There is a Chinese New Year greeting【送旧迎新】, which literally means usher out the old and welcome the new.

This saying sums up why so many of us also take the opportunity to spring clean our home in anticipation of the Chinese New Year, to get rid of the old stuff we no longer use or seldom use to make space for new ones.

It is always good to start the new year on a clean note by decluttering and getting ourselves organised. Spring cleaning is also good for our health as we will take the trouble to clean up the hard to reach spots and remove any allergens hiding there.

Just as we like to keep our homes clean, we also need to keep our community spaces clean. Our neighbourhood is essentially an extension of our home. It is where we work, live and play. Keeping our common spaces clean benefits all of us.

Nobody would like to live in a dirty neighbourhood. A dirty environment is not only unsightly, it could also turn into a breeding ground for pests and viruses, which would become a potential public health hazard.

It is thus important that when we clear our home of clutter, we do not end up messing up our common spaces. It is not uncommon to see irresponsible residents dispose of their bulky trash at lift lobbies and around the HDB void decks.

All Town Councils offer free service to help residents remove bulk items from their homes every month. As responsible residents, we should tap on such services by the Town Councils to keep our estate clean.

When all of us do our part, we can be assured that we will have a clean Singapore.