Shaking the House and Burning the Devil; Simplifying Spring Cleaning
By: Karen Pfeiffer Bush, CEO
Spring cleaning is an age-old tradition worldwide. Modern Americans are not unique in the practice of airing out their homes and scouring and scrubbing the nooks and crannies neglected over Winter. Our Spring-cleaning is typically a practical effort rather than the ritual and spiritual tradition celebrated in many cultures.
Many Chinese people mark the New Year—the symbolic end of Winter with a cleaning ritual. Their homes are refreshed with a deep clean prior to the first day of the Lunar New Year. Not only is it an exercise in cleaning the physical environment but it’s also a symbolic and spiritual practice to eliminate the old and tired to make room for the new and fresh. It has as much to do with clearing as it does with cleaning.
In Iranian culture, there’s a tradition called khaneh takani, translated as “shaking the house.” For two weeks, the entire family works together to clean and clear the home in preparation for the emergence of Spring, a time of regeneration.
Some Guatemalans partake in a tradition which has much in common with our Spring cleaning, with an interesting twist. It’s called quama del diablo, “burning the devil.” They believe the devil resides in the dust and dirt, in corners and in closets. He is energized by garbage, junk and unused household items. Garbage is swept outside into a huge pile, sometimes shared by an entire town. A papier-mache Satan is placed on top of the heap. In grand form, the pile is set ablaze, burning the devil in effigy. While the environmental ramifications of this practice are suspect, the clearing of dirt and debris from the home is believed to purify the space, soul and spirit.
The above excerpt was taken from The Imperfect Perfectionist, Seasonal Secrets for a Happy Balanced Life by Michelle Babb, Wendy Lomme, Karen Pfeiffer Bush and Chieko Watanabe.
So, how do we clean and clear our homes in Spring without having to convince family to shake the house for two straight weeks or rally neighbors to torch our unused household items? The key is to work geographically and not try to tackle our entire home in one work session. Block out time over the course of a month—maybe three or four work sessions around two or three hours each. Start in a space that will have the greatest impact—maybe your kitchen or your bedroom. When your efforts make a difference in a high impact space, you will be motivated to keep going. Tackle each space by working geographically throughout it. Pick a corner, sorting, clearing and cleaning—shelf by shelf—drawer by drawer– until you gradually make your way through the whole room. Don’t move on to other areas until each section of a room and eventually the entire room is complete. Celebrate as you make your way through each room by allowing yourself to feel the peace that can come in a clear, clean, rejuvenated space. Happy Spring!