Springtime brings beautiful new colors, rejuvenated environments, warm temperatures, and more opportunities to go outdoors. It also often brings many less obvious benefits, like improved mental health. The freshness of the season is often seen as the perfect opportunity to open the windows and let fresh air in, clean up around the home, and get rid of unneeded possessions. Spring cleaning can often be something to look forward to, and it’s beneficial to your health in many ways. Here are a few spring cleaning activities you can try that can improve wellness.
Clean Up the Clutter
According to many psychologists and organizational gurus, having a cluttered home often results in having a cluttered mind. The more stuff you have, the more you have to figure out where it all goes, and the more it takes up space in your head, sometimes causing stress or anxiety. Otherwise, your personal possessions may get in the way of you being able to keep a clean home. Taking time to find a designated place for everything—or put things back where they belong—can do a world of good for your mental health.
Minimize Your Possessions
Many people also find it beneficial in the springtime to go through their possessions and give or throw things away. A good system is to start with closets and dresser drawers before moving into workspaces, kitchen cabinets, storage and other rooms. Putting unneeded possessions in boxes to store or give away can bring a sense of joy and peace back to your life by reducing the amount of physical objects to worry about. Some experts in minimizing possessions recommend getting rid of anything you haven’t used or thought significantly about in the last few years (or whatever period of time you think would work for you).
However, the most important thing to note about organizing your things is that it may take a while. Working slowly and steadily over the course of a month or two to box up or throw out unwanted items can do wonders for your mental and emotional health, especially since it can be a tangible reminder of how far you’ve come and the changes you’ve made.
Do A Deep Clean
Dust, crumbs, mold, mildew, and other unsanitary substances collect in homes all too easily. While some people make a habit of thoroughly cleaning their homes on a weekly basis, not everyone has time or energy for that. This means that every once in a while, a deep clean is necessary in every home. Clearing off surfaces as per the organizational activities mentioned above is a good first step, but then it’s time to get out the mop, vacuum, and surface cleaners to polish and disinfect the home. It’s also a good idea to toss rugs and linens in the wash.
When you scrub, mop, vacuum, and dust, you’re getting rid of potentially harmful or allergy-triggering substances and microbes that have been taking up residence. And when you wash rugs and other cloth products that you use frequently, you’re getting rid of all of the grime that has been building up on them. Not only will seeing your home scrubbed improve your mental health, but it can also eliminate hazards to your physical well-being. And let’s not forget about the physical activity and step counts you can put it from cleaning up your home!
Create New Routines
Since a spring cleaning session is sort of like an environmental reset in your home, why not take it a step further? You’ve gotten rid of things and cleaned your home of dirt and grime—now it’ll be easier to keep it that way. This could be an opportunity to work on bringing fewer things into your home, or making a routine to throw away or recycle things more often. It could also be an opportunity to start doing the occasional five-minute cleaning session so you don’t have to spend a whole day on it after a month has gone by. This can benefit your health as well, since you can celebrate the ongoing victory of having a clean home and avoiding the buildup of dirt and germs that can affect your physical health.
We’re Here For You
No matter how you choose to stay healthy this spring season, we’re here to help you meet your goals. We can give you advice and help you create a plan for building a healthier lifestyle. Contact us today to set up an appointment!