Spring Cleaning

Jim Thompson House, Bangkok

I had that moment a few days ago, emerging from the metro, the sky burnt orange, glowing and warming the air. In that moment you stop describing the nights as cool, but as crisp, When you still need a jacket, but just barely. When you know the summer is coming, full of new possibilities and opportunities that you don't even know are waiting for you.

You go home, and shed the bulky winter sweaters that you needed to survive those harsh winter nights. All of sudden, you realize how much you have been holding onto that you no longer need, not just because the winter has gone, but because your old life is gone too. The sheer weight of it all is overwhelming, but take a deep breath. It is time for spring cleaning.

If you have spent more that five minutes talking to me, it is likely that I have brought up one of my favorite people to talk about: Marie Kondo, the Japanese cleaning guru. Suffice to say, after my documented breakdown in a Bangkok airport, I realized I needed help, and Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up showed me the way. 

Over the years, I have done my fair share of "spring cleanings," rummaging through old boxes and reorganizing my space. But after years of this, and still having way too much stuff, I realized I was stuck in a pattern. Every year, I would open boxes, of say old clothes or mementos, pick one or two I could part with, and pack up the rest, only to leave them untouched for another year.

Why was I holding onto things that I clearly did not want anymore? It was time to listen to my heart, and keep only the things that "sparked joy" as Marie says, and to thank the rest for being a part of my life, and send them on their way.

I'm certainly not encouraging you to throw away everything you own, though I truly suggest rethinking what you are holding on to and why. Our space is so important, and the energy we bring into it plays a significant role. Since clearing out so much stuff, I feel that I have been able to let go of things, not just material objects but also emotional attachments, opportunities that were not quite right for me, toxic people, etc., more easily and focus on the positive and the future. I own less than I ever have, but I love everything I do have that much more. 

*Also, before throwing away your things, research charities like Salvation Army for larger items like furniture, your local cancer resale shop which take donations of clothes and household & kitchen items, and secondhand bookstores for your books! I'm sure that chair that you don't care for anymore but that is still in good condition would look great in someone else's living room, and they would be so appreciative. Your tree lawn or a landfill is no place for things that still have a purpose.

love,

greer