Habits, we become slaves to them. We need not necessarily, but there is always that inner urge to repeat endlessly what we have convinced ourselves to do. Spring cleaning is one of those habits some people still cling to, while others breezily dismiss the entire ritual.

It's a relief to ignore the 'imperative' to clean out the cupboards of your home. It does make sense, of course, if one considers that a year may have gone by without some kind of tidy order having taken place in those cupboards. Let alone the removal of any detritus or dust that might have accumulated during that time. And if it's a busy household with plenty of people that's an additional thing to consider, since more people usually equals more clutter.

But for us, our children long gone off on their own, there's just two of us, and our puppies. Our little dogs have never been known to select things from the kitchen cupboards with a mind to preparing meals. They have the luxury of expectation, that everything will be done on their behalf and nicely presented to them.

I, of course, am the chief cook, but there are occasions when my husband likes to dabble at the art as well, and there are times when we may prepare things to eat as a tandem. Since we're both adult and responsible, we seldom leave behind any kind of mess. But the inclination, come March, is to debate with myself where I will start the process this year. Sometimes it's the dining room, sometimes the kitchen. Since not only do the house cupboards get cleared out and re-arranged, but the sheers over the windows get washed, and so does windows and woodwork, and so too do the heavier winter jackets, to be put away for another year.

This year I began with the kitchen cupboards, a gradual process, since there's plenty of them, but they're almost done with, and then I will tackle the laundry room cupboards and the vanities in the powder room and our bathroom, before taking down the sheers, washing and re-hanging them. It's a tedious business to be sure, and my husband tries to persuade me to just let it go. How many people nowadays even bother with that antiquated habit? he asks reasonably enough. It's like my doing some ironing on laundry day; same question, same shrug.

In any event, once it's all done, I feel a sense of purpose has been satisfied. Good enough.