When life gets stressful, many of turn to the latest relaxation trends for help; yoga, meditation, massage… yet it might surprise you (or pain you) to hear that there’s many reasons why a thorough spring clean is good for your wellbeing. Not just seasonally we should add, but any time of the year.
Not quite as appealing as a massage we admit, but organizing your home with wellbeing in mind is well worth doing. Whether you undertake a thorough spring clean, a daily declutter or a quick freshen-up, studies show a clean house can make you happier, not to mention it’s great for your physical health, too.
While the actual spring cleaning tips themselves might not fill you with enthusiasm, knowing the reasons why they’re beneficial to your wellbeing should help you get motivated to clean. Below, we share some expert insight from those in-the-know.
Reasons why a thorough spring clean is good for wellbeing
While it’s tempting to power through your spring cleaning checklist, experts say ‘slow cleaning’ could be more beneficial for you and your home – particularly when it comes to clearing clutter – so be sure to set plenty of time aside.
‘A mindful approach to decluttering involves making thoughtful decisions about what to keep and what to discard, serving as an act of self-care that fosters a peaceful and organized mind, as well as living space. By adopting this strategy, you’re also much more likely to complete your spring cleaning without getting overwhelmed’, says professional home organizer Michelle Urban, founder of The Organized House.
1. It clears your mind
If you’ve noticed your stress levels rising in line with your list of cleaning jobs, it’s no coincidence, as evidenced by the fact that a messy house can cause depression. Ticking tasks off your to-do list gives an immediate sense of relief, plus makes for a much clearer mindset – tidy house, tidy mind, as they say!
‘How we think and feel is so deeply intertwined with our environment, when you spring clean your home, you’re spring cleaning your mind too’, says professional organizer Laura Price, founder of The Home Organisation.
‘Often we don’t realize how much these tasks are weighing on our mind until we do them. Organizing the loft or decluttering a garage are two tasks we often reserve for a thorough spring clean, and when they’re done we feel amazing.’
2. It boosts productivity
As well as being difficult to live with physically, dealing with dirt and mess on a regular basis can be very draining on an emotional level, too. Even the simplest of tasks becomes hard work, particularly if you suffer with seasonal affective disorder in winter.
Neat and tidy surroundings give you the space (mentally and physically) to focus and complete tasks around the home, helping us to feel more energized, motivated and better able to pursue our goals’, says Angela Rubin, owner of HellaMaid.
You might find you enjoy cooking more once you've decluttered countertops, while the process of getting dressed in the morning becomes far less stressful if you’ve organized a closet ahead of time, for example.
3. It keeps you active
It’s a well known fact that exercise makes you feel good, and a thorough spring clean is nothing short of a workout. From mopping floors and scrubbing tiles and to swatting cobwebs high and low, put your back into it and you could burn around 100 calories in half an hour; that’s roughly the equivalent of a brisk walk. Clean surroundings combined with the satisfaction of knowing you’re hitting your fitness goals makes for a winning wellness boost.
4. It keeps allergies – and germs – at bay
Anyone who suffers with allergies knows how frustrating they can be, particularly when they’re triggered by irritants inside the home. A thorough spring clean is an efficient solution, but you’ll need to be mindful of your methods if you want to allergy-proof your home to best effect.
‘Look out for cleaning products that contain ammonia, chlorine or formaldehyde, as these can be particularly irritating for those with allergies. Other things to avoid include phthalates, parabens and synthetic fragrances, often found in air fresheners, fabric softeners and detergents. In general, you want to choose products labeled as hypoallergenic or fragrance-free. If you’re unsure about anything, ask your doctor or allergist for advice’, says cleaning expert Karina Toner, operations manager at Spekless.
Whether you’re after cleaning tips for allergy sufferers or not, always opt for eco products where you can or create your own using natural ingredients. Baking soda, at Walmart, can be used to absorb odors and clean surfaces, and lemon juice can be used to remove stains and grime,' says Karina. It’s better for your wellbeing, and the environment, too.
5. It encourages healthier habits
According to the pros, good habits tend to have a snowball effect. Experiencing the positive effects that spring cleaning and home organizing ideas have on your lifestyle can inspire you to adopt healthier habits in other areas of your life. Not just that, but it can make them easier to stick to.
‘Making positive lifestyle changes isn’t easy, let alone if your house isn’t set up for them. Think about ways you could make things easier; clearing clutter off your treadmill means you’re more likely to get your steps in each day, while sleeping becomes a lot easier when you’re retreating to a neat, tidy and well-organized bedroom, for example', says Gabriella Dyson, Head of Solved, Homes & Gardens.
6. It increases your ‘house confidence’
If you’re regularly canceling on friends and family because you haven’t had time to tidy and your social life is suffering as a result, it’s a sign you need to declutter your home – fast. We all want to make our homes feel welcoming, and a thorough spring clean should give you the confidence boost you need to open your home up to others.
We’re not saying you have to deep clean beforehand every time, of course, there’s no shame in a few short cuts; ‘fake-cleaning’ a house is much better for your well being than canceling altogether!
7. It makes you feel happier
It’s not just the pros that say a spring clean can make you feel happier, science proves it too. Messy, dirty or chaotic surroundings trigger the release of cortisone, a hormone that affects our stress levels and moods – and not for the better.
‘Chores may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re not feeling great, but tackling a spring clean head on can really turn your mood around. While you may feel overwhelmed to start with, the act of taking control, as well as the joy of a clean space at the end, should make things easier, and that stress response will soon start to lower’, says Gabriella.
8. It takes the strain off family relationships
Whether you’re clashing over a clutter-filled kid’s bedroom or who’s forgotten to clean a bathroom, disagreements within your household can really wear you down. A thorough spring clean, along with an ongoing cleaning schedule, is often all it takes to create a more harmonious home life.
Get everyone involved with the help of this cleaning and chore chart at Amazon, and use it as an opportunity to make cleaning fun – there’s nothing like time spent together as a family to make you feel good. You can also use it as an opportunity to introduce children to the concept of chores, which is great for their wellbeing long term, too.
FAQs
Why is spring cleaning so important?
So why do we spring clean? It’s obviously important from a hygiene perspective, but there’s also plenty of evidence to suggest it can improve our mental health, too.
It’s a well-known fact that your surroundings have a huge impact on how you feel, and a cluttered home is particularly anxiety-inducing. Studies show that setting aside time (whether that’s annually (as is tradition), bi-annually or even every few weeks) to declutter and tidy your home can make you feel calm, clear-headed and in control of your life, which in turn impacts lifestyle choices – and your mood – for the better.
There’s no doubt that a thorough spring clean is good for wellbeing, but a dread of the process itself can often be enough to put people off. ‘Instead of viewing cleaning as a chore, approach it with a sense of intention’, says Echo Wang, CEO and Founder of Yoga Kawa.
Put on some calming music, light a scented candle, and focus on the satisfaction of creating a clean, organized and mindful home. Don't push yourself too hard. Listen to your body and take breaks when needed. A clean space should support your well-being, not compromise it.’
Not sure where to start spring cleaning? Try setting SMART goals or committing an afternoon to cleaning high-traffic areas. Once you get into a rhythm, you'll start to see the benefits of this annual task.
