Chapter 5 - Household items
This month I set out to do all the chores I’ve been avoiding all winter long. Naturally, I ran out of steam amidst chaos, and life got in the way, in more ways than one, so I ended up here. The 31st of March with a home that looks way more messy, than it was when I started.
See, in my home, the real meaning of spring cleaning lies, not just in cleaning the surface, but taking inventory of everything, emptying the closets, the drawers, the cabinets, and considering what no longer serves you. You might be thinking of Marie Kondo and her “discard everything if it doesn’t spark joy” schtick. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the Netflix adaptation as much as the next person, but this goes further back into the past for me.
I can trace it back to my early days on the internet, and this (other) girl with a blog, whose name I have forgotten. Not because she wasn’t memorable, but simply because it’s been well over a decade. (Sometimes I can’t remember the names of the people I currently work with… I’m sure this happens to everyone sometimes.) She was a photographer by profession but a fashion connoisseuse by hobby, and in any case, she once made this post that truly resonated with me. She talked about, how she kept things from getting out of hand, when it came to the contents of her closet and pointed out how, if you have a garment hanging in there, all four* seasons of the year have gone by, and you haven’t worn it a single time, chances are, you are never going to wear it. This obviously excludes sentimental pieces/memorabilia and pieces for special occasions that may occur less rarely than the span of a calendar year e.g. weddings.
*Insert a little bit of dark humor here; if you happen to read this in the future and you’re confused, yes before a lot of global warming we still had four seasons and not just the two we sometimes seem to have now.
And so, if much like me, you enjoy less clutter, or sometimes feel like having too many things, sucks the air out of the room, her idea should resonate with you too. I apply it to more things than just clothes and shoes, like faux bijou I’m never actually going to wear, I’m allergic, or that bulky credenza that brings more unpleasant memories rather than functionality into the space, or those water glasses that I never like to drink out of, that were just there when I inherited the house.
Chapter 6 - Spring cleaning, but for your heart
If we’ve learned anything by now, it is my ability to tie subjects together with feeling, rather than thread or logic, so here we go again. This one is inspired by the person currently holding my affections, but note to self; don’t make this post too much about them, and stay on the topic at hand, please.
Spring cleaning, not just for your home, but also for your heart. Sometimes, we carry around with us, experiences and memories of people and situations that no longer serve us, when instead we should put them in a metaphorical drawer and leave them there. It’s only good to remember just enough, to not repeat the same mistakes, we don’t need to take them with us everywhere we go.
For example, when someone has said to you “maybe” too many times, instead of “no”, whether because they didn’t have the guts to be honest with you, or they couldn’t handle confrontation, really no matter the reason, you’ve ended up hearing “no” or “never” every time someone says “maybe”. And I heard, from a reputable source, that it would actually do us some good to remember that, each time we have a new person across from us, that is a whole different person. And maybe, when this one says “maybe”, it’s actually maybe. (I have a good feeling about this one.)
It’s okay to guard your heart to some extent, but as in all situations, it’s better to not take it to extremes. It’s a hard way to live, if every time someone tells you they will do something or be something for you, you don’t at all believe them until you actually see it. Don’t get me wrong, don’t be naive either, don’t believe every promise from anyone, but let’s face it, some people are worth your trust, they’ve already proven themselves, time and time again, and some people are worth a leap of faith, trust on a loan, let them surprise you and follow up on whether their words and actions match.
Until next time! Hopefully with the deadline breathing a little less down my neck. If God and weather permit it, as Greek people like to say.
___By Vincentia Kapsi