Start the New Year Fresh & Clean

I’ve learned a lot living and traveling the world. One tradition I’ve adopted as my own is to give my living space a thorough New Year cleaning & decluttering. It feels great to start the new year fresh & clean.

In many Asian cultures, a deep cleaning of the house before New Year’s Day is standard practice.

In Japan, it’s believed that a Shinto god enters the house at New Year’s, so the space has to be worthy of this blessed visit.

Although the Chinese celebrate New Year’s a month later, they too give their house a thorough cleaning. This not only makes room for the new but sweeps away any lingering bad luck to welcome good luck.

I confess. I’m not as fussy about cleaningas I used to be . I got used to the weekly visits from the janitorial staff in my Vienna student residence. But I love de-cluttering.

From a universal spirituality point of view, the Universe abhors a vacuum. So if you create space, it’ll fill it with what’s aligned with your Highest Good. This is true in all areas of your life, from relationships to the shoes in your closet.

Having lived overseas for years with only the contents of a couple of suitcases, I’m a big fan of de-cluttering and simple living (see previous post).

It feels great to make space – to give, sell, or throw away what no longer serves you. What better time to do this than before the start of a new year.

Here’s some of the things I enjoy doing at this time of year. Please add your ideas in the comments below. 

• Apart from buying fresh fruits & veggies, I use up the foods that are in my cupboards, fridge, and freezer. This game is great for the wallet and stimulates creativity in the kitchen.  More importantly, it keeps food from going bad if it sits there for years at a time.
• I give my wardrobe a thorough go-through. It’s time to get rid of those socks and underwear that won’t stay up and sweaters I haven’t worn in years.
• I’m pretty good at organizing my receipts year-round for tax time, but there’s always lots of paperwork I can recycle at the end of the year. If I haven’t looked at those webinar notes again, I probably won’t ever need them.
• I re-evaluate my decorations – change the calendar, make a new vision board, assess whether my knick-knacks and sacred objects still brings me joy, etc.
• I give my studio a thorough cleaning, which reminds me of my inventory and stimulates ideas.
• I clean up my computer desktop and organize my folders.

Since I rent space from my housemate, none of the furniture is mine. In the past, I’d also go through my home to see if I could literally make space by letting go of items I didn’t use or want – from dishes to furniture.

I know what it’s like to pay for moving trucks that charge by weight. So I’ve gotten good at letting go. Non-attachment is freeing.

If someone gave you a gift you don’t like or use, re-give it or sell it. Why hang on to something to please others when it clutters your life in more ways then one?

It’s not a gift if you feel obliged to keep it even if you cringe every time you look at it. It’s also not good feng shui to hold onto energy from a chapter in your life you’re ready to move past (e.g. wedding gifts after a divorce).

Let’s start the new year fresh & clean.

If you turn it into a game, you’ll learn to love this New Year ritual.

2017 is a new chapter – a clean slate. May it be a great one for us both!

P.S.  If you’re looking for new artwork that’s energetically aligned with the vibration you’re aiming for in 2017, consider one of my original paintings OR painting prints