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M
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.
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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 [...] So, if you're feeling the urge to clean and declutter when you're stressed, your mind and body are probably looking for a way to bring some order to your environment.
### Cleanliness and Mood
Aside from the benefits of having a cleaner home, the relationship between a clean house and mental health can help you reduce your anxiety. [...] 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
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elevaterecoveryhomes.com
article
https://elevaterecoveryhomes.com/cleaning-as-self-care
A clean space supports a clear mind. And a clear mind supports recovery.
### The Bottom Line
The connection between a clean space and mental well-being is undeniable – by understanding the psychological impact of our surroundings, we can harness the therapeutic benefits of a tidy environment.
Cleaning isn’t just about having a nice-looking home. It’s about:
Managing stress and anxiety
Creating a sense of control
Building confidence
Providing a safe haven
Supporting your mental health [...] 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.
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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 [...] It is important to look at your environment and think about if you are allowing yourself the best chance to concentrate and focus. If your workspace is filled with items that are not related to the task you are focusing on, you may find it difficult to concentrate. Dirty plates from breakfast, an overflowing bin, piles of laundry or the children’s toys everywhere. These can all raise your stress levels! They all act as visual clues for reminders of things that you are still yet to complete. [...] responsibility for keeping your living space clean and tidy. Working together and finding compromises will be beneficial to your mental health, as well as others and will improve relationships with positive feelings.
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gardenstatepain.com
news
https://www.gardenstatepain.com/post/spring-cleaning-for-mental-health-how-de…
### The Mental Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning
#### 1. Reducing 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. By systematically cleaning and organizing, you can create a sense of order and control, reducing stress levels and making it easier to relax.
#### 2. Boosting Mood and Productivity [...] Spring is a season of renewal, making it the perfect time to refresh your living space and, in turn, your mind. Many people associate spring cleaning with dusting, organizing, and deep cleaning, but did you know that decluttering can also have profound mental health benefits? A clean, organized environment can reduce stress, increase productivity, and enhance your overall sense of well-being. In this blog, we will explore the connection between cleanliness and mental health, along with [...] Research suggests that a clean home can elevate mood and increase motivation. Removing clutter eliminates distractions, making it easier to focus on daily tasks, whether it be work, hobbies, or self-care. The act of cleaning itself can also be therapeutic, providing a sense of accomplishment.
#### 3. Encouraging Healthy Habits
D
dartmouth.edu
research
https://www.dartmouth.edu/wellness/docs/healthy_home_environment.pdf
feel the water, and absorb the experience – reported a 27% reduction in nervousness, along with a 25% improvement in mental inspiration.3 Once your space feels clean, think about organization. How can you maximize your space and be intentional about organizing to avoid future clutter and mess? Having a clean and organized space can help you feel in control and calm.4 Get rid of unneeded belongings. Periodically going through your place to fnd items to donate or get rid of can go a long way [...] – contributing to depression, trouble focusing, confusion, and stress.1 Not only can clutter be distracting, but it has been shown to actually make it harder for your brain to think clearly.2 Neatness also provides predictability, which can cut down on brain fatigue and anxiety. Less time looking for lost items or getting distracted is always a good thing. WHAT CAN I DO TO CREATE A TIDY SPACE? Start small. If beginning to improve your space feels overwhelming, choose one area to start. Consider [...] HEALTHY HOME ENVIRONMENTS Optimizing your space to improve your mental health is something that anyone can beneft from. For those living with mental health conditions, it is one tool of many that can be used to improve and support your mental well-being. PRACTICE TIDINESS 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
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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
As part of the behavioral immune system (Schaller, 2015), cleaning behavior serves adaptive biological functions by separating physical threats (e.g., infectious pathogens) from the body. It reduces threat-related anxiety, especially when the threat is highly salient, as in times of a global pandemic (e.g., COVID-19; Trougakos et al., 2020). Beyond biological functions, however, an emerging perspective suggests that cleaning behavior involves physical acts of separation that serve higher-order [...] of the manipulation check items (how clean the visualized experience felt and how much it involved touching oneself), only clean feelings significantly predicted lower anxiety (β = −0.1215, _SE_ = 0.0353, _t_(295) = −3.437, _p_ = .0007) and lower tension (β = −0.1693, _SE_ = 0.0344, _t_(299) = −4.924, _p_ = 1.41e−06), whereas touch involvement did not significantly predict anxiety (β = 0.0550, _SE_ = 0.0375, _t_(295) = 1.469, _p_ = .1429) and predicted higher tension (β = 0.0759, _SE_ = 0.0369, [...] Either way, the potential utility of cleaning for coping with stressors such as physical risks and psychological threats bears theoretical and practical importance. Hygienic care is a human universal (Brown, 1991) and a part of our everyday life, for good reasons. Cleaning behavior confers significant personal and public health benefits (Boyce & Pittet, 2002) and is one of the most recommended daily routines by the World Health Organization for reducing pathogen risks (Pittet et al., 2009).
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lcmchealth.org
article
https://www.lcmchealth.org/university-medical-center-new-orleans/blog/2023/ma…
Having a safe, stable, and healthy home really sets the foundation for achieving and maintaining good mental health.
Just how do our surroundings affect our mental health?
To what extent do our surroundings have an impact on our mental health?
How can we change our environments?
What should people do if they need additional support with their mental health or wellness?
It’s important if you are feeling overwhelmed to seek help by: [...] University Medical Center New Orleans
# Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment for Your Mental Health
Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment for Your Mental Health
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is: Look around, look within – to raise awareness about how much our surroundings can affect our mental health.
What are some other factors that can affect well-being and mental health? [...] For more information about mental health services at University Medical Center, visit www.umcno.org/behavioralhealth
Remember, you are not alone. There are people who care about you and want to help. If you are struggling, please reach out for help.
Watch: Clinical psychologist Dr. Nathan Brown discusses how our surroundings can impact mental health.
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