For some homeowners, cleaning the house is huge stress they try to avoid at all costs. For other, more enthusiastic homeowners spring cleaning is a great way to get rid of anxiety because they are well aware of all the ways cleaning alleviates stress.
Putting some music on
We are bombarded with ads that show a housewife dancing to a pop tune while merrily cleaning the house.
The advertisement is stereotypical but there is truth to the claim that music helps us relax. In fact, music therapy is recommended by physicians for a number of medical conditions; depression and anxiety included.
If you shy away from cleaning the home, grabbing a pair of wireless headphones and playing your favorite song will help you enjoy the cleaning spree.
A solid workout
Just like music can have a positive effect on your mental health, so can physical activity. Thorough cleaning incorporates several sports, so you are actually working out without realizing it. Vacuuming strengthens your thigs and the forearm while reaching under the bed might require you to perform a pushup.
Wiping and mopping also strengthens your upper body musculature and dusting high shelves means that your calves will get extended more than playing volleyball, for instance. If you want strong biceps and triceps, then ironing is the chore for you.
Staying sharp-minded through planning
Cleaning the house is more than grabbing a cloth and wiping vigorously. You have to think before you act, as a cleaning spree involves planning and organization. This helps your mind focus better, turning your train of thoughts from destructive thinking. This way, you are destressing before you even start cleaning the house.
What if my house is too big?
A common reason people avoid cleaning the house on their own is the sheer scale of the task. Even if you live in a small apartment, you have to clean one room at a time, which is time-consuming. The cleanup will either drag for several days or you’ll toil away one whole day to clean the entire house.
Luckily, there are house cleaning services that can clean faster and better than you ever could. From using disinfectants to deep cleaning, professional cleaners will get the job done in no time.
Charity donations
When clearing the yard, you are left with a lot of junk. The same goes for clearing wardrobes, as you are bound to find tons of clothes you will never wear again.
After the cleaning spree is done, collect everything you plan to throw away and donate to charity all the clothes and pieces of furniture that can be salvaged.
After you hand over the donation, you will feel better about yourself, because you have helped those that need help the most.
A bit by bit
Just like a cleaning spree helps you focus, it also helps you set clear goals. Cleaning is a continual process that should be repeated once a week, so you will learn to progress bit by bit. Such a stance does wonders for your mindset, helping you relax and take the pressure off. If a stately home can be cleaned step by step, who knows what else you might achieve in life if you adopt the “nulla dies sine linea” approach.
Learn to enjoy the fruits of your labor
The main reason why stress occurs is an uncertain future, i.e. the inability to determine the outcome of a life-changing event. The fear of failure is non-existent in cleaning, as a spotless home is guaranteed if you scrub hard. You feel a real sense of pride looking at a freshly cleaned and shiny bathroom!
Over time, you will get used to succeeding in sprucing up your home and your stress levels will start to drop. Having realized that even the most ambitious sanitary goals are reachable, you will gain self-confidence, which will be reflected through a bolder approach to life in general.
In the modern world, de-stressing isn’t easy, as millions pay psychiatrists to help them on the issue. However, you can battle stress on the home ground (quite literally) by taking up a brush and a cleaning solution to spruce up both your home and your mental health
