Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning seems to be part of most cultures before they usher in an important festival. Whether it’s Hari Raya, Deepavali, Christmas or Chinese New Year, the house is often spruced up for the occasion.

What better time to welcome in the new year than with a new set of sofa to replace the old, pathetic one? Since almost everything is supposed to be new on Chinese New Year, why not take a step further to revamp the wardrobe and start with a new you? Some people even plan the moving in to a new house to coincide with the new year. Of course stores play on this kind of psychology by dangling all kinds of promotions to attract sales during such festive seasons.

There is an old Chinese saying chu jiu bu xin which loosely translated means "wipe out the old and spread the new." Malaysian Chinese will say “get rid of the bad luck to usher in the good luck.”

For those in business, it is a time to take advantage of the coming new year by collecting business debts since it is customary to settle debts before the old year ends. So better race on before the Rat Year arrives. You’ll have a higher chance of success in debt collection!