Spring cleaning

Spring cleaning, in Western culture, is the custom of giving one's dwelling a thorough cleaning after the cold weather has passed. The tradition may have its roots in ancient religious rituals, and may have been adopted for practical reasons for persons living in cold climates.

Today, spring cleaning has been associated with a renewal of the life cycle visibly evident in springtime, and also with the symbolic renewal of life for the Christian holiday of Easter, which takes place in the spring in the northern hemisphere.

Another common usage of the phrase is to describe any large cleanup or organisational effort as a spring clean.