Springtime brings a new start, new life, and new opportunities. However, experiencing that positive beginning in your own space may be difficult if you haven’t gotten around to spring cleaning.
Spring cleaning has many benefits, physically and mentally. It can give you a sense of control over your space when you are happy with your environment. When life is crazy you may feel like you are not in control and when your space isn’t clean, it only exacerbates those feelings. When you look around and your room is surrounded by disorganization, your overall mental health can suffer more than you think. Especially if you work from home - having a cluttered space can lead to feelings of distraction or just an overall sense of being overwhelmed, sometimes even suffocated or claustrophobic. If you don’t work from home, coming back to a cluttered home after a long day can add on even more stress. Mentally, cleaning can significantly decrease anxiety and depression. While studies have shown that disarray can lead to higher levels of anxiety.
Cleaning your space gives you a sense of accomplishment and improves overall self-efficacy. Clutter doesn’t just impact your space, it impacts your mind and health. With spring bringing in so many new allergies, let your home be a safe space free of dust, pollen, pet hair, and other pollutants, which will significantly improve your overall physical health. Increased focus is an additional benefit of spring cleaning; when things are seemingly piling up around you, you may feel like you can’t be productive or get anything done in that space. While it is easy to just ignore when need to get things done and feel like you don’t have time to clean, finding a designated time to prioritize cleaning means taking back your space and being able to thrive.
If you look around your space and feel overwhelmed, here are some tips on how to get started.
Create a list-prioritize what you want to tackle first, and be ambitious but realistic about what you want to conquer.
Include others-if you have other people in your household have them join in for a collaborative, encouraging environment.
Declutter-before you begin cleaning, start by going through your space and clear away any trash, pack away extraneous or past seasonal items, or let go of things you don't use anymore.
Put on your favorite music or a podcast to create a fun, mentally engaging atmosphere.
Switch up your aesthetic-move around a piece of furniture or two, add or replace decor, and change accent colors in rooms to give your place a fresh start.
Take your time-don’t pressure yourself to get everything done in a day, set a timer, and work in increments if you’re short on time. You will feel like you can manage more when you give yourself realistic expectations.
Spring cleaning can be overwhelming to start, and may seem like a monumental challenge. Remember you are taking back your space to have better overall health and happier life!
Sources: