Outside, the snow is receding. The grass underneath is matted and muddy. Peeking out from the melting snow we can see the leaves from last fall left to collect in the dampened corners of our yards. Uncovered they’re a reminder there’s still some matters from last season that need our attention.
Easy enough to take care of, right? Get out the rake and the gardening gloves. Freshen up the flower pots on the deck and pull the deadened heads off last year’s sunflowers. Collect tangled holiday lights and neighborhood liter off the muddied ground. Rake and spread, clear the bed, then sprinkle some fresh wildflower mix over the groomed grounds and take a rest. Enjoy the season’s first batch of homemade lemonade. Breathe in the promise of future BBQ’s and fireworks. After you relax head inside the house where your closets are waiting!
Inside the house late winter sunbeams streaming through the dust covered windows, lets us see the collected outbreaths of a long dark winter spent indoors. Floating along the floorboards swirling coils of accumulated debris flit out from under the beds and sofas. It’s time to move some furniture and sweep, out not under. Shake rugs, polish wood, and wash the drapes. Then, change the battery in the smoke detector, and go directly to the closet you’ve spent the winter avoiding. Open the door take a deep breath, and let the cathartic cleanse begin.
Be ruthless. You know what needs to go. Clothes that no longer fit, in fact haven’t for a while, GO! Why are you holding onto them? What memory do they hold for you? Give yourself permission to keep the memory and give the rest away. Those shoes that need new soles put them in the bin. Socks with a hole in one toe, both gotta go! Fill bag after bag with what no longer suits you! Then take a break to breathe in the serenity that comes as result of attending to such a dreaded task! Notice the lightness of the extra space you’ve created. An added bonus to completing this chore is that you’ve made room for new items that will hold memories you haven’t made yet.
After that, head over to the computer and make use of the delete button. Make your way to the kitchen, open the fridge, drag the trashcan over, and find the culprit of that funky smell! Out it goes! Seriously, is that really left over gravy from last Thanksgiving?
The list is endless. The bathroom vanity, the linen closet, the newspapers stacked on the chair in the dining room. Go ahead you’re on a roll. The cellar, the interior of the car, the garage, the bookshelf; wait no not the book shelf, at least not in my house. My books are beloved residents, but magazines now those interlopers can go!
Now, you may think you’re done. But you’re not. The closets and catch all spaces in your head, heart and soul need cleaning too! The heavy hearted, dusty headed, sun starved psyche where your soul lives needs attention as well. Now’s a good time to open up the window of your soul and catch the warm breeze of contemplation, then take advantage of its comforting caress. What heavy emotions are you wearing on your sleeve? What blousey boring story needs to be banished from your inner banter? Let the banishing begin!
At the end of the day, once the job is complete, light some Sage to smudge away last seasons’ sins and sprinkle seeds of self-love all over. Go to the store and buy a bunch of spring flowers to decorate your hearth. Your home-space will thank you! Happy cleansing!
Roseanne Olszewski is a writer, thinker and all around spiritual disciple who believes in the power of owning your presence in the world. We are all here for a reason, what is yours? The owner of a Metamorphosis, Become Who You Are Meant To Be!, Roseanne works as an educator, consultant and counselor, focusing on personal development. She holds a M.A. in Transformative Leadership Development from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
