Many people clean their homes because they feel less stressed. Call it “stress cleaning” or whatever you want, but we must acknowledge the relation between anxiety and cleaning. When you pick up a broom or turn on your vacuum cleaner, you won’t only be decluttering your home; also, you will gain some peace of mind. That’s why we decided to write this blog about the many mental benefits of spring cleaning. Keep reading and take notes!
1. Cleaning as healthy exercise
First of all, spring cleaning is an excellent opportunity to burn some extra calories. If you do it right, scrubbing windows, carrying items from room to room, and vacuuming floors can be a unique way to stretch the body, release endorphins and blow off steam. Although, if you want better results, schedule recurring cleanings to build up an exercise routine and keep your home neat and tidy for a longer time.
2. Cleaning as a projection of the mind
A study published in 2010 named Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin stated that women living in cluttered homes are more likely to have higher levels of stress. This can be easily explained with the simple exercise of visualizing a cluttered house and then a clean and tidy home. The majority of people tend to relate negative emotions to a cluttered place, in contrast with the more uplifting feeling of a neat environment.
The order and cleanliness of a home can be a projection of our mind, meaning that every outta-place item and dusty surface is like our jumbled thoughts and anxiety. By cleaning our environment, we are calming down those negative feelings, like sorting out our minds. But this is only achievable if we complete our cleaning tasks, which takes us to the next point.
3. Cleaning as a sense of control and accomplishment
There are some things in life we can’t control. In fact, many essential things in life are beyond our control, like an unexpected event, or low sales in our small business. But, what we can control is our emotions and the way we process and manage them. An excellent way to help our brain feel good is by letting him experience some sense of control and accomplishment, even if it’s small, like a home cleaning session. Next time you take a broom and start cleaning, think about what you are accomplishing and also that you have power and control over your environment.
4. Cleaning as meditation
Not everything about cleaning is about having a tidier and cleaner home, as we mentioned, but also the process is good for you. As we said in “cleaning as exercise,” the act of scrubbing windows and vacuuming floors has many benefits for your body, but if you practice mindfulness while you clean, you can also do some good for your mind. Cleaning can be a form of meditation if you take deep breaths, feel your body while you move, and let the thoughts pass by on your mind.
5. Cleaning by gratitude
Without too much science or mindfulness explaining, cleaning is also a way you express gratitude to everything you touch. Remember that you’re privileged by having all those domestic things, like pretty dishes, soft furniture, and other appliances that make your life much easier. By taking care of your possessions, you’re thanking them and prolonging their useful life.
We hope next time you start cleaning you enjoy it better. However, if you need some help with that, don’t hesitate and contact No More Chores.