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apartmenttherapy.com
article
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/stress-cleaning-solutions-37396967
Decluttering is a good way to improve your overall mental health. A clean environment can make you feel less anxious, which can help reduce your desire to stress clean.
Rosado advises utilizing the “one in, one out” method. The strategy is simple: for every one thing you bring into your home, one thing must go. So if you buy a new centerpiece, you can get rid of the one gathering dust in storage. [...] Alternatively, you can refocus your energy on more productive tasks. “Engaging in creative pursuits, pursuing personal or professional goals, and focusing on activities that bring a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment can shift the focus away from cleaning and towards more meaningful endeavors,” says Rosado. [...] For many people, cleaning, organizing, and decluttering can help reduce anxiety. “The act of cleaning can distract them by keeping them busy and task-oriented,” says Rachel Goldberg, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles. “It [also] helps them feel a sense of control.”
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oxfordcbt.co.uk
article
https://www.oxfordcbt.co.uk/stress-management-cleaning
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 [...] 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
C
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. [...] This doesn’t mean you need to clean out your closet every week. But everyday tidying and maintenance, like making your bed every day, may have surprising dividends. I often suggest engaging in a two-week trial period for any new habit or behavior. This helps people to assess whether the behavior has any real benefits before deciding whether to commit to it. Additionally, it is usually easier to find the motivation to continue a behavior once we fully understand and experience the benefits of [...] I’m actually a big fan of Marie Kondo’s advice on tidying up, which involves donating or getting rid of items that you don’t have an emotional connection to. Her technique reminds me of a concept we have within dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), called “wise mind,” which is when we simultaneously use our rational and emotional minds to make a decision. In this case, paying better attention to the emotional reaction we have in response to our items can help people who are feeling stuck come
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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 [...] 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. [...] 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.
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kwikbrain.medium.com
article
https://kwikbrain.medium.com/fight-stress-by-cleaning-it-really-works-33cd50e…
One way to fight stress is through cleaning. This is probably a solution many of us have never considered as a destress solution. In fact, cleaning is something many people add to their list of things that adds stress to their lives. But there’s a lot of science to back this up. Here are four ways cleaning helps lower stress.
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Photo by Volha Flaxeco on Unsplash
### Provides a sense of control [...] Engaging in an activity like cleaning, where countless choices need to be made and progress can be visually marked helps alleviate that anxiety and stress. It grounds us, giving us a sense that we’ve regained control of our decisions. It also engages our executive cognitive abilities, keeping our brain focused on the task at hand instead of worrying about all the unknowns.
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Photo by Crema Joe on Unsplash
### Satisfaction releases happy hormones [...] Whether it’s cleaning out a closet, organizing our inbox, or scrubbing the floors, cleaning can help us feel like we’re in control of an outcome. We start with a mess and end with a tidy space. This is even more powerful if the cause of our stress is something we can’t control.
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goodsaltlife.com
article
https://goodsaltlife.com/the-surprising-connection-between-mental-health-and-…
Conclusion
The connection between a clean environment and mental health is undeniable. A tidy, organized space can reduce stress, enhance focus, and improve overall well-being. By integrating regular cleaning practices and using effective, safe cleaning products, you can create a sanctuary that nurtures both your mind and body. Trust Good Salt Life to be your partner in achieving a clean, healthy living environment that supports your mental health and overall well-being. [...] 1. Set Realistic Goals: Break down cleaning tasks into manageable chunks. Focus on one area at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
2. Schedule Regular Cleaning Sessions: Dedicate specific times each week for cleaning. Consistency is key to maintaining a tidy space.
3. Use Effective Cleaning Products: Choose products that are safe, effective, and easy to use. Good Salt Life’s Clean Republic All-Purpose Cleaner is gentle on surfaces and safe for families, pets, and plants. [...] 4. Involve the Whole Family: Cleaning can be a shared responsibility. Involve family members in cleaning tasks to lighten the load and promote teamwork.
5. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate your cleaning achievements, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement can motivate you to maintain your cleaning routine.
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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
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 [...] ## 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 [...] others; Tesser, 2000). Paralleling such mental mechanisms, we observe that cleaning can attenuate the effects of psychological threats to one’s self—as moral (West & Zhong, 2015), as rational (Lee & Schwarz, 2010), as competent (Kaspar, 2012), and as socially accepted (the present findings). This opens up a broad and exciting avenue for future research: Daily cleaning behavior, mundane as it seems, may serve supplementary coping functions that not only attenuate stress but also sustain positive