Guide To The Mental Health Benefits Of Spring Cleaning
As the weather begins to get warmer, many individuals throw their windows open and start cleaning the house from top to bottom. The arrival of spring also brings spring cleaning to the forefront. Of course, the immediate benefit is a cleaner and more organized home with less junk around. However, a clean house is not the only benefit of spring cleaning every year. In fact, this simple act also provides numerous mental health benefits to last all year.
Learn about all of the little details about the benefits spring cleaning brings to mental health now:
Increase Productivity
Desks covered with stray papers, candy wrappers, mugs, and other bits of clutter put a significant hamper on productivity, whether it is for professional work or otherwise. Decrease productivity can make mental health worse, for instance as an individual may feel worse about not getting enough done and thus worry about losing their job. But a clean desk increases how m stuff individuals are able to get done, since their focus is no longer taken by clutter or the distraction of eating unhealthy food, which in turn provides a sense of accomplishment. While the desk is the most direct way to increase productivity, this benefit does extend to include the entire home from the kitchen to the living room and the bathroom.
Continue reading to learn how physically decluttering the home also creates mental decluttering.
Declutter The Mind
A cluttered mind does not make for good mental health. Mental clutter opens the way for anxiety and depression to take over, and also increases the amount of stress individuals experience. Stress is beneficial in small amounts, but when it gets out of hand, it can negatively influence mental health quite dramatically. Unfortunately, physical clutter in the home actually increases mental clutter, whether an individual realizes it or not. Simple activities such as washing dishes can provide temporary relief, but for significant mental decluttering, spring cleaning is where the best benefit lies. A clear mind makes it much easier to tackle any pressing mental health issues without as much distraction or pressure to avoid dealing with the root issue. It also increases motivation to dive into working towards positive mental health.
Mental decluttering, clearly, is intricately connected to stress. Continue reading to learn about another benefit of spring cleaning related to stress.
Eliminate Sources of Stress
There are countless different kinds of stressors, otherwise known as sources of stress, out there. Sometimes they are not tangible objects, but rather intangible things such as specific situations or memories. In all of these cases, clutter in the home keeps many sources of stress around. Popular examples include photos or other reminders of stressful memories, actual objects causing stress (e.g., some are stressed when appliances, electronics, and such are broke and thus do not work). Sometimes the clutter itself is a tangible source of stress! Whatever the case is, spring cleaning the home and getting rid of the clutter also eliminates many sources of stress. Or, at least, it can if the individual cleaning makes it a point to focus on eliminating these stressors.
Keep reading to discover how spring cleaning and physical exercise have the same mental health benefits.
Mimics Effects Of Traditional Exercise
When an individual is looking to improve their mental health, one of the main elements psychologists recommend is to ensure they are getting thirty minutes of exercise in five times a day. This is because exercise promotes the production and release of endorphins and serotonin, the body's happy chemicals, along with other benefits such as interrupting negative thoughts and loosening tense muscles. When it comes to exercise, most individuals think of going to the gym, playing sports, or about any other form of traditional exercise. What is important to recognize, however, is spring cleaning also gets you active. It might be scrubbing down the bathtub, mopping the floors, carrying out clutter to the curb, or any other spring cleaning activity. In all cases, spring cleaning gets the body moving, and though it is different to traditional exercise, it still promotes the production of endorphins and serotonin. Thus, spring cleaning can provide the same mental health benefits as exercise, such as loosening tense muscles, interrupting negative thoughts, and releasing endorphins.
Continue reading to learn about how spring cleaning provides boosts in self-confidence.
Boost In Self-Confidence
A lack of confidence in oneself is a detriment to positive mental health. It means thoughts such as “I am not good enough” will appear more often than not. However, one of the best ways to boost self-confidence is to accomplish something. Now, this may seem like an overwhelming task, but the ‘something’ does not need to be big. In reality, it is often better to start small. When it comes to spring cleaning, there are many opportunities to produce a sense of accomplishment and thus, boost self-confidence. For instance, a single task such as decluttering one closet or cabinet can work for smaller boosts. The greatest sense of accomplishment, of course, would come once spring cleaning is complete. And while this self-confidence boost is different than completing a higher education degree, it is still a positive influence on mental health, whatever way you slice it.
Volunteering is known to be of benefit to mental health. Learn more now about how giving back connects to spring cleaning and how this influences mental health as well.
Giving Back Feels Good
Giving back in both big and small ways does not only help others. As stated and as the majority of the population knows, it also boosts mental health. Doing good for others makes individuals feel good about themselves. Some may call it selfish, but the fact remains it helps just about everyone.
Now spring cleaning itself is not volunteering time or donating money. Having a clean home does not help anyone beyond the people who live in it. But, the clutter removed during spring cleaning can. Gently used clothes, books in good condition, pots and pans, and other miscellaneous items are great to donate to local charities and thrift shops, where those in need can benefit significantly from them. One person might not need these items anymore, but another might. Winter coats, for instance, are in high demand among those in need. Unfortunately, more people than you might think are unable to afford full-price winter coats, and as such their only options are to either go without or turn to local charities and thrift shops for assistance. Both thrift shops and charities work based on donations. So why not donate what you can from your spring cleaning?
Yes, your home will be much cleaner and more organized after spring cleaning, even if you do it every year. But remember, your mental health can see just as much positive change, if not more. It’s time to get cleaning!