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Diwali – The Festival of Lights: Significance & Celebrations

Diwali is an annual festival that takes place on the new moon day that follows the Hindu month of Kartik, which lands in October or November of each year. The date changes each year, based on the Hindu calendar. This South Asian holiday is also known as the festival of lights, and it celebrates one of the most significant events in Hindu mythology. However, the festivities don’t stop there. Some key elements of Diwali, nicknamed the festival of lights, include lights, sweets, colors, dances, love, and of course – cleanliness. Plan: B Cleaning wishes you and your family a Happy Diwali as we strive to embrace diversity in Fishers, Indiana, and the nearby areas we serve. Check out this blog for more information regarding the significance and celebration of Diwali, as well as more cleaning tips!

Significance of Lights

Lights are an important part of Diwali celebrations. Light is said to be a representation of good over evil. The story goes that when Lord Rama returned home from exile after defeating Ravana, the people of Ayodhya lit diyas, special lamps, and candles, to guide his way back home. Lighting lamps is also a way of welcoming Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, into the homes. The light of the lamp is said to chase away darkness and ignorance while bringing in the good. Often, those who celebrate Diwali decorate the inside and outside of their homes with string lights, tea lights, candles, and more. They enjoy watching fireworks in the sky, as well as hand-held sparklers together.

Significance of Colors

In India, colors have always played a significant role in culture and tradition. They are believed to represent different aspects of life. For example, white is associated with purity and cleanliness. And during Diwali, the Festival of Lights, people decorate their homes with white lights to signify the triumph of good over evil. Furthermore, they use colored powder to make mandalas and other festive shapes like flowers, peacocks, om symbols, and more. These colorful decorations are made inside the homes’ floors as well as outside, on the doorsteps and entrances!

Significance of Dance and Performances

Another important aspect of the festival is the traditional Indian dances. Talented dancers will tell the tales of Hindu mythology through their dance movements, formations, and facial expressions. They often also wear intricate costumes. And at parties, anyone can dance to have a good time! These dances are another way to express joy and happiness and to symbolize the victory of good over evil. The dance is also a way to connect with the Hindu gods and goddesses. The traditional Indian dance is an important part of the Diwali festival, and it is a beautiful way to celebrate the light, cleanliness, and good that is at the heart of the festival.

Significance of Sweets & Gifts

Sweets and gifts are a significant part of most holidays! One of the key aspects of Diwali is the giving of traditional sweets and gifts. This is a way to show your loved ones how much you care for them and to also spread the spirit of happiness and goodwill. So if you are celebrating Diwali this year, be sure to give your friends and family plenty of sweets and gifts! Sweets and gifts also play an important role in Diwali puja or worship. The giving of sweets and gifts is a way to honor the deities and express gratitude for blessings throughout the year.

Significance of Love and Unity

Diwali is a time when people come together to celebrate the triumph of good over evil and enjoy the festivities in the company of their loved ones. The festival is for gathering with family, and also a time for making new friends and reuniting with old ones. Love and unity are celebrated between families, friends, and the culture as a whole.

Significance of Cleanliness

The significance of cleanliness and newness in Diwali celebrations is twofold. First, Hindus believe that Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, only visits clean homes. So, in order to welcome her into their homes, Hindus clean and decorate their homes beforehand. Secondly, Hindus believe that cleanliness and newness represent a fresh start or a new beginning. Therefore, by cleaning and decorating their homes for Diwali, Hindus are hopeful that the goddess will bless them with a prosperous new year. They celebrate by cleaning and decorating and also wearing new, beautiful clothes. This cleanliness and newness is the perfect way to celebrate and ring in the Hindu new year.

If you would like to deep clean your home for the auspicious occasion of Diwali, you know who to call!

Contact Us!

Contact Us! You do the holiday decorating, we’ll do the cleaning! If you are looking to hire a cleaning service to treat yourself or your loved ones this Diwali or holiday season, you know who to call!

We recommend signing up for a one-time, weekly, biweekly, or monthly cleaning service with Plan: B Cleaning. This will give you the time to do what you love most and enjoy the holiday festivities in Fishers, Indiana. Plan: B Cleaning serves the Hamilton County area in Indiana, including Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield, Fortville, and Geist. Call today to set up your cleaning service at (317) 572-8515 or visit our website at www.planbcleaning.com.

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5 Ways to Make Cleaning More Fun

Cleaning is not always fun for everyone, and we understand that. However, it just takes a little creativity to make it feel like less of a monotonous chore. Here are five ways from Plan B Cleaning that you can use to make cleaning more fun for yourself and your loved ones. You might even find yourself starting to look forward to cleaning!

1) Listen to music

Listening to music while cleaning can help pass the time and make the task more enjoyable. If you have trouble finding music you like, try creating a cleaning playlist on Spotify or Pandora. Any positive, upbeat music will do the trick. You can also listen to podcasts or audiobooks while cleaning. So, if you’ve been waiting to listen to a new book, TedTalk, and so on – this is your chance! Put on your headphones and groove out!

2) Set a timer

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of cleaning your entire home, start with just one section and use a timer. Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much you can get done. Or, you can set one for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and so on. The hard part is getting started, as it can be overwhelming to fit cleaning into your schedule. The timer will help you commit to cleaning and stay on task for a few minutes. You will be way more productive in much less time! Chances are, once you get started, you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish in such a short amount of time. And the satisfaction of seeing a clean space will motivate you to keep going.

3) Turn it into a game

You can make cleaning more fun by turning it into a game. For example, you can set a timer and see how long it takes you to clean up the kitchen. Or, you can make a game out of seeing how many items you can put away in a certain amount of time. The possibilities are endless! And, not only will you have more fun, but you’ll get the job done quicker, too. Plus, you can get your family members or roommates involved to join in and get extra competitive. Who can clean their room the fastest? Who can pick up and put away the most items? Let’s find out!

4) Set up a reward system

A great way to make cleaning more fun is to set up a reward system for yourself. For every task, you complete, give yourself a point. Once you reach a certain number of points, you can treat yourself to something you really want. You can set up different tiers of prizes and treats for yourself too, from a cup of Starbucks to a new book, or maybe even a shopping spree. This will give you something to look forward to as you clean and help motivate you to keep your space clean!

5) Be creative!

Creativity is what makes cleaning a little more fun. Here are some of our best ideas, but keep thinking and see what else you can come up with. Once you are able to find what works for you, cleaning will feel a little less like the most monotonous chore.

To summarize our tips,

  1. Set a timer to clean and follow through with it! Setting aside time in your day or week that you know you’ll be home ensures that it gets done. It doesn’t have to be a long time. As long as you are productive and consistent, it will be easier to maintain cleanliness in your home!
  2. Break cleaning into manageable tasks! If the thought of doing all three floors seems overwhelming, break it down into smaller tasks by floor.
  3. Find someone else who enjoys doing chores too! It’s always nice when there’s someone who shares your enthusiasm for organization and tidiness around the house. You can split chores by preference, too. Maybe one person always does laundry and vacuuming while the other always do dishes! Even if you may have to do a bit of convincing, it’ll be worth it!

Contact Us!

Contact Us! If you do not enjoy cleaning at all or just need a break from cleaning, we can take those chores off of your plate! Our cleaning team enjoys cleaning and making you smile – that is why it is their job!

We recommend signing up for a one-time, weekly, biweekly, or monthly cleaning service with Plan B Cleaning. This will give you the time to do what you love most and enjoy the fall festivities in Fishers, Indiana. Plan: B Cleaning serves the Hamilton County area in Indiana, including Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield, Fortville, and Geist. Call today to set up your cleaning service at (317) 572-8515 or visit our website at www.planbcleaning.com.