By decluttering and deep-cleaning, you remove stagnant energy and make room for positive chi (energy) to flow freely throughout your home. According to Feng Shui, a clutter-free, clean space enhances your well-being and attracts good fortune for the year ahead. How to spring clean for Chinese New Year: A step-by-step guide 1. Declutter with purpose House cleaning for Chinese New Year is an important tradition. People clean their homes to sweep away bad luck and negativity from the past year, making space for a fresh start. The word ‘dust’ in Chinese is a homophone for ‘old’, so cleaning is seen as a way to get rid of the old and make room for new blessings. Chinese New Year (CNY) in 2025 falls on Wednesday, January 29. Traditionally, spring cleaning is performed before the New Year to sweep away bad luck and make room for good fortune. It’s customary to complete this cleaning before New Year’s Eve, which is Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Dos: Cleaning the house tends to be done before the Chinese New Year arrives. However, keep in mind that when you sweep the floor, sweep things inward and take them out through the back door. However, keep in mind that when you sweep the floor, sweep things inward and take them out through the back door. Since Chinese New Year begins with a large reunion meal (tuan nian fan) to gather family at home the night before, it is traditional to start the year off with a clean house. Similar to many Chinese traditions, the act of cleaning is also based on a play on words, where there are similarities between the mandarin word for “dust” and “old”. Cleaning the house is a long-observed Chinese New Year tradition. The ground, the walls, and every corner of the house need to be cleaned. In Chinese, “Dust” is a homophone for the word “Chen", meaning the old. Therefore a year-end cleaning is needed to drive the old things or the bad luck away from the house, and get ready for a new start. From cleaning the surroundings to washing various appliances, disassembling and washing curtains and bedding, wiping windows and washing the floor, and dusting, every family will clean their homes to welcome the arrival of the Lunar New Year. As the Chinese characters “chen” [尘 ] and “chen” [陈] – meaning ‘dust’ and ‘old 2025 Spring cleaning checklist, auspicious dates, and detailed guides to help you in prepping for your spring cleaning before Chinese New Year to invite brand new positive energy and send away all the negative energy. The Chinese typically practice spring cleaning before the Lunar New Year (For 2024, you should spring clean before 10 Feburary 2024 – based on the Gregorian Calendar). It is already good to select a date that does not clash with any of your family members’ Chinese Zodiac. Clean up to prepare for the new year. E ach year is seen as a fresh, new beginning, so starting it off with a clean house is important. “It is believed that house cleaning should be done before However, cleaning the house before Chinese New Year is important for another reason —- getting rid of bad luck. Make sure to do a full sweep, and clear out all the unfortunate things that have happened in the past year, leaving your house open to good fortune once the celebrations begin. Chinese tradition and superstition dictate that homes be clean before the start of the new year, ridding the house of the bad luck and misfortune of the past, and opening up spaces for all the new, good luck to enter and infuse your life. Jan. 22 or 23, 2025: Little Year. The Little Year (小年 / xiǎo nián) marks the beginning to do preparation for Lunar New Year. From this day, people begin to prepare goods, clean house, pray to the stove god, etc. Post-New Year cleaning holds great significance as it allows us to start the year with a fresh and clean slate. In many cultures, including Chinese culture, cleaning the house after New Year's Day is an important tradition rooted in cultural beliefs. Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, has officially arrived. The starting day of this event changes with the Moon cycle and, this year, the 15-day-long The Chinese word for “book” (shū) sounds exactly the same as the word for “lose” – so buying a book right after ringing in the New Year is considered an invitation for bad luck. One folk song sings, "23rd day to farewell the God of Stove, 24th day to clean the house, 25th day to make tofu, 26th day to kill pig, 27th day to kill chicken, 28th day to make rice cake, 29th day to fry fat meat to preserve lard, 30th day to wait for new year". Cleaning before Chinese New Year has deep roots in ancient rituals, with practices documented as far back as 241 B.C.. The linguistic link between the word for dust and the concept of old age underscores the cultural belief in clearing away the past to invite good fortune. One of the biggest Lunar New Year traditions in China — besides the red envelopes and parades — is the house-cleaning ritual, known as da sao chu.Days before the new year, families undertake a Chinese new Year Cleaning. Clean the house BEFORE Chinese New Year—not on Chinese New Year’s Day. It’s time to clean out all the bad juju from the past year and start off with a clean slate. That means a DEEP CLEAN. Dusting is very important. Get rid of all the cobwebs and crust of the previous year that might hold you back in the year ahead!
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