Happy Chinese New Year everyone! This year we’re celebrating the Year of the Rabbit.

To celebrate the lunar new year, let’s talk about the Chinese tradition of 扫年 (sǎo nián), which literally translates to “sweeping away the year”.

This tradition goes beyond just cleaning your home, and extends to repairing or discarding broken items, finishing home projects, and decluttering your space.

According to Chinese superstition, good luck doesn’t like mess and clutter, so it’s important to rid your home of the bad luck and misfortune of the past and open up spaces for all the new energy and good luck to enter and infuse your life.

I’ve shared the intention of this tradition with many people, and the feedback I’ve received has been incredibly positive. People have found it cathartic to declutter their homes and feel a sense of accomplishment before the big celebrations.

Whether you believe in superstition or not, this ritual is a great way to start a new year with a clean home and a renewed sense of hope for the future.

1. Prepare yourself for a deep clean

Clearing your home of bad energy is no easy feat and you should prepare yourself for a thorough cleaning. Remember, this is not the time to cut corners.

Give yourself plenty of time to complete your cleaning, and you’ll be rewarded with a sense of peace and accomplishment that will last until the next Lunar New Year.

Before you begin, take a few moments to think about what you’d like to accomplish during the upcoming year. Make this cleaning session a meditation, and set your intentions for the new year.

Bonus Tip: Pay extra attention to ensure airflow entry and exit points are ready for receiving the new year energy.

2. Declutter as much as possible

Go through your closets, cabinets, and drawers, and remove anything that doesn’t spark joy. Declutter items that are old, broken, or no longer used. Consider donating items that are still in good condition.

Here are the items to declutter out for in every room:

Bathroom – old sunscreen, cosmetics, lotions, cleaners, old toothbrushes, plastic and glass bottles, bottles of lotions, shampoo and liquid soap, old drugs and creams.

Home Office – dried markers and pens, old and too-short pencils, last year’s calendars, tags with the old address, useless business cards, old batteries, electronics that do not work, dead house plants, junk mail.

Kitchen – old sponges, towels, rags, rubber bands, waste clips, old plastic cups, bowls, plastic containers without lids, pans that you don’t use, coffee mugs you dislike, old glasses, forgotten freezer food, expired medicines, napkins, straws, small packages with ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, all broken items and appliances, magnets on your fridge you do not need.

Closets – clothing and accessories with holes, not repairable or just simply old, worn shoes, worn underwear, single socks, gloves and mittens, – all used clothing from your closets that nobody wears.

Storage – packaging, flexible wire, empty boxes, old paint, which no one uses, old Disney videos, old computer programs for kids.

3. Clean beyond your home

Cleaning for Chinese New Year isn’t just about tidying up your home — it’s also about resetting any of the spaces you inhabit and releasing stagnant energy and bad luck.

That’s why it’s important to not only clean and clear your home, but also any storage areas, garages, sheds, and vehicles. You never know where negative energy might be lurking, so it’s important to take the time to do a thorough cleaning of all your spaces.

By taking the time to clean and clear your home and all related areas, you will be able to fully release any negative energy and start fresh. With the right tools and a little bit of elbow grease, you’ll be able to turn your space into a sanctuary of positive energy.

Finally, do not clean on the day of Chinese New Year because you can sweep out any good luck that found a place in your home.

If you haven’t had a chance to declutter before the big day, no problem. Celebrate Chinese New Year with your loved ones and pick up your cleaning tomorrow.

Overall, cleaning and decluttering your home for Chinese New Year is a great way to usher in the new year with positive energy and good luck. By taking the time to clean and release old energy, you will be able to set the stage for a healthy, prosperous new year.

Don’t know where to start? Start here: 10 Best Organizing Blogs of 2022

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MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US FOR MORE GOOD IDEAS

Instagram | Facebook | Little Red Book | Wechat

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

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PIN IT FOR LATER ↓