Spring Cleaning

Today I looked at my room and realised that I couldn’t actually see my carpet.

It was covered with the contents of what seemed like my life. Spread out over a small area. Due to a few school events for the past couple of nights and essays and coursework and organising stuff for our school magazine, I haven’t had the time to sleep, let alone tidy my room. However, seeing as I had nothing (well, I did have some homework) to do on this Saturday, I figured some spring-cleaning was needed.

So it begun. And I was amazed with the amount of stuff I seemed to have kept over a small period of time. I came to the unwanted conclusion that I’m one of those “hoarder” people; people who I physically can’t stand.( Ironic when you consider that I discovered an “S Club 7” band annual among some papers – a band who I haven’t listened to in years – an item I clearly “hoarded” for a particularly depressing day when I decided to relive a childhood dancing to “reach for the stars.” But I digress.)

As I emptied a wardrobe that had become dangerous to open, folded clothes that had been flung on the floor and threw out more pieces of paper then any person needs in a lifetime, I discovered that I was able to work on auto-pilot for most of the day. The mechanical, methodical processes of throwing out the old, finding places for the new was almost soothing. Watching my room transform from a nuclear bomb site to a tidy, clean, organised place was calming.

And call me crazy, but for me at least throwing stuff out, making room, organising. It all makes me cheerful. Really. Nothing makes me happier than sitting down for an hour and organising my files. It’s the soothing process of putting things where they belong. Of knowing where something is once you’ve put it away. It’s healing, when you’re not even certain what needed to be healed.

I wouldn’t say I enjoyed tidying my room, but I can certainly admit that five hours, 1 bin bag and 2 stacks of books later - I was happier. I could finally see my carpet. My bed had been vacuumed with freshly laundered sheets. Everywhere had been dusted. It was comforting to know that it had been done. That lots of things had been thrown out. Space had been created.

It was relaxing to work on a task that required little brain power. A change from what I’m usually doing. I was able to switch off and work. A technique I’ve yet to master fully. I seem to be constantly thinking of seven things at once while attempting to complete three tasks. But spring cleaning managed to relax me. At least for a little while.

And now I sleep.