Why Cleaning Has Meaning: Bringing Wellbeing Into Your Home

by Linda Thomas

Few of us enjoy cleaning: it often feels like a thankless, repetitive task which we force ourselves to do. Linda Thomas is an expert, professional cleaner who ran her own ecological cleaning company for over twenty years. In this unique book, she explores her passion for cleaning, and argues that cleaning can have a profound effect not just on the spaces we care for, but on our own wellbeing and personal development. This lively and readable book is full of anecdotes, practical examples and ecological cleaning tips from Linda's decades of cleaning experience. Ultimately she argues that if we raise our understanding of cleaning, we might even begin to enjoy it!

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2014

Reviews

[Charlee Ziegler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not for people who aren't familiar with, comprehending of, and interested in the ideas of Rudolf Steiner and the Waldorf School "world." This is, indeed, a mystical approach to cleaning. This is the only way I for one can be interested in cleaning. It really does have to take on significant meaning! The other reviewers of this book really ought to have ignored the "Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover" adage and taken the title seriously: "Why Cleaning Has Meaning." This book is about the meaning and philosophy and even emotionality/spirituality of cleaning. It will not be possible for anyone without a tendency toward deep-thinking and spiritualized activity to even tolerate this book, I suppose, let alone understand it or be able to use it. But it's a terrific gem and a life-changer, even, for people who are looking for meaning in the mundane.

[Dorcas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh. My. Goodness. This was definitely NOT what I was expecting.

I'm not someone who adores cleaning but I'm clean. Sometimes I like to watch BBCs "How clean is your house " just to motivate myself and reassure myself that "at least I'm not THAT bad!" So when I requested this book I was thinking along those lines...

what I GOT was a mystical book on cleaning, turning even toilet bowls into a religious experience. Seriously. There's sections on ridding unwanted spirit visitors, gnomes, fairies, and asking a room what it wants (and being told) . Once the author even talked to a daisy that had the shape of a round little man and was given the answer to her problem. Eeeeeeee!

BOTTOM LINE : I couldn't close this fast enough. If any book can give you the eebie jeebies this can.

Excuse me but I want to go wash my hands now.

*I received this ebook free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two words: false advertising.

Quick review for a quick read: not recommended, boring prose, falsely advertised, and I can't even believe I wasted my time with it. To be fair, I received this as an ARC because I thought the blurb was very interesting and I love productivity/home organization books. This was a no brainer for me to pick up on premise, right?

Major forewarning: this is not a productivity guide - this will not help you or give you a step by step guide for cleaning your house (as I woefully discovered after taking a break from a bout of spring cleaning in my home just minutes before reading this book). It's advertised as one, but it is not. It's more of a sociological/anthropological/spiritual examination surrounding "cleaning" as interpreted in different societies and cultures, and a personal history from the author's experience as a cleaner for so many years. This would be interesting in theory (and I was interested at first, because I love seeing such practices examined in different cultures and histories), but Linda Thomas's prose is so dry and tedious that I had a hard time going through it. It's offputing especially since the blurb gives no warning for what you're in for from this particular guide. When the author starts talking about gnomes and water spirits and the impact they have on the environment of your house, to say the least- anyone picking up a guide of this nature looking for productivity would likely run in the other direction.

I'm actually not opposed to looking at non-traditional guides that examine cleanliness from other cultural and spiritual perspectives. Even with the amount of Feng Shui books I read, I read those with an open mind and find them useful and even put some of those measures into practice. But I can honestly say I didn't find anything helpful or expansive from this text - it makes assumptions about what I know/expect and does a poor job leading the reader into Thomas's arguments. Plus, I didn't really feel this text was by any means encouraging or inspiring, it felt like one tedious toss between the author's experiences as a cleaner and a spiritual lecture/dictation with very little practicality.

Not recommended, seriously not recommended. There are other texts that are out there that tackle this subject matter and do a more brilliant job of immersing the reader and getting them excited over the subject matter as well as giving them insight. This felt out of date, out of place, and completely falsely advertised. I would not read this again.

Overall score: 0.5/5 stars

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made a strong impression on me. I think the author has a unique, deeply felt, and well-expressed perspective on cleaning.
I liked her stories from her own life--how she became a professional house cleaner in Switzerland (!) in order to pay for her children's education at a school she really wanted them to go to. What she learned from cleaning other people's houses in a respectful way, what she learned from cleaning schools.
I liked her point about how being truly interested in one's surroundings actually alters those surroundings: for oneself and also for others who come into the space.
I found what she had to say about cleaning ones own house with children- how to involve children and not be frustrated-very valuable.
I enjoyed the fairy tales and other lore she wove in.
AND the practical how-tos were very useful
I am a person who has struggled with house work, always wanting to hurry on to something more "Important'.
This book has slowed me down, made me enjoy tidying and cleaning, and given me a more peaceful and beautiful place to live. Therefore five stars!

[Lorelle Mac ~ WattleTree Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Netgalley Why Cleaning Has Meaning was listed under Home/Garden so it seemed natural to assume it would be some sort of how to book on cleaning. If you go to the publishers website Floris Books you will see its correct categories – Mind, Body, Spirit and Philosophy of Human Life.

In Why Cleaning Has Meaning the Author talks about the origin of spring cleaning and cleaning traditions in various cultures. There are references to fairy tales and the four classical elements.

As someone who is a school cleaner as well as a Reiki Master working with energy healing I found Why Cleaning Has Meaning fascinating. I found the book to really amplify the foundation principles behind the current push for decluttering your mind and space. Old emotions can sit in our energy fields creating havoc when we least expect it. I had already incorporated some energy work into my cleaning work. Since reading the book I have taken some very specific steps to clean the energy of the rooms at school. The atmosphere of these rooms has lightened and the degree of mess is much less.

Why Cleaning Has Meaning is not a light read. I would read a chapter and mull it over to connect with the messages given. It’s a book aimed towards deep or spiritual thinkers and philosophers.

Full review - http://wattletreelane.com/why-cleanin...

I received a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Sita · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone looking for spirituality in the normal everyday chores of homemaking, and for people familiar with anthroposophy this will be a valuable book that can change how one looks at maintaining the home. I guess it's not meant for anyone else, and can be bewildering.

I wish the cover were different, I think that the current one is rather misleading.

[Vicki Miles · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really regretted the very low price I aid for this book.Full of pseudo psychological babble mixed with totally weird ideas.Not for me.

[Angela Trotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting insights

I read till the last though some parts more interesting than others. Points about caring rather than just cleaning were deep.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystical approach to cleaning. Fabulous! In a few short days I transformed my living environment. Must admit I had to speed read the chapter on gnomes and fairies! ;-)

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting perspective on cleaning. As a stay-at-home mom, I found this book appealing at times. Cleaning constantly can be very demanding and often is just thankless. I have always felt keeping a clean home was important. It helps me clear my head. I find it hard to be creative or productive in a messy house.

That being said, this is a strange book. The cleaning aspect of the book was often overshadowed by her odd mystical religion. I do believe cleaning really does have a profound effect on a space and people. I do not plan on kneeling to my toilet bowl in reverence though.

The description for this book is very deceptive. It states "In this unique book, she explores her passion for cleaning, and argues that cleaning can have a profound effect not just on the spaces we care for, but on our own wellbeing and personal development." Sure this may be part of of the book.. But more often than not the book is about her spiritual experiences. Such as communicating with a room to learn its needs, talking to a daisy that looks like a fat man, having dreams that magically happen the next day.

I think the present description does the book and the readers a disservice. Many readers will be blindsided and find the book not at all what they expected (me). At the same time, others who would have enjoyed it will never pick it up. I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for my review, and I am very thankful I didn't purchase this one.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received Why Cleaning Has Meaning: Bringing Wellbeing Into Your Home from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Although I did find myself temporarily motivated to tidy and clean my house after skimming the book, there was so much extraneous information in the book that the core message was badly obscured. While parts of the book are excellent, overall I found it too long and too full of the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner (to whose philosophy I take great exception), various cultural traditions about cleaning, and containing too much information about cleaning products and tools, and specific tips on how to remove various stains. There are enough books on the market about the latter. Had the author simply cut to the chase of how to view our various rooms and think about cleaning and tidying them so that they fit our personal vision, the book would have been worthwhile. However, there are several books already on the market about cleaning as a spiritual exercise that are much more concise and much better.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good look into the life of the author, Linda Thomas and her experiences as a cleaner. This book was not at all what I expected... a book on how to bring meaning to the everyday things that we do to maintain our homes.

Instead, I found it to be a book in defense of cleaners everywhere - especially those who do have the thankless jobs cleaning public spaces that are often looked down on by society.

I felt like the author was trying very hard to convince me - almost defensively - that cleaners are important and that the act of cleaning is important... something that I never doubted for a minute.

[GONZA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite boring, I do not like cleaning my home, even if I made ​​with an almost zen point of view as the one proposed by the author, and above all I do not feel better when my house is clean, I feel better when someone else cleans my house.

Decisamente noioso, sará che io non amo le pulizie domestiche, anche se fatte nell'ottica quasi zen proposta dall'autrice e soprattutto non mi sento meglio quando casa mia é pulita, mi sento meglio quando qualcuno (che non sia io) pulisce casa mia.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND FLORIS BOOKS FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's the thing about this book: you have to be into Waldorf, Steiner, or into metaphysical thought to really like it. For someone who is looking for a standard cleaning manual, this isn't it for you. But if you would like to put some thought behind the intent of how and why you clean, and why your attitude matters, well, you may enjoy this book. I did. But, I am into all of the above. A caveat though, I pretty much skimmed the elemental section. While the rest is my bag, that still really isn't.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book would be about ecological cleaning and how that helps the environment and is healthy and things like that. Instead, it talks about "invisible beings that are connected to every room..." and that some of the "beings" help and some hinder and how removing the dust makes space for more invisible beings and helpful nature beings and the four elements their related nature spirits - and that is not really what I was expecting. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

[Short Sorceress · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of the book for review though Net Galley, as always, all opinions are my own.

This book is not at all what I was expecting based on the description of the book, it really needs to be rewritten to better reflect what the book is about. Even so, I did try to give it a fair shot. I can appreciate the historic information that the author included, but many of the chapters were difficult to follow and overall I felt the book was poorly written.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read about a third of this book but it really wasn't my cup of tea.