In addition to getting rid of clutter, my spring cleaning this year has focused on dusting and polishing neglected areas. Railings, baseboards, and other such places can go a long time without much attention being paid to them, unless a person has a thorough cleaning routine that gets to them without fail, on a regular schedule. Which I’ll admit, I don’t.
 

railing 

Feng shui consultant Kathie Seedroff points out that our living spaces reflect the metaphors that govern our lives. The little things we encounter every day frame our overall experience of the world. In her ebook Hey! It’s Feng Shui Friday, she says:

Often our state of being is described in words by what’s going on in our homes, offices and lives. Take a look at these examples. If your goals feel ‘out of reach,’ look to see what is ‘out of reach’ in your home or office. Are the shelves ‘out of reach’? Are things ‘out of reach’ because they’re hidden/stored in the back of a cabinet or behind other stuff? Do you feel like you never have enough ‘time’ or are you never ‘on time’? Pay attention to the number of clocks and timepieces you have. Are they all working? Are they set at the same time or different times? Notice the words you use and find the metaphors in your spaces.

Reflecting on this advice made me notice that I had been using the metaphor ‘dust and cobwebs’ to refer to neglected areas of life in general. So I decided it would be a good idea to look around my house and see where dust and cobwebs might be lurking. By giving those neglected areas a good dusting and polishing, I can ensure that every day I see a well-cared-for house with nice shiny surfaces, thus subconsciously shifting my perspective toward seeing abundant care and nurturing in my life. This in turn leaves me feeling more cheerful and optimistic that everything will be taken care of properly. Although housework may seem like it doesn’t matter much, as time goes by all those small things we do (or don’t get around to doing) really add up and make a difference.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

10 Comments

  1. It’s so nice to dust out those cobwebs in our spaces and our minds…

  2. Oh my 😀 … that sounds so true and hits home for me! Balancing life between Louisiana and Texas is a challenge — and I really dislike housework — but this is a good impetus for me! Thank you for sharing!

  3. I am extremely good at straightening and vacuuming. Dusting, however, rarely happens. My solution? Downsizing and getting rid of a lot of tchockes. I’m going to be 65. I’m ready to let go of a lot of stuff…

    • Good for you! Being ready to let go of stuff that’s no longer needed is a big step in itself — so many people can’t bring themselves to even think about it, much less do it…

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  7. Interesting approach to nurturing Thursday … clearing our inner and outer space of the unnecessaries.

    • Hi Isadora! Yes, although unnecessary little annoyances such as dust and clutter may not seem like much, clearing them away can make a big difference!

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  9. Appreciate this post, Meg. Sounds right on.

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