans for the new year and have done really well with those resolutions and plans. Others? Not so much.
It’s okay. That’s how the years go, right? Well, in my house, we are getting ready for Chinese New Year. And the energy shift that happens in Feng Shui every year around this time. A lot of times, we are too busy around New Years to get properly ready due to holidays, school breaks, and winter vacations; so, this is a great opportunity for us to settle into the new schedule and prepare for the year.
We Clean. A lot.
We sweep every room, under beds, and even outside. Everything and everywhere. We would vacuum too, if we had carpet. The goal is that we get all the dirt is out of the house, before the new year comes. Also, going out with the dirt is all the things that we didn’t like from last year.
Next? The kitchen. The pantry was completely cleaned out, washed, and all of the expired items discarded. The kitchen tool drawer? I promise I did not need 7 spatulas, but somehow, they had accrued over the year. The refrigerator, which was empty from our holiday vacation, was disinfected and filled for the new year. All our shelves, picture frames, and light fixtures have gotten a thorough dusting.
In the house
The bathrooms? They have been cleaned, top to bottom, and all those almost empty bottles have been thrown out. The bathroom junk drawer has been organized. Also consolidated? Those little hotel shampoo bottles. The old makeup was thrown out, as well as the extra hair ties, and the no longer used nail polish.
One thing that always happens from the winter holiday season, is that we accumulate more stuff. More toys, more books, more clothes. Getting ready for the new year, we take the time to consolidate those items that we no longer need, to make room for those new items.
Outside of the house
The car has been cleaned out (and yes, that means the glove box too!) and will be washed and picked up again before the new year. Thanks to our warmer climate, all of the weeds have been pulled and outside is ready for spring. The trash will be taken out, definitely, because who wants to start the year off with the trash from last year?
While the Chinese New Year is a few weeks away, these cleaning rituals started at the end of January into the beginning of February; always seem to bring calm to my house. It helps me get out of the last year, good or bad; and gets me in a better mindset for this year. It might even be a good possibility that it will get me back on track, if I was one of the people that had a resolution that hasn’t panned out. Getting rid of this clutter brings balance and hope for the new year.
More tips are coming to help you take charge of the new year and be in command of your life!