Keeping a tidy house can be overwhelming if there is too much to declutter, organize or clean. However, it can produce a sense of accomplishment, happiness, serenity, and clarity. After all, our bodies are organized systems designed to self-clean. “It wouldn’t be surprising, then, if the reason we crave symmetry and cleanliness in our homes is to mirror the organization within our very own bodies,” says Courtney Lopresti in Psychology Today. “Neatness and order support health — and oppose chaos.” Take a look at these mental health benefits of a clean house.
Mental Health Benefits of a Clean House
1. De-stressing
A 2009 study found that women with high levels of cortisol, a hormone indicating stress, revealed that their houses were untidy. On the polar opposite, the women who were more comfortable and happy had more organized houses. This de-stressing also leads to a healthier body—eating more nutritious foods, getting better sleep, building your immune system, and being more active.
2. Meditating
The mindlessness of cleaning allows you to practice mindfulness and meditation. Cleaning, it turns out, can help you live in the present and practice focusing. Leo Babauta perfectly explains the process on his blog post “Mindful Simplicity.”
3. Increasing productivity
A more organized and clean house can lead to more production, according to a Princeton study. You’re less stressed and more focused without distractions from clutter and dirt. With distraction, your mind can process at a faster pace.
4. Ensuring social confidence
If you’re having friends, family, or even friends of their you don’t know, it can be anxiety-inducing if you don’t have an impressively clean house! That confidence in your own house’s cleanliness when showing off your abode can transfer outside the home, too.
5. Sparking creativity
A kept house can lead spark creativity. Maybe you’ll innovate your storage, think of new decor ideas, and envision a whole new furniture layout just by being able to see what’s there (and what isn’t)!
6. Reducing familial fighting
Does your spouse blame you for misplacing something where you kept it in your “organized mess?” Do your children cry or bicker about a missing toy? It could be because you need more organization! An organized living space will help ease tension and reducing fights among family members! The problem is getting the family to uphold the organization…
Some Tips for Keeping a Tidy House
- Leave shoes at the door! You don’t want any accidental mud prints…or prints that look like mud but don’t smell like it.
- Clean a little every day! When you save cleaning for one day, it can become stressful rather than mindful. Clean or organize for 15-30 minutes a day.
- Make your bed. Keeping your bedroom room neat is conducive to better sleep. That sense of serenity and satisfaction can be applied to the rest of the house to help maintain a healthy mind and body.
- Do the dishes as you go. Even better, team up on the dishes after your meal! It takes less time, you get time with your family, and it’s less stressful!
Not everyone has the same understanding of cleanliness and organization. But most people can agree they would like to reap the benefits of a clean house. Whatever your definition is, try out some housekeeping tasks to keep your mind healthy and sharp!
PHOTO: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain