Nothing beats coming home after a day of work and cleaning (or maybe simply shutting your laptop).
That's right.
Mental health professionals say it's logical. Clea Shearer, co-founder of The Home Edit, says, "Organizing is self-care for your mind and body." Research confirms this. The next parts contain the information you need to clean and declutter your home (and your mind).
Mind and Body Benefits of Organizing and Cleaning
Chaos and clutter can harm your health. A 2010 study found that women in chaotic houses had higher cortisol levels. The Mayo Clinic found that people whose houses were calming and restorative were less stressed and had less depression symptoms.
Neha Khorana, Ph.D., a board-certified clinical psychologist in Atlanta, says "an untidy or cluttered environment may leave your brain feeling that your general existence is sloppy or unstructured, which might heighten your sadness and/or anxiety." It can make you feel overwhelmed, especially if other elements of your life are demanding or if you're facing difficult challenges.
If disorganization and messiness can make you apprehensive, stressed, overwhelmed, or depressed, then organizing may help lessen these sensations.
Gives You a Feeling of Control
Nervous feelings often originate from a lack of control, whether situational (like a job presentation) or long-lasting (like generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD). Self-control may help lessen anxiety, even if you can't always control unpleasant conditions. So, try reducing the quantity of the skin care products you use or organize your bookshelves.
Lifts Your Mood
Just glancing at a pile of clothes can raise your cortisol levels. A crowded environment may tempt you to add extra tasks to your to-do list, like folding clothes, which seems burdensome. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and possibly discouraged, rearranging or organizing things can boost your mood and prevent anxiety episodes caused by chaos.
Improves focus
Random clutter everywhere might make it difficult to concentrate and function, according to study. Imagine: Working from home is difficult enough without being surrounded by cups, sticky notes, and snack wrappers.
Cinderella-like housekeeping skills may assist clear your desk's clutter and restore its function. Mistry says it also helps your brain participate in "selective attention," or focusing on one stimulus while there are others. This helps you link a location to its purpose (e.g., a bed for sleeping, a desk for working).
Increases Heart Rate
According to Khorana, actively cleaning, mopping, or dusting may boost heart rates and generate perspiration. It may not be as difficult as your Peloton ride or weekend marathon. Even more endorphins! If you have GAD or are depressed, your mental health difficulties won't disappear. According to the Mayo Clinic, vacuuming may release a feel-good hormone that reduces anxiety and depression temporarily and permanently when done regularly.
Low-impact cardio has health benefits (a stronger heart and lungs, to start). A research from Indiana University found that clean houses are healthier than unclean ones. It's unclear if these findings mean a home's condition affects physical activity or if people exercise while cleaning.
Cleaning and Organizing for Health
Shearer and her co-founder of The Home Edit, Joanna Teplin, are experts on home cleaning. Because they make cleaning reasonable and even fun, the couple has built a successful business and attracted considerable attention. They arrange everything in a kaleidoscope of hues, converting housework into art.
Start Little
Teplin says beginner organizers don't need to start with a big, demanding endeavor. When cleaning and organizing, start small, even if that means sorting through your collection of novelty mugs.
Set Up Zones
Organizing a space may cause you to forget about your exercise equipment – and your routine. Without a visual indication, it's easy to forget. Instead, corral weights and bands so they're visible but not a hazard. A multi-tiered rolling cart can hold towels, dumbbells, and resistance bands. Shearer calls this a beautiful and practical decision.
Carts combine form and function. Clear storage containers allow you see what's within, boosting the likelihood that "you'll access it," as she says. Leggings can be stored in clear bins. They boost your odds of getting in a workout since they organize and display your items.
Edit It Out and Keep It Up!
Never-ending organization can be scary for folks who aren't regular cleaners or new to decluttering. Keep yourself accountable to a monthly cleaning routine and tidy your home.
According to Shearer, "editing out your goods is such a relief [and] it feels fantastic." Realizing you need, utilize, or love everything in your home is empowering. The outcome? Less mental clutter and worry.
