After a long winter, the first few weeks of warmth and sunshine feel wonderful!. It can also jumpstart seasonal tasks, such as seed starting, vacation planning, and my favorite -organizing and deep cleaning! For many folks, spring cleaning marks the start of the new season, but it can actually help your well-being, too. Read on to learn about the health benefits of spring cleaning for the body and mind, according to healthcare professionals.
Spring Cleaning & Organizing Can:
#1 Ease Your Mental and Emotional Stress
“Clutter keeps your nervous system on edge—visually, mentally, and physically,” says Cheryl Groskopf, marriage and family therapist. “It’s not just ‘a mess,’ it’s a bunch of micro-reminders of everything you haven’t done yet.” This kind of sensory and cognitive overload can make it hard to settle, but decluttering and cleaning reduce the incoming stress signals your brain needs to filter out, Groskopf says. This regulates your body and mind, helping you start the new season with ease.
#2 Reduce Allergen Exposure
When it comes to managing allergies at home, regular cleaning is key—particularly during the spring because it brings pollen, which can sneak its way into the house via clothes, shoes, and open windows. The allergies congestion, sneezing, and itchy eyes can be alleviated with a deep spring cleaning and organizing day. As Dr. William Woo, MD, family medicine physician notes, cleaning and decluttering can significantly minimize exposure to allergens, which would otherwise trigger respiratory issues and allergies.
#3 Improve Indoor Air Quality
In addition to reducing allergens, spring cleaning and organizing improves indoor air quality, says Dr. Kirk Sperber, MD, allergist and immunologist. For best results, “open windows before, during, and after cleaning, and use fans to circulate air to remove fumes [from cleaning products],” Dr. Sperber says. It’s also worth using an air purifier with a HEPA air filter, which helps remove indoor and outdoor allergens in the air, he notes. The Air Inside Your Home May Actually Be More Polluted Than Outside, New Study Says.
#4 Increase Physical Activity
In general, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week for optimal health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Examples of cleaning tasks that require moderate-level activity include vacuuming, scrubbing floors and walls, dusting and wiping down surfaces, and cleaning windows, he adds. Play some music and dance as you clean! This is multi-tasking at the higher power!
#5 Promote Better Sleep
In case you need another reason to spring clean, it can even encourage better sleep. The stress-relieving effects of spring cleaning can lend a hand, too. As Keisha Saunders-Waldron, LCMHC, licensed professional counselor, notes “When our environments are chaotic, our minds often stay alert, even when we’re trying to rest,” she says. In contrast, a clean and organized space signals safety and calm to the nervous system, helping lower cortisol levels and promoting more restful sleep.
#6 Boost Optimism
“Spring cleaning and organizing is symbolic of new beginnings,” Saunders-Waldron says. Whether it’s by donating unused items or clearing out a drawer this can translate to an emotional release,” she says. Groskopf echoes this notion, sharing that your environment shapes your internal state. “You’re not fixing your life by scrubbing and organizing a counter, but you are creating conditions that make it easier to access calmness, focus, and motivation.”
Need help with your spring cleaning? Call Global Organizing at 773-803-9415