Spring is officially here, bringing warmer days and the annual debut of spring cleaning. While the long to-do lists may feel overwhelming, experts say the benefits go beyond a tidy home.
Spring cleaning not only creates a fresher environment but also promotes mental clarity, offering a sense of renewal and making space for greater joy and peace of mind.
“A cluttered environment can clutter the mind,” says Michael Messina, a clinical psychologist and owner of Dr. Messina & Associates, reported by CNBC. “That can be indicative of how a person’s doing.”
Spring cleaning can feel overwhelming, leaving you unsure where to start. Begin small. Tackle one room at a time and if that feels like too much, focus on a corner or closet.
Spring cleaning doesn’t need to be completed in one day. Instead, set a timer for 30 minutes to an hour — allowing yourself time blocks to focus on the job.
Put your phone away, avoid distractions and turn on music or a podcast to make the process more enjoyable.
A clean living space boosts your self-confidence
The environment you live in speaks volumes about your mental state and self-worth. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche often discusses this in “Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior,” where he explains that the environment we live in is a direct reflection of our dignity and self-respect.
When you care for your surroundings, you are expressing value to yourself and creating a foundation for peace.
You may not think a clean house has anything to do with self-confidence, but Michael J. Formica, writing for Psychology Today asks, “If we leave our clothes lying on the floor, are we lazy, or is that about self-respect and self-valuation?”
Not only does cleaning show self-respect, but it provides a sense of accomplishment. The task itself is rewarding evidence of productivity, with the completed task giving you a sense of accomplishment.
An organized environment reduces anxiety
While Messina explained that a cluttered environment can clutter the mind, it’s not just a clean space that reduces anxiety. The physical act of cleaning itself can soothe the mind and assist in restoring a sense of control.
“A lot of people do find cleaning to be very satisfying, but also to be a very good way of managing stress or anxiety,” explains Dr. Dawn Potter, PsyD, a clinical psychologist, reported by Vogue. “When they are faced with other problems that maybe they can’t address at the time, or they’re just kind of overwhelmed, they find that cleaning helps them restore a sense of control.”
An organized home increases focus
Do you find yourself struggling to focus on a task and maintain motivation when you are at home? Maybe it has something to do with the clutter that’s making it harder for your brain to narrow down on what’s important.
Procrastination is the last thing you want to be dealing with when you are trying to focus on your greater priorities.
According to Sherri Gordon, a professional life coach writing for Very Well Mind, “By cleaning, organizing, and reducing the clutter, people are able to take control of their environment and create a more relaxing environment that helps them focus better on the more pressing issues in their lives.”