Taking holidays means something very different in times of a pandemic.
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There are no overseas adventures, not even trips to the next state, and no plans to go to a concert or theatre production.
At the height of the pandemic there are even restrictions about how far from home you can travel - a situation currently being experienced by our southern neighbours in Victoria, and by the entire country earlier this year.
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Reading a good book or two, and watching the latest movies offered through a variety of subscription networks such as Netflix and Stan are a new priority on holiday schedules.
These were some suggestions from friends when they learned I was going on leave. Some even offered movie and book suggestions. I will eventually take up those suggestions.
But believe it or not I found another way to spend my recent annual leave.
I did a Spring clean. Yes it is a little early, with Spring not quite here, but it was a way of whiling away my holiday hours and proved to be just the break I needed from the normal work day.
In fact, my holiday Spring cleaning was actually cathartic.
It was as if I was removing the negative - old clothes, chaotic pantries, messy tupperware cupboards, dust bunnies and more. They have been removed from the environment where I now spend most of my time - my home.
There is still more to do, by the way, but the process has begun. Just like Spring, this Marie Kondo-style cleaning process has been a step towards new beginnings - a new level of organisation and even a more co-ordinated and easy-to-function environment.
One thing I noted on this cleaning spree was that there was much that had been stored away in cupboards that I had forgotten even existed. It was during those discoveries that I became tough on my potential to hoard. I reminded myself that if I had not thought about it then it was probably no longer of value to me. I have become ruthless in removing that forgotten clutter.
I have also learned during this process that a good clean up can be as good as a holiday. I feel refreshed. However, I still look forward to the time when my holidays can be spent travelling further than the nearest department store to buy more storage containers.
