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O
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 [...] home to a clean and organised house helps them to unwind after an overwhelming day.
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kwikbrain.medium.com
article
https://kwikbrain.medium.com/fight-stress-by-cleaning-it-really-works-33cd50e…
### Conclusion
There’s no way we can escape stress entirely. As our modern lives pile things on our plate, stress will often follow. While there are a multitude of strategies we can employ to help mitigate stress, cleaning and organizing is always an easy activity we can engage in that provides numerous benefits. Even better, the more we do, the more effective it becomes. So start organizing today!
Kwik Brain
Neuroscience
Brain Training
Organization
Stress Management
Jim Kwik
Jim Kwik [...] 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. [...] 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
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prowellness.childrens.pennstatehealth.org
article
https://prowellness.childrens.pennstatehealth.org/the-connection-between-clea…
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.6 Other research has found that decluttering can help older adults retain a sense of control over their life as they age.7
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. [...] 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.
The Connection Between Cleanliness and Mental Health
## Benefits of Cleanliness and Decluttering [...] Home » News » The Connection Between Cleanliness and Mental Health
# The Connection Between Cleanliness and Mental Health
### Here’s why decluttering can help spark joy and boost mood
### Key Takeaways
Maintaining a clean and organized home can help reduce stress, lift your mood, and make you feel more in control.
Start small by cleaning one part of your house each day to make cleaning less overwhelming.
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columbiadoctors.org
news
https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/reduce-stress-through-decluttering
Cleaning and organizing our space may feel overwhelming in the moment, but it’s actually something we have the ability to control, assuming there are no physical limitations or other similar issues preventing us from doing so.
## How do you help clients figure out what stuff to toss or give away?
Many people feel stuck when it comes to deciding what to part with. They may hold onto things that don’t have any practical or sentimental value because of anxiety or fear of moving on. [...] 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. [...] In behavioral activation, we help our clients identify objectively achievable tasks (this will often include cleaning or straightening up) and help them differentiate these actions from the stressors and tasks that the individual finds overwhelming. We also help them chunk down any large, overwhelming task into smaller, more manageable steps.
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gvma.net
article
https://gvma.net/2025/04/08/the-mental-health-benefits-of-staying-organized
As mentioned before, decluttering and organizing your stuff can reduce stress. In one scientific study, women who had messy homes had higher cortisol levels (the stress hormone) in their bodies throughout the day compared to women that saw their homes as organized and relaxing.1 Clutter tends to leave a heavy feeling on a homeowner, as it weighs you down both physically and emotionally.
## Organized space helps to increase your ability to concentrate. [...] Have you ever found yourself feeling stressed and easily distracted working in a messy work environment? A clean and tidy space means fewer distractions and therefore helps to make you more focused on what you are doing.
## Organized space equals better sleep quality. [...] Decluttering might sound like a trendy buzzword, but there’s real value in it—especially for professionals like you. Clearing off your desk, organizing your notes, or even tackling that chaotic storage room at the clinic isn’t just about tidiness—it’s about reclaiming a sense of control. And research backs it up: people who maintain orderly spaces often report lower stress levels, more focus, and even better moods. You may not be able to control a tough case or an emotional client
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fepblue.org
news
https://www.fepblue.org/news/2023/02/08/17/34/The-Mental-Power-of-Cleaning
Accumulation. Clutter. Dust. A messy home or workspace can take its toll on your mental health and wreak havoc on your productivity. But understanding why can help you take charge.
Clutter can feel like chaos—especially when life feels most hectic. But decluttering is a great way to regain control of your environment. By cleaning, sorting and organizing, you are engaging with your surroundings in a positive way. Your mind will be at ease and your space will be much cleaner. [...] Accumulation. Clutter. Dust. A messy home or workspace can take its toll on your mental health and wreak havoc on your productivity. But understanding why can help you take charge.
Clutter can feel like chaos—especially when life feels most hectic. But decluttering is a great way to regain control of your environment. By cleaning, sorting and organizing, you are engaging with your surroundings in a positive way. Your mind will be at ease and your space will be much cleaner. [...] Next time you struggle to focus, take a look around. If you see some clutter or an opportunity for organization, take the time to sort and clean. Simply put, the fewer things vying for your attention, the easier it is to stay on task. There is evidence that supports the case for better productivity in an organized workspace.
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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
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 [...] Our work also provides the first physiological evidence for the attenuation of stress-related effects by cleaning, extending the hitherto mostly experiential evidence to a new level of analysis. An additional nuance is that cleaning effects in some of the present experiments were evident for indirect measures, including pictorial assessment of basic affective dimensions and physiological markers, but not for direct verbal measures that used specific emotion terms, which can operate [...] 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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lotusconsultingpllc.com
article
https://www.lotusconsultingpllc.com/blog/spring-cleaning-declutters-your-mind
Simplifying our surroundings by removing unnecessary items, tidying up and organizing can lead to improved concentration, reduced anxiety and an