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verywellmind.com
article
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-mental-health-and-cleaning-are-connected-509…
Additionally, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America indicates that the physical activity of cleaning coupled with the end result of a cleaner home helps reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Cleaning can also reduce fatigue and improve concentration.
### Cleanliness and Focus [...] Clutter and mess can create more stress and anxiety, but 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.
## Benefits of Cleanliness and Decluttering [...] A study by the University of Connecticut found that in times of high stress, people default to repetitive behaviors like cleaning because it gives them a sense of control during a chaotic time. Other research has found that decluttering can help older adults retain a sense of control over their life as they age.
What's more, clutter and disorganization can be really distracting, making it hard to focus or complete other projects. You can start to feel stuck in a rut.
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oxfordcbt.co.uk
article
https://www.oxfordcbt.co.uk/stress-management-cleaning
Clutter and mess can be linked to negative emotions like confusion and tension. Whereas a clean and tidy home leads to positive emotions such as a sense of calm and well-being. By sorting and organising the clutter and mess around you, you can reduce any stress or anxiety you may be feeling and this will help you feel like you are taking control of your life. The physical activity of cleaning combined with the result of a cleaner home helps reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and depressive [...] Whether you think of cleaning as a meditative task, or an energetic throw yourself into it task. Either way, any form of exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins send messages to your brain that changes your perception of pain and will trigger positive emotions in your body. Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress and reduce anxiety, along with preventing depression. Cleaning will also have these effects on your body and mental health as long as these chores require some physical [...] Can cleaning help you reduce stress? There are lots of different ways that we can manage our stress. We each have our routine that we reach for when we feel overwhelmed. Some may try yoga, or mindfulness exercises, maybe even head to the hairdressers or for a massage. For others, dusting shelves, wiping down the kitchen or organising is their way to deal with stress. Cleaning is just as beneficial for our mental health as mindfulness related activities. For some people, coming home to a clean
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elevaterecoveryhomes.com
article
https://elevaterecoveryhomes.com/cleaning-as-self-care
When life feels uncertain, cleaning is a tangible action you can manage – it can restore a sense of agency when everything else feels chaotic.
## The Mental Health Benefits of Cleaning
### Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Cluttered spaces can contribute to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety—when your environment is disorganized, your mind tends to feel the same way, and by systematically cleaning and organizing, you can create a sense of order and control, reducing stress levels. [...] Your home reflects your mental state. When your space is cluttered, your mind feels the same way. Research shows that messy environments increase stress hormones, make it harder to focus, and contribute to anxiety and depression. But cleaning isn’t just about having a tidy house – it’s an act of self-care that directly impacts your emotional well-being. Understanding this connection can change how you think about household chores and give you a practical tool for managing your mental health. [...] Cleaning can help reduce stress because it offers a sense of control, especially when everything feels overwhelming – the act itself is often predictable and tangible, which can be comforting when your thoughts are racing. It also creates immediate, visible results that boost mood and confidence.
### Is cleaning a form of self-care?
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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
## found that (a) concrete visual simulation of cleaning behavior alleviated residual anxiety from a stress-inducing physical scene, an effect distinct from touch, and (b) actual cleaning behavior enhanced adaptive cardiovascular reactivity to a highly stressful context of social performance/evaluation, which provides the first physiological evidence for the attenuation of stress-related effects by cleaning. Overall, actual cleaning and simulated cleaning attenuate effects of physical or [...] Visually simulated experience of cleaning behavior reduced residual anxiety from a stress-inducing physical scene. The manipulation involved mere visual simulation, with effect sizes (_d_ s = 0.205 and 0.141) in the expected small range by traditional standards (J. Cohen, 1988) and comparable with those in contemporary preregistered between-subjects research (Schäfer & Schwarz, 2019). The effect was observed and replicated on a pictorial measure of anxiety derived from basic emotional [...] # and 1b (Preregistered Replication): Visually Simulated Cleaning Alleviates Residual Anxiety From a Stress-Inducing Physical Scene
Experiment 1c (Preregistered Extension): Visually Simulated Cleaning Results in Different Effects From Visually Simulated Touch
Experiment 2 (Preregistered): Actual Cleaning Changes Cardiovascular Reactivity to a Potent Social Stressor
Discussion
Supplemental Material
Funding Statement
Acknowledgments
References
Associated Data
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healthieru.unl.edu
research
https://healthieru.unl.edu/news/spring-cleaning-mind-how-decluttering-reduces…
Practicing mindfulness, journaling, and limiting information overload are great ways to clear mental space. Decluttering your physical surroundings can also enhance mental well-being, as a tidy environment promotes relaxation and reduces distractions. Writing down tasks instead of keeping them in your head helps free up mental energy, reducing anxiety and improving productivity. Setting boundaries and learning to say no can prevent overwhelming feelings, allowing you to focus on what truly [...] Lynn McGill
Spring is the perfect time to refresh and reset—not just our homes, but also our minds. Mental clutter, like negative thoughts, worries, and endless to-do lists, can increase stress and make it difficult to focus. Just as cleaning a messy room creates a sense of order, clearing mental clutter can bring clarity and calm, allowing you to be more present and intentional in your daily life. [...] focus on what truly matters. Taking breaks from social media and engaging in restorative activities like walking, reading, or meditating can further ease stress and promote inner peace.
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columbiadoctors.org
news
https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/reduce-stress-through-decluttering
Whether someone is dealing with depression or is simply overwhelmed, we often use a technique called behavioral activation, which involves purposefully engaging in achievable activities to improve mood. This approach has been borne out in research; one study even suggests that cleaning can help alleviate stress, even when the stressor has nothing to do with the clutter. Spring cleaning is a great example of behavioral activation. [...] “When our living environment becomes unmanageable for a period of time, it can be a symptom of depression or anxiety,” says Michael Carollo, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at Columbia University.
We asked Dr. Carollo to explain how clutter can impact mental health—and how activities like spring cleaning can help.
## How does clutter affect our mental health?
Some research has suggested that extensive clutter can have a negative impact on well-being. [...] When we evaluate someone’s mental health, we typically include appearance within an overall assessment of their ability to perform activities of daily living. If someone presents as noticeably disheveled or does not appear to be engaging in normal grooming, that could indicate the person may be struggling in many areas, including their home environment, driven by depression, anxiety, or some other mental health disorder.
## Where does spring cleaning fit into stress reduction?
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extension.usu.edu
research
https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/the-mental-benefits-of-declut…
Relieve anxiety. When things are not organized or clean, it can often bring vast amounts of anxiety. You may feel constantly stressed, worried, or afraid of more clutter accumulating. To allow our minds to find some peace, decluttering can lift that weight and help us to think clearer and feel calmer. [...] directly reduce the stress that stems from the mess which can help us to feel happier, less anxious, and more confident in ourselves. Decluttering can also lead to the following mental health benefits: [...] Always begin cleaning with a positive mind. There is no right way to declutter because we all have different needs. Put your mind into a state that will allow you to freely wander as you straighten up and organize. Know that once you do something and see that it is good enough, it is good enough. Shift your focus from perfectionism to simply fulfilling the action. Practice a positive mind with deep breathing and positive thoughts towards yourself, what you’re about to do, and then what you
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mhanational.org
article
https://mhanational.org/resources/creating-a-healthy-home-environment
Keeping your living space clean is shown to promote calmness and a sense of control over your day-to-day life. Your home environment doesn’t need to be spotless, but clutter can be harmful to your mental state – contributing to depression, trouble focusing, confusion, and stress. Not only can clutter be distracting, but it has been shown to actually make it harder for your brain to think clearly. Neatness also provides predictability, which can cut down on brain fatigue and anxiety. Less time [...] reduce signs of anxiety and depression. [...] anxiety. Less time looking for lost items or getting distracted is always a good thing.