We’ve been cleaning mirrors and I’ve been looking at my windows. As soon as the last threat of winter snows fades away I’ll be looking to get them cleaned.

The sun is shining and the temps are rising. I’m sincerely excited to be headed outside to write and enjoy the beautiful Spring weather while I take in a little extra vitamin D. The prospect delights me and my SacredPulse feels Spring just as much as the Earthly rhythm is manifesting. It feels so amazing.

I sat down to write and my computer popped up saying I was almost out of storage. After a little reconnaissance, I found my email was in desperate need of cleaning.

In general, I am not a hoarder. On the contrary, I like to clean things out and get rid of stuff that doesn’t serve much of a purpose. Yes, there are things I leave around the house or just seem to hang about and I, for one reason or another, can’t let go of. This can, on occasion, lead to a bit of clutter on horizontal surfaces which needs a regular touch-up and check-in.

My email is a different story.

A warning here – if you can’t handle more than a few emails in your inbox, you may want to skip ahead a few paragraphs 😉

When my laptop told me I had storage issues it also told me where most of it was tied up. The list includes photos, videos, my google drive documents, and…emails. Would you believe…my emails were taking up half of my offered storage. *Insert audible gasp here.

I had over 900 emails. I know, I know. But before you pass out, just know that I have emails from multiple addresses sent to one main one so it’s easier for me to check everything. Which may, or may not, make you feel any better.

I keep emails for several different reasons. A funny story. A sweet thank you from a friend. Pictures of family, friends, and special moments. Videos of loved ones. So very many positive uplifting emails which bring joy to my heart and a smile to my face.

And then there are the emails I keep for documentation. Health stuff. Construction and remodeling notes. Business interactions. You name it… I keep it until I absolutely know I won’t need it.

When I saw the breakdown of memory storage and realized my email was a weighty part of it, I decided it was time to clean things out. I spent a morning cleaning up, classifying things, reorganizing stuff, and the stuff I deleted? Oh. My. Gosh.

There was a time it all needed to be saved. A time I needed to know it was available. It was an insurance policy so to speak.

As I reconnected with those challenging points in my life and tapped into the pain I knew it was finally time to let it all go.

I began deleting. I stopped opening the emails and just removed them. There was no benefit in opening and reading each one. Why pick at the scar? If I wanted to heal completely I needed to acknowledge them for what they represented and honestly move on. They were from so many different people about so many different things. I fully understand why I needed to keep them at the time. Why I needed to keep the wound slightly open. Now? There simply is no reason. You know the ones I’m talking about.

So I deleted. And deleted. I found myself back 10 years and I was still deleting. In 2 hours I deleted over 400 emails and could not believe the weight I felt lifted from my shoulders.

Can you imagine?! Over a decade of documentation?!

The idea seems absolutely nuts and yet we do it all the time. It’s not just in email.

Every time I opened my email I recognized the sheer number of them was ridiculous. And somewhere in my brain, I knew there was heavy weight just lurking in that dark, “unseen” corner. This means every time I opened my email some part of me acknowledged the painful past. Some part of me felt it and pulled away from the idea of revisiting to clean it out.

The weight and burdens we carry.

In the interest of “Spring Cleaning,” my husband and I have begun deep cleaning and reorganizing. We set aside a little time each week and dive into reorganizing a different area of the house. We do it together. Side by side. Sometimes it’s a simple ten-minute tidy that takes moments to feel substantial progress. Other times we dive deep and find ourselves totally cleaning out every cabinet and recreating a space.

Every space we work on just feels lighter and more open. We both feel better and more relaxed because those little things we’ve been meaning to get to are finally taken care of. And due to eliminating excess stuff, we’re better able to connect. Fewer distractions are holding us back.

Is there an area you could use some cleaning?

It’s more than just mirrors and windows.

Take stock and see where you can let go of some old crap and find some new sunshine. It may be hidden in a hard drive or perhaps it’s in plain sight. Either way? I promise you’ll be even more excited for the wonderful new world this Spring will bring.