Want your Spring Cleaning to Stick? 3 Questions to Ask Before You Dive In.
(Photo Credit – Studio Choo Florists)
Are you itching to do a spring clean? Feel super ready and rarin’ to go?
If so, you’re not alone.
That fresh energy of spring brings with it the promise of new possibilities and clean starts — inside us and all around.
The optimism is all but irresistible!
If you’re anything like me, once you get excited about something, part of you feels like a stallion — just waiting to burst through the gates. You can already see that finish line of a perfectly clean, clear, beautiful home. And you’re ready to gallop towards it at full speed.
But hang on just a sec. (Ahem, hold your horses!)
I love this big, passionate energy. It’s extremely important for this kind of work. But I’ve also learned how valuable it is to slow down, turn within, and do some deeper groundwork before bursting out of those gates.
Sure, you could dive right in. Throw on those rubber gloves. Start tossing things left and right. Wash, donate, recycle, lather, repeat. But I’ve got a better suggestion for you:
Slow down. Turn within. Honor your Spring Clean as an opportunity for deep transformation. It starts on the inside.
Because the “urge to purge” isn’t just about your stuff, right? It’s also about what’s going on inside of you. It’s about this precious and wild life of yours — and what you’re choosing to do with it. It’s about connecting with who you are, on a deeper level than ever before, and walking proudly out into the sunshine.
If we skip the vital, inner prep work of a Spring Clean, we might clean the surface without getting to the root of things: where and why our space feels stuck, stale, or cluttered.
So let’s dig a little deeper and do the real, inner work needed to harness the energy of spring, release what’s no longer serving us, and move our space — and our life — forward.
Here’s how I like to start:
3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Doing a Spring Cleaning
1. What’s Happening in Your Space?
I know, this one sounds obvious. But before you dive into the cleaning, it’s so helpful to take a few moments and get clear about what’s really going on. Grab a notebook and a pen and take a tour of your home.
Note the areas of your home that need some loving attention. Write down everything that feels outdated, cramped, messy, or dull. Look for the obvious and the not-so-obvious. How do you feel when you’re in each area of your home? Are there some areas that make you irritated or depressed? Do you ignore parts of your space — like your closet, your desk, or That One Drawer?
If you get overwhelmed or upset during this process — it’s OK! Take a deep breath. This is part of the process. We’re just gathering information, here. We can’t shift things we don’t let ourselves see, so the more clarity you can get here, the better.
2. Why is Your Space Like This?
Unless you just moved in yesterday, your space didn’t get this way overnight! Acknowledge the narrative that has brought you and your space here. Review your notes from Question #1 and identify what each space represents to you. What changes + challenges, transitions + accomplishments, highs + lows in your life made these spaces how they are?
Remember: Beautiful Living is not about having a shiny-happy-perfect-pulled-together life. It’s about being real, not perfect. It’s about getting messy, getting clear, cleaning things up, and making a beautiful new messes again. It’s about flowing and growing and changing, not about some unrealistic, static ideal. Truly. I promise.
So please, just acknowledge what’s brought you and your space to this point. Have you neglected your kitchen because you’ve been busy working on a new business? Have you avoided your closets because you’ve dealt with some loss that makes them hard to look at? Be gentle with yourself, here, and find reasons to celebrate along with your reasons to shift.
3. What Do You Want to Make Room For?
If we don’t know what we’re moving towards, it’s all the harder to find the motivation to let go of what’s not working. So … why aren’t you content with the status quo? What tender young sprouts are struggling their way to the top of your life? What do you want to welcome into your life and your home? Sleep, relaxation, health, intimacy, creativity, safety, abundance? How would you feel if your space supported who you truly are what what you truly need? And speaking of that — what do you truly need?
Get clear here. Ask yourself if you’re ready to change. Connect to your commitment to doing something different, and inviting something new in. Open yourself up to letting go of what’s in the way. There may be fear, here — around losing the things that have made your space the way it is now, or even around letting in how good life can get for you!
Let’s Spring Clean with a purpose!
What new things are you ready to make room for in your life?
Click to tweet – Inspire the conversation among your friends!
Remember: this is about turning what could be a mindless series of tedious chores into a mindful practice of self-love. So treat yourself as you ponder these questions. This isn’t about shaming yourself for a messy home! It’s about getting real, right-here-and-now, about the life you want to live.
Take Action …
In the comments below, share and declare the purpose behind your spring clean this year, and one fresh new possibility you want to make room for.
Ready for more?
The next post in the Make Room to Bloom Series is right HERE!
Reach out for support if you need it! If you brush up against some mega resistance or big emotions, take a break, call a friend, or learn more about working with me.
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Sending love,
Rebecca
12 Comments on “Want your Spring Cleaning to Stick? 3 Questions to Ask Before You Dive In.”
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Thanks, Rebecca, I loved this.
I have recently discovered the ‘drawing’ function on my phone in the Notes section – and have been happily drawing out the areas in our home that need some attention, whilst travelling to and from work on the train.
I am committing to improving the space and functionality in our back bedroom and the feeling of space in our downstairs back room, as well as freshening the paint in the entrance hall and back room over the Spring.
Thanks for your encouraging words, I needed that.
Hi Rachel,
So glad you enjoyed it and how neat that you found an app to help you look and connect with your space in such a visual way. I am such a visual person as well that I love the idea of this. Thanks!
Sounds like you are clear about the rooms you are going to be focusing on. Great work. Be sure to let me know how it goes!
Warmly,
Rebecca
THANK YOU!!!!! I was about to dive in and just start throwing things away, until I read this blog. I never thought about the process as self love. I’m so grateful that Sara led us to you. This year’s spring cleaning will be like none I’ve ever done before and that makes me so excited about the possibilities of a fresh start from the inside out.
Hi Ana,
Ewwww I got goose bumps reading your comment. Love the energy and excitement behind your words. So happy that looking at your space in this new way has not only energized yourbut is also is opening up the possibility of deeper self love. Beautiful.
Warmly,
Rebecca
I love the intention behind this. After having redone my bedroom, I now know how I want to feel in the rest of my home. I could live in my bedroom
Next stop, the kitchen. My cupboards are spilling over with bags of ingredients – I realize that I buy too much at once and then just stuff everything in the cupboards because I run out of room in my canisters. Yet I realized a couple of weeks ago, most of my canisters are empty and disorganized. I want to bring more intention to how I cook, what I cook and the space I lovingly prepare food in.
Hi Maria,
Sounds fabulous! Kitchens are such a powerful part of our home and so connected to our nourishment, vibrancy, health and joy. I love that you have made this your focus. Be sure to let us know how it goes!
Warmly,
Rebecca
I’ve been following your advice and using your great e-book as guidance and love it. This has helped me so much. My bedroom project is done and the best way for me to describe it is I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest.
I have an issue with my closet though… I can’t seem to get that started. In the past I have gone through it and rotten rid of a ton but it never seems to stick. I know I would feel so much better in that space if I could find a way to maintain that area. Every time I walk in there I get that dull dragged down feeling.
Feeling stuck…
Hi Melissa,
So glad you reached out and that you have been using the ebook and finding it helpful! Nice work on getting your bedroom complete! Yay and enjoy!
As for your closet…. closets are usually connected to our personal sense of self expression. I am wondering about how self expression is showing up in other parts of your life? Are you feeling stuck in these areas as well? How is the closet a metaphor or manifestation of these areas? Go gently and try to be curious about the closet rather then overly annoyed or frustrated by it. There may be an important message in your resistance to start or the cycle of it returning to a state that feels dull.
Hope this helps and please check back and let me know how it goes.
Warmly,
Rebecca
Thanks Rebecca,
That is so insightful. I have been struggling with finding ways to express myself . Funny I am very ‘clear’ in what I want inside now but it has been hard communicating that to the people working for me 😉
Yesterday I started looking at that space differently. Clothes that I had paid quite a bit for, where never worn and still had tags on them. I had a dialog with myself and said, “These are not increasing in value by keeping them around longer.” So into a ‘go’ pile they went.
I still have quite a lot of work to do but it is happening 😉 I have tried other methods before and it never stuck for me. Since my work is based on emotional healing this all makes total sense to me. AND something clicked for me here. I am excited to see it all fit together. Thanks again!
Fabulous Melissa! So happy things are clicking for you!
Keep it up!
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