The Clean Slate

It’s spring cleaning time! I can’t spend a lot of time outside in the garden yet because the pollen is killing me (I saw a report that you recently could see the pollen in Maryland from space! Even if that’s hyperbole, it still feels that heavy), so I am focusing on indoor spring tasks at the moment. I have a college counseling guide that I am rewriting and updating, and a novel I’m working on, but the HOUSE! There. is. so. much. stuff. I have to clean some stuff out in order to focus at all.

Spring cleaning is such a strange phenomenon. I went through the whole winter, all cozied up and barely noticed the extra junk. Then it’s like the sun comes out and shines a light on the piles. I suddenly stare at my closet and despise all my clothes (they don’t fit well anyway). It’s time to donate! I analyze my shoes and wonder why I have so many heels when I haven’t worn a single pair of them since breaking both of my feet 2.5 years ago. They hurt too bad. Someone should get better use of these things! I made a trifle for Easter JUST SO my husband wouldn’t be able to say, “We’ve had that trifle bowl since we got married and you haven’t used it more than twice.” To be honest, I still don’t want to get rid of that bowl. The trifle was delicious.

But I’ve got to purge some stuff. It’s so gratifying to have bags upon bags of stuff to set out in the driveway for Purple Heart. Afterwards, I look around and the house doesn’t really look much different, but I know there is now less stuff. Less junk. Less things that don’t fit, don’t look good, aren’t useful.

I’m even trying to spring clean myself, sort of. That’s hot water with lemon in that mug you see. More than a New Year’s resolution, I find I get pumped in the spring to eat healthier and exercise more. Maybe it’s the sunshine and the availability of fresh things starting to pop up in my yard. I start dreaming of summer berries and my grape tomatoes. Now if the pollen will kindly subside, I can make my way outside to plant and cultivate those things. Until then, I’ll be working on those closets so that I can clear things out and focus on fnishing my books.

Enjoy your spring cleaning!