Spring Cleaning

the west - 西洋の

empty out - 空にする

get rid of - 取り除く

every nook and cranny - 隅々まで

throw away - ゴミに捨てる

take ～ to the next level - 次の段階に進む

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In Japan, I often hear about people doing “大掃除” around the end of the year. In the west, there is something called “spring cleaning”. This is where you empty out your closets, and get rid of all the things that you don’t need anymore. Also, you move the furniture around and clean every nook and cranny of the house.

It’s called “spring cleaning” because it’s usually done in the spring in countries that have cold winters. When the spring comes we can finally open the windows and let the fresh air in. So it’s a good time to throw things away, clean everything, and feel refreshed.

Recently the idea of “minimalism” is becoming popular. This is where people take “spring cleaning” to the next level, and get rid of almost everything they own. I like this idea, but it’s difficult to do it.

I’ve been doing some spring cleaning, and I realized I have too many neckties! I threw away about half of them. Even still, I have 16 neckties! Some of them were dry-cleaned, and are still in plastic wrapping. I just paid money to have them cleaned… How can I throw them away? That’s crazy!

Or perhaps it is crazy to have 16 neckties when there are only 7 days in a week… and I don’t even have to wear a necktie anymore! What do you think? Am I crazy? Should I take spring cleaning to the next level, and throw away these neckties wrapped in plastic?