As Lunar New Year quickly approaches, marking the end of the year, it's time to start preparing for the traditional big clean to usher in the new year. Here's a streamlined guide to make this task a breeze for everyone.
1. Declutter
Before embarking on the big clean, let's begin with decluttering, known as "斷捨離" in Chinese. This involves getting rid of unnecessary or damaged items. Follow this order for an effective decluttering process:
Clothes: Go through your closet and pick out clothes that haven’t been worn in a long time. Consider donating or giving them away. Discard any that are too worn.
Books: Review your book collection, those you no longer read or need, consider donating them to libraries or friends, or selling them.
Paperwork: Sort out and organize your documents. Discard unnecessary paperwork or archive what's important. Organize your documents for easy access in the future.
Small items and memorabilia: Finally, deal with small items, memorabilia, and miscellaneous objects. If they don’t hold significant practical or sentimental value, it might be time to let them go.
2. Clean from Top to Bottom
Start cleaning from higher areas like ceilings, light fixtures, and top shelves. This way, dust and debris will fall to the floor, making it easier to clean up afterward.
3. Inside to Outside
Begin cleaning from the inside of your home, gradually move outward, and end at the entrance. This symbolizes sweeping away bad luck and welcoming good fortune for the new year.
4. First Sweep, then Mop
Once all the trash and dust are gathered on the floor, sweep or vacuum thoroughly. Then mop or wipe the floors to ensure they are spotless and dust-free.
Embark on your end-of-year cleaning now, and get ready to welcome the new year with a clean and fresh home!
