Being isolated and quarantined due to the COVID-19 pandemic can be highly stressful, inconvenient, and anxiety-provoking. It’s perfectly acceptable to feel sluggish, unmotivated, unhappy, or even on a rollercoaster of emotions during this time. The most important thing is to concentrate on what you can control. Cleaning and organising your space has several mental health benefits, and this article will go over some of them.
It gives you control of your surroundings
With the health crisis confining you in so many ways, you may feel you have no power and control over your life right now. Taking advantage of something you can control, including your environment, is empowering and uplifting. It is more important than ever to start organising and cleaning your space, especially since you will spend a fair amount of time in one confined environment. It can be liberating to go through this process, even if it is just getting rid of things, arranging your fitted wardrobe, or designing and decluttering your room.
It can be calming and therapeutic.
Cleaning and organising are linked to a reduction in stress and anxiety. Unconsciously or consciously, a cluttered or untidy area can be perceived as “unfinished business,” which can add extra stress. Buffing your desk counter, laundering your sheets, fixing your bed, sorting through clutter, washing the dishes, bringing out the trash, dusting the cabinets, vacuuming, and other hands-on cleaning activities can be blissful meditative state. Clean sheets and pillows can help you get a better night’s sleep, which has mental health benefits.
It uplifts your mood.
After you’ve cleaned and organised your space, you might feel as if everything is “new” again, which adds to your hype and delight. Going through the process may provide a sense of accomplishment and the positive energy of being productive. In addition, you may experience a sense of calm as you declutter your environment and your mind. The small trinkets you can find during the decluttering process can also bring a taste of nostalgia and bring happy memories that can further uplift your mood.
It improves your focus
Examine your work environment if you find it difficult to concentrate on the office or school work. Do you have objects in your visual cortex unrelated to the work at hand? These task-irrelevant objects, such as piles of paperwork, your breakfast cereal bowl, unopened letters, and an overflowing bin, maybe make it even harder to concentrate on what needs to be done. Documents and unopened messages are particularly bothersome; in addition to contributing to your crowded environment, they can also serve as a visual reminder of tasks you’ve been putting off. So, open those emails, file any documents, run the dishwasher, and empty waste bins. If you have a cluttered desk, get rid of the trinkets competing for your attention. You could always put them in another room if you’re not ready to let go.
Final thoughts
Cleaning and arranging can spark your creative thinking, and once you embrace it, the possibilities for where it can lead you are limitless. It’s easy to dismiss the value of decluttering; however, keep in mind the countless mental health benefits of house cleaning, especially while we’re all stuck indoors.
