Treat your Spring cleaning as an act of self-care

With the first month of Spring comes flowers, warmer weather, outdoor activities, and the fresh promise of a new season. Along with all these wonderful things, it also calls on many of us to “Spring Clean” our homes.

Now, Spring cleaning may be viewed by many as a chore easily avoided. However, we want to change your mindset around decluttering your home this year and rather look at Spring cleaning as an act of self-care.

With COVID-19 creating a new work-from-home norm, it is more important than ever to make sure you have a clean and open living space.

Here are some ways that Spring cleaning your space not only revitalizes your home but also your mental wellbeing:

Your Surroundings Matter

Our surroundings impact almost everything we do, from our headspace to our mood, the space in which we exist means something. By decluttering our external world, we can work to create space internally. An emptied-out space will decrease your stress levels and allow your mind time to focus on more important things. Spring cleaning can be viewed as a version of mindfulness, it is all about the perspective with which you look at it.

Freshen up Your Lifestyle

As crazy as it may sound, clutter truly can impact every part of your life, including your lifestyle. Research has proven that people choose healthier snack options when they live in a decluttered home. A space which motivates you and makes you feel good will positively impact these healthy lifestyle changes. Looking after yourself in one way can lead to looking after yourself in many ways, it just takes that first step.

Who Said Cleaning Must be a Chore?

Who said spring cleaning must be boring? Pop in some earphones, listen to your favourite music or podcast and allow yourself some deserved me time. Decluttering has been proven to be therapeutic, so why not lean into that? Take your time, it is a project you come back to when you need to regroup and spend some time with yourself. If you rewire the way you view spring cleaning and instead see it as a productive, fulfilling activity you will be surprised how much you end up enjoying it!

Clean House, Clean Mind

Spring cleaning, and decluttering, have incredible effects on the mind. Think of how light and clear-headed you feel after cleaning your bedroom, office, or any other room you frequent in your house. Studies have proven that a clean space allows us to function more efficiently and productively. Decluttering your physical space will feel just as good as letting go of thoughts or feelings that no longer serve you. A clean space also allows more focus, therefore if you are easily distracted it may be due to having an unorganised home. A constantly cluttered space will overwhelm our minds and make a mountain out of a molehill. Take some time, prioritize your mental health and clear out your surroundings to allow your mind to do the same.

Amazing Health Benefits

Spring cleaning has both physical and mental health benefits. Mentally, it will make you feel accomplished (and who doesn’t love that). Cleaning is a kind of ritual, when we complete the task we set out to do it makes our brains happy. This reduces tension and improves our mindset around performing and completing activities.

Decluttering also makes you feel more peaceful. Having a clean home means knowing where most things are, which gives us an element of control our bodies often crave.

And physically, it gets you moving! Cleaning this, and packing that, will get your endorphins pumping and might even indirectly put you through a little workout. We aren’t saying this is a perfect substitute for exercise, but it is always good to get up and move your body no matter how relaxed or vigorous.

Take some time for yourself this spring and allow your mental and physical space to be decluttered. Life is so incredibly fast-paced, we need to take all the opportunities that we get to slow down and take a breath. Let this be one of those times for you, all it takes is a change in mindset and spring cleaning can become one of your new favourite self-care routines.