This April 5th, we observe the Qingming Festival or Tomb Sweeping Festival here in China.

This traditional Chinese holiday is held to honor ancestors and ask for blessings to safeguard their souls.

In modern times, the Qingming tradition is also known as an opportunity for personal reflection and a chance to tidy up one’s life.

Over the years, it has grown into an important time of cleansing and renewal.

The word itself, Qingming translates to “clean” and “bright,” a day to celebrate the beginning of spring.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than doing a thorough spring cleaning & decluttering.

No matter the season, I am a huge advocate for cleaning out the old to make room for the new.

Decluttering, when done on a consistent basis, can help us live a more carefree and joyful life. A life filled only with the things that matter.

So let’s start with a little spring cleaning of our home lives, shall we?

The KonMari Method of Tidying

Marie Kondo, best-selling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has become a household figure due to her categorical approach to tidying.

Her KonMari Method™ is revolutionary because it changes our approach to letting go of items we no longer need, and the way we organize the things we do keep.

The key, according to this method, is to organize your things category-by-category rather than room-by-room. There are six basic rules:

1. Commit yourself to tidying up
2. Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
3. Finish discarding first.
4. Tidy by category, not location.
5. Follow the right order.
6. Ask yourself if it sparks joy.

Decluttering: the Key to Letting Go is to Have Gratitude

Decluttering is not an easy job, but it’s one that can be done with a bit of patience and a lot of love.

Rehoming some items will be easy, while others will require more thought, especially if there is an emotional attachment involved.

But no matter the item, we can find peace with it and thank it sincerely for having served us before letting it go to its new home.

Tidying by category is a better approach than tidying by location because we often store the same type of item in more than one place.

By tidying room-by-room you will end up repeating the same decluttering work in many locations without ever being able to grasp how much of the same thing you own.

Save yourself time and headaches and follow the categories below:

• Clothing
• Books
• Papers
• Komono (miscellaneous)
• sentimental items

Following the right order is also important because by starting with clothes (relatively) easy, and ending with sentimental items (challenging) you hone your decision making skills as you go.

Throughout the process you will gain a deeper understanding of this method – and of yourself, your energy and enthusiasm will increase and it will become easier to let go.

I wrote an extensive article about decluttering and included the Kon Mari method as well as my own. Make sure you give that article a read to assist you on your journey.

Deep Clean Your Home to Welcome in the New Season

A healthy home must be cleaned frequently otherwise it will start to develop dirt and grime, which can cause health problems down the road.

This means completing tasks that aren’t covered as part of your standard cleaning routine, such as cleaning kitchen appliances, removing limescale deposits and decluttering.

If you don’t have time to tackle the job alone, I can help you find the perfect company to suit your needs.

Deep Cleaning Basics

Everyone has their own priorities and the tasks required to perform a deep clean are bound to vary from one home to the next.

But while there is no one-size-fits-all checklist for spring cleaning, the list below is a great starting point.

• Cleaning of all surfaces
• Disinfection of high traffic and high touch surfaces
• Oven cleaning
• Bathroom descaling
• Vacuuming all floors and upholstery
• Mopping all hard flooring
• Inside window cleaning
• Deep oven clean – Fridge/freezer cleaning
• Carpet cleaning
• Upholstery steam cleaning
• Inside cupboards & external areas

As another spring begins I like to remember that time goes by fast. We can’t just wait for things to change, we must take action to change them.

Qingming is a great time for us to take care of some long-overdue tasks. It is also an opportunity to get serious about our organization habits, cleaning our homes, and decluttering.

If you have any questions on how to take the next step, contact me and I will help you make the beautiful home of your dreams come to life.

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You can also contact me or subscribe to my newsletter here.

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