It may seem obvious that keeping your home clean is good for your physical health.
Sweeping the floor or wiping down the counters keeps pests at bay, and keeping clutter off the ground means people are less likely to trip or step on something sharp, leading to physical injuries.
What might not be so obvious is how keeping your home clean is good for your mental health. But there’s a strong connection between homes that are clean and wellbeing.
One study that analyzed the language women used to describe their homes found that those who said their homes were cluttered were more likely to have an increased depressed mood than women who described their homes as restorative and clean.
The women with more cluttered homes were also more likely to also have health data that suggested poor health outcomes long term.
Other research has found it’s more difficult to focus when there’s clutter around or that people who make their beds are more likely to get a better night’s sleep than those who leave it unmade, Psychology Today reports.
If you are someone who has trouble keeping their space clean, here are some easy ways to start.
One of the reasons it may be hard to keep your space clean is because you have a busy schedule. But adding a few minutes to your routine can help you keep order long term. For example, waking up just a few extra minutes in the morning will give you time to make your bed. You may even be more motivated to do the task when you’ve already woken yourself up to do it!
Each weekend, plan to get one task done, like vacuuming or folding your clothes and putting them away. Research shows that building habits long-term requires starting small and getting specific with what you want to accomplish.
It’s a lot easier to excite yourself to spend 30 minutes doing the dishes if you have a 30 minute TV show you can watch on your laptop as you scrub pots. With so many entertaining podcasts, shows, or audiobooks, there are great ways to organize and clean your home while being distracted by something fun.
Do you tend to hoard clothes longer than you wear them, or keep food in the fridge longer than it’s good? Spend some time donating or throwing away the things you don’t need anymore. It’s much easier to organize a bookshelf that only contains the books you care about rather than the ones you’ve collected over time.
Experts recommend asking yourself what things add meaning to your life. The rest, you can toss out!
Questions about health insurance? Contact a Sea Mountain Homeowner Insurance Specialist today!
