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In a world rife with chaos and uncertainty, everyone needs a place of calm and comfort to retreat to — which is usually your home.
However, if you have messy little gremlins ... er, children, at home, or there just aren’t enough hours in the day to stay on top of your housekeeping, your place of peace and calm can sometimes just cause you more stress. That’s right, the state of your house can actually affect your sense of well-being — here’s how you can create a clean and tidy space that’ll help soothe your soul without too much effort.
So why is clutter so bad?
Of course, some folks don’t mind the chaos, but for most people, living somewhere that is messy and unorganized can lead to feelings of guilt, shame and inadequacy.
“It's impossible to not compare ourselves to those perfectly staged home images on social media,” says Tuesday Burns, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and a clinical associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “And when our reality and environment don't live up to those impossible standards, we feel terrible.”
Not only that, but it can also increase feelings of stress and anxiety. It's difficult to relax in an environment where your brain is distracted by the things around you that need to be done, put away, cleaned or reset. It’s like a constant reminder of the tasks you need to do, which can then overwhelm you into doing nothing.
Anne Browning, PhD, chief well-being officer at the UW School of Medicine, agrees that your mind, to some degree, can parallel your space.
This means that to reduce anxiety and improve your well-being, it’s important to figure out the stressors in your life and environment that you do have control over and how you can work on them so that your overall anxiety can go down. Which is where Browning thinks that something like tidying your house can come into play.
"You know, fold and put away the laundry that’s been on the couch — your anxiety level drops at least a little bit, even if there's still plenty of existential crisis to indulge in,” says Browning.
Acknowledging that you can’t control everything but that you can address some small things (like your living space) is a move in a positive direction for your well-being and stress management. After all, it feels good to fix something and cross something off your list, even if it's small.
Tips for getting started
Wondering how to get started without getting overwhelmed? We have some quick and easy tips that will help make your spring cleaning session successful:
1. Start small
“It's great to have lofty goals, but smaller, more finite and accomplishable tasks are more likely to be completed,” says Burns.
Maybe you just make your bed every morning. Not only will you have a pleasant experience when it’s time to hit the hay, but by approaching it this way you’ll be able to kindle momentum and build confidence for more tidying as the day unfolds.
2. Focus on high-visibility areas
There’s no sense in spending hours cleaning your closet if your living room (the first thing you see when you walk in) is a disaster. Organizing the spaces you spend the most time in first will help you feel a sense of accomplishment.
3. Spend just 15 minutes on your room of choice, five days a week
That’s not so bad! Devoting just that small amount of time to cleaning will make enough of a difference to help you feel better. Plus, consistency is key, so aiming to clean five out of the seven days of the week will keep you on track.
4. Don't forget the boxes
“I like to have three bags or boxes with me,” says Burns. “I use one for trash and recycling, one for things to donate, and the last one for things to keep.”
Obviously, this three-bag system works for small items — but don’t be afraid to get rid of larger things like furniture or fish tanks that you don’t use anymore. Really ... get rid of it.
5. Spruce up your special space
Though your focus may be on decluttering, there’s no harm in adding some beauty while you’re at it. Set aside some items you love or that make you feel happy (like your favorite photos, books or trinkets), and create what Burns refers to as a “highly visible vignette.” Then it won’t just be the tidy space that will bring you joy, it’ll also be the lovely view of the items that are most special to you.
6. Remember to cater to your other senses
It’s not only about your eyeballs! A tidy room is great for your mental health, but one that also smells great may be even better.
“No need to splurge on expensive diffusers; some orange peels or fresh herbs can go a long way,” says Burns.
Cleaning pitfalls to avoid
The one really important thing to remember during your cleaning and sorting: Be kind and patient with yourself. Especially when it comes to those really dark and difficult times, it’s important to allow yourself a little grace and stop carrying all the guilt and shame about not having the perfect space.
“Keep your expectations reasonable and your goals small,” says Burns. “And when all else fails, toss things into the nearest obliging closet. You'll get to it later ... you always do.”
You’re on your way to tidiness
Take the time you need to make your living space more enjoyable — it will be worth it. By taking control of your environment, you’re creating a relaxing area that will help you focus and give you the energy to deal with more pressing issues in your life.
“When you actually have some spaciousness and organization where you live, your mind tends to kind of follow suit,” says Browning. “The more you can tidy up and ‘set things free’ that are no longer serving a purpose, the better. You can certainly do that with T-shirts, but I think you can do that with some of your own outdated thinking or the things you’re holding onto as well.”
