The end of 15 days of celebration for the Chinese New Year is just around the corner. The Chinese New Year, one of the most important traditional holidays, is celebrated around the world.
The celebrations may vary depending on the country or family tradition.
The reunion of family members is the most significant custom during the Chinese New Year.
Many Chinese people will travel long distances to be with their families during the holiday.
Chinese New Year’s Eve is the most important day for families to get together for a reunion dinner and give red envelopes filled with money to children, as a symbol of good luck and prosperity for the new year.
This year, we reunited with our dear mum whom we had not seen in person since the end of 2019.
The Chinese culture has a history dating back thousands of years. It is complex and multifaceted, shaped by a long and rich history. One of the most important aspects of Chinese culture is its emphasis on tradition and family.
It continues evolving and adapting to the modern world while maintaining its traditional roots.
The year of the rabbit has the prediction of happy relationships and babies during this year. It is a legit prediction if you think of a rabbit, what do you think? It is the most lively celebration since the Covid Pandemic where many could not reunite with family.
In my family, we have a tradition of cleaning up the house before the New Year and decorating the house with red lanterns, banners, and couplets, which are written in gold or black ink on red paper.
The colour red is believed to be a symbol of good luck and is often used to ward off evil spirits.
It involves thoroughly cleaning and decluttering the home before the New Year to symbolically sweep away any bad luck or negative energy from the previous year.
It is believed to make room for good luck and positive energy to enter the home in the new year.
This tradition is also a time for families to come together, tidy up the house, and prepare for the new year celebrations.
I took the opportunity to declutter the house in the last few weeks before the first day. As much as people said I was being superstitious, I thought it was a good way of welcoming the new year especially if you didn’t have time during the year to do a deep clean in the house.
I feel good about donating, to gift and re-arrange the house ready for the celebration or just the decluttering process.
While we hear about decluttering and minimalism, they are not the same.
Decluttering refers to a process of getting rid of excess or unnecessary items in a space when minimalism is a lifestyle or philosophy that embraces simplicity, intentional living, and a focus on what is truly important.
Decluttering can be a part of embracing minimalism, but it is not the same.
Minimalism is a mindset and a way of approaching possessions while decluttering is a specific action or task. Read the previous hack to minimalism blog on A Busy Mum’s hacks to minimalism.
Before having my little one, I used to declutter my space every season, either by putting it away, donating items or binning them. I understand that not all families can practise this and it gets harder with family who has more than one child.
Decluttering is a process so it can take time. Be patient and don’t get discouraged if it takes longer than you expect. The important thing is to start even it is a small step and make progress.
Here are some steps you can take to start decluttering your house:
1. Set a goal.
Decide what you want to accomplish by decluttering and setting a clear goal for yourself. This can help you stay motivated and focused as you work.
2. Make a Plan and limit the time.
Decide which areas of your home you want to tackle first and plan out a schedule for tackling each space. It’s a good idea to start with the areas that are most cluttered or that cause you the most stress. Limiting the time of decluttering will make you work through faster.
3. Gather supplies while checking your stocks.
Collect boxes, bags, and other containers that you’ll need to sort and store your belongings. Before you can re-organise you need to check your stocks: check the expiry dates for foods, and check the clothes size. Then you can gauge if require additional storage or just need to reduce the stocks.
4. Be savage when going through your item.
Go through each item in the space you’re decluttering, and sort them into piles based on whether you’re keeping, donating, or throwing them away. You have to be savage when you get artwork from school each week, especially for the repetitive work. Keep one or take photos before throwing them away.
5. Take action.
Once you’ve sorted through your items, take action on each pile. Put things you’re keeping away in their proper place, bag up items for donation, and dispose of anything that needs to be thrown away. You need to dedicate a day without interruption to start and do the work.
6. Repeat.
Repeat the process for each area of your home that you want to declutter. It’s a good idea to set aside time each day or week to work on decluttering so you can make steady progress.
7. Maintaining.
Once you finish decluttering, maintain it by regularly going through your items, getting rid of things that no longer serve you, and keeping your home organised.
Wishing you good luck in the year ahead.
May all your wishes come true.
May everything go well for you.
May your year be filled with an abundance of prosperity, smiles and laughter.
Xin Nian Kuai Le
Gong Xi Fat Chai
Happy New Year
Busymumhacks x
