Have you ever heard that a clean home is a happy home? Well, we have found some proof as to why. Let’s just not leave it at that. A clean home can also mean a more productive and more harmonious home for us to live in.
Cleaning has been found to have positive effects on our mental health by helping us gain a sense of control over our environment. The physical activity can also have a calming effect on our mind. It can elevate one’s mood and provide us with the satisfaction of a job well done. A study published in the journal Mindfulness found that participants who engaged in mindfully washing the dishes— meaning they took a moment to inhale the scent of the soap and to allow their skin to absorb the warmth of the water — reported a 27% reduction in nervousness, along with a 25% improvement in “mental inspiration.”
Decluttering and organizing our homes has become increasingly popular. However, creating an organized, clutter-free space should not be just a trend. It has real value when it comes to our mental health, productivity, and overall well-being. Organized spaces are proven to reduce stress, improve happiness, and even improve your eating and exercise habits. Studies show that reducing clutter correlates with an increase in productivity at home and in the workplace.
“The University of California gathered thirty couples for a study on stress hormones. Those who described their house as messy or chaotic showed increased levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone produced in response to stress. The study also found that women were more adversely affected by clutter than men. The evidence shows that decluttering and other housekeeping reduces cortisol levels and are healthy habits to adopt. But the benefits of a clean home also extend to your physical well-being.”
A clean home doesn’t just affect the parents. Children can reap the benefits as well. If you have children, you would think that they love messes and despise anything to do with chores. However, research shows that if their bedroom and other family spaces are cluttered, they will have a hard time focusing and can tend to feel more agitated or stressed. This shouldn’t all fall on the parents though. We all know that children need boundaries and instilling good habits at a young age will carry them through adulthood. This includes being taught how to keep their spaces clutter-free and clean. Keeping a clean home gives them a safe and healthy space where they can play, do homework and sleep.
A quick and very effective way to begin creating a more peaceful environment for your children is by limiting the number of possessions your child has. We know this can be hard. If your child is having a difficult time parting with items, try getting storage cubbies or stackable drawers for their closet. Have them keep their most favorite items out on their dresser and help them to organize the rest out of sight. If they can clearly see the items they have on display, they will know that each item has a designated space in their room and they will be more apt to help with keeping their rooms tidy. While some kids don’t clean their room because they don’t feel like it, most others just need a little help in getting their spaces organized so that the task isn’t so overwhelming! This will not only lead to a more relaxed, peaceful environment for your child, but will give them a sense of accomplishment, ownership, and self-confidence.
The relationship between a clean house and mental health is one that should be important to your whole family. We all love a cleaner, more organized home and we typically feel more at ease with less clutter. When you consider the overwhelming benefits—better physical health, improved mental health and a cleaner, healthier environment, it’s easy to see how keeping a home clean can keep minds more calm.
If you need help getting your home in order, Elite Home Cleaning is here to help. Whether it is one-time deep clean to get your cleaning routine kick-started or on a more frequent basis to give you back some time with your family… we are here to help you create a cleaner, healthier, more productive, more organized environment for your family!
4 WAYS A CLEAN HOUSE CAN BENEFIT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
- INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY
An organized, and clutter-free, space leads to less distraction and more focus, which in turn produces more productive results
- INSPIRES SELF CONFIDENCE
There is a great deal of pride, and satisfaction, that comes from maintaining a clean and organized home. You will have a visual reminder every day that you did this! Whether the organizing and cleaning is done by you, or hired professionals, you took charge and gained control over your home environment.
- REDUCED ANXIETY LEVELS
The outside world, especially today, has a lot going on. These pressures create raised levels of anxiety and stress because there is so much we do not have control over. But, what we do have control over is our own personal space at home. We have a little microcosm all our own that we can create order within. When you keep a clean and orderly house, you will have a visual reminder every morning when you wake up, and every night when you go to bed, that there is order and you do have control. The peace that comes from this will carry with you out into the world.
- CREATES A MORE HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT
Does your spouse blame you for misplacing things? Do your children fight over missing toys? A clean and organized home where “there is a place for everything and everything is in its place” can lead to a more more calm and relaxed space for your family. Just make sure to have every family member playing their part in maintaining their own spaces. It should never fall on just mom! Everyone should have ownership.
4 QUICK TIPS TO KEEP YOUR HOME TIDY ON A DAILY BASIS
Whether you clean your own home, or have professional cleaning technicians do the job, there are small things you can do on a daily basis that will help maintain your home between cleanings.
- LEAVE SHOES AT THE DOOR
Create a shoe “drop zone” in the garage or right inside the door. No sense bringing in more dirt from the outside world
- CHOOSE ONE ROOM TO CLEAN/TIDY EACH DAY
Set a timer for 15-30 minutes and choose a space to clean/tidy each day. This will reduce the stress of trying to tackle the whole house in one day
- MAKE YOUR BED
It only takes a couple of minutes, but the sense of neatness and order is a great way to start the day
- WASH THE DISHES AFTER EVERY MEAL
An empty sink feels great! Plus, it is a lot less work to clean up after one meal then a whole day, or more, of meals
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