Spring Cleaning — And the Mess We Carry Inside

Spring Cleaning — And the Mess We Carry Inside

There’s something about spring that stirs us to clean. Maybe it’s the longer days, the fresh air, or just the realization that somehow, over the winter months, we accumulated more dust, clutter, and forgotten piles than we meant to. Spring cleaning is that annual ritual of flinging open the windows, rolling up our sleeves, and facing the hidden mess we’ve been avoiding. It’s a physical act, yes—but if we let it, it can also become something deeper: a metaphor for cleaning out the neglected corners of our lives.

Because truthfully? Most of us have more than just junk drawers or cluttered closets. We carry old hurts we've tucked away and bad habits we "meant to deal with later." We harbor guilt, resentment, regret—the emotional equivalent of cobwebs in the attic. Left unchecked, these things pile up quietly. They take up mental space, weigh us down, and make it harder to move freely into the life we actually want to live.

Spring cleaning invites us to do more than just scrub baseboards or purge the garage. It invites us to ask hard but important questions. What have I been holding onto that no longer serves me? What "stuff" am I allowing to take up space that could be filled with something life-giving instead? What bitterness, what old story about myself, what fear, what expectation—is ready to be released?

Sometimes the things we need to clean out aren’t physical at all. Sometimes it's the way we keep replaying that mistake from five years ago. Sometimes it’s the fear of failing that keeps us clinging to comfort zones instead of stepping into new opportunities. Sometimes it’s the voice inside that says, "You're not good enough," that needs to be thrown out with the trash.

Real spring cleaning isn’t just about making your living room look like a magazine cover. It’s about letting go of what’s weighing you down so that you can step lighter into the next chapter of your life. It’s about creating breathing room for new beginnings, for hope, for joy, and for growth.

And here’s the best part: you don’t have to tackle it all at once. Maybe today you sort out a closet. Maybe tomorrow you forgive yourself for something you’ve been punishing yourself for too long. Maybe this week you throw out the jeans that no longer fit—and the expectations that no longer fit the person you’re becoming. Maybe you dust off a dream you packed away long ago and place it back where you can see it every day.

Spring is about renewal. Resurrection. Starting over. You are allowed to clear out the old to make space for the new. You are allowed to release what no longer fits. You are allowed to create a life that feels open, fresh, and free.

So roll up your sleeves. Tackle the mess—outside and inside. And as you wipe away the dust, remember: You’re not just cleaning a house. You’re creating a life.