It’s easy for clothes, dishes, and toys to pile up, making anyone’s house a mess; however, since it has recently become spring, one can have a reason to tidy up: spring cleaning.  Although, what is spring cleaning?  What does it include?

The tradition of spring cleaning dates back to 3,000 years ago when, in Persian culture, people participated in a celebration called khaneh tekani, which means “shaking the house.”  In the tradition, people believed that cleaning up, which included sweeping the floor of dust and decluttering, would prevent bad things from happening in the future.

Spring cleaning could also have developed from biological reasons.  During the winter, our bodies produce more melatonin, making us sleepy; however, as spring begins, humans have less melatonin and receive more energy from the sun, making us more awake.  People can put this newfound energy toward more tedious tasks like cleaning.

Cleaning one’s space produces more than just an aesthetic room.  Spring cleaning provides the perfect opportunity for someone to clear their head.  As Lailah Gifty Akita, an inspirational writer from Ghana, once said in her book titled Think Great: Be Great!, “When your environment is clean, you feel happy, motivated, and healthy.”  People can think more clearly when the area around them is neat.  One can use the clear space as an analogy for their brain, making room for more ideas and productivity.

Freshman Cate Frew agrees with Akita’s statement about keeping a tidy space.  

“Cleaning your space gives you a chance to clean your mind,” Cate said.

Likewise, many other people participate in spring cleaning, including 84.2 percent of polled St. Joe students.  For many, spring cleaning includes cleaning/organizing bedrooms, lockers, bathrooms, and closets, dusting, vacuuming, washing windows, donating clothes, and even buying new clothes.

Sophomore Sarah Schoemehl likes participating in spring cleaning.

“Spring cleaning is a great way to get reorganized and declutter!” Sarah said.

However, some believe spring cleaning has little purpose because it has nothing to do with spring.

Sophomore Riley Lydon prefers to avoid participating in spring cleaning.

“Spring cleaning is honestly pointless because you can clean any time of year,” Riley said.

Overall, spring cleaning can offer an excellent opportunity to tidy up one’s space.  Doing so does more than clean one’s space; it also clears one’s life.  However, one does not have to wait for spring to tidy up.  One can clean at any time of the year.  Therefore, if your room is a mess, try cleaning it up.  You never know what could come from it.