Shaking the House

Illustration by Tahra Morton

May is here and the world’s your oyster. It’s that time of year when we’ve shrugged off any shreds of wintery gloom and life’s throwing up as many dazzling possibilities as there are shades of green in the parks, gardens and countryside.

Can you tell that this is “my season”? I absolutely love it. It’s my favourite time of year for so many reasons; the change in light, the noticeably longer days, the softening of the breeze in the evening, the extension of time within each day to fit things in and the increasingly tantalising promise of summer. Sunshine, hydrangeas, weddings, beach trips, floral dresses and floaty skirts (or cool linen trousers and airy shorts if you’re a guy!). My whole lifestyle changes after a positive week of sunshine and comfortable temperatures to include more outdoor exercise and activity, lighter eating habits of barbeques, exotic salads, iced drinks and sorbets.

For me, this is the time to spring clean, an event steeped in history and mystery. The practice of spring cleaning has been linked to; the Passover, the Iranian Norouz, the Eastern Orthodox Church and some humorous reports even suggest that all epic conquerors like Genghis Khan and Tamburlaine the Great set out on their great waves of conquest in springtime to avoid spring cleaning the mess and mayhem their hordes caused during the cold dark months prior!

In the past when straw tick mattresses were the norm, spring was the time for bed maintenance. Mattresses were refilled with fresh dry hay and houses were opened up for a good airing. In the brighter and drier days of spring, washing and cleaning would be easier as all the dust and grime that accumulated over the winter becomes visible and curtains, bed linen and rugs could be hung out to dry. In Iran, there’s a term for it – “khooneh tekouni” which literally means “shaking the house”.

The holistic approach is one I often take in life and with spring cleaning, it’s no exception. I find myself clearing out my wardrobe, medicine cabinet, shed etc. It’s even a great opportunity to assess the state of the old fitness equipment that’s lurking about in the dark recesses! Have those trainers seen better days? The general rule is that if they’re over a year old get a new pair. Does the stationary bike still work? Even when you’ve taken all the junk off it?! Skipping ropes, dumbbells, yoga mats are all made to last forever so could still be great tools to add to your fitness regime – you know, the regime you included in your new years resolutions four months ago?

You’re beginning to see how wonderful spring cleaning is I can tell – it also clears away all the cobwebs that have clouded your motivation to be healthier and fitter in 2009. I know that formal exercise isn’t for everyone but activity most certainly is. We’re active, moving, beings and our bodies need to be mobile in order to perform all the activities we want to do. This boils down to a common aim for so many of us – we want to be able to do all the things we love; gardening, sailing, home decorating, outdoor cycling with the kids etc.

Hopefully this will inspire you to have a good spring clear out and perhaps even prompt you to shake out a swimsuit or polish up pedometer as you launch into your next fitness phase.