In this new day and age, we spend a lot more time at home than in past generations. Rather you are someone who is working from home or simply enjoying staying inside within your own space occasionally (or all the time for my fellow homebodies), having a clean space to do so is important.
Not only do dirty and cluttered environments lead us to ingest bacteria that can cause sickness and/or infections but they tend to take a negative emotional control on us as well. Dirty environments can cause us to feel anxious, unproductive, claustrophobic, etc. However, clean spaces can bring us clarity, energy, a sense of accomplishment, and many other positive emotions that help us achieve mental stability.
It’s important that we make having a clean space a priority in our life. Taking time to do a little spot cleaning weekly or biweekly (not just monthly because by then you are cleaning large messes which often feels very stressful) can add many benefits. Let’s discuss them!
Reduces the number of contracted infections and illnesses
We all get messy from time to time but leaving dirty spaces to accumulate can have negative impacts on our physical health. Dirty spaces, especially over a period of time, are just harvesting bacteria that continue to spread around your living area. This can be especially dangerous if the dirty space is in your kitchen, sleeping space, or any area within your house you spend a lot of time in.
Taking time to wash clothes, sweep or vacuum, clean dishes, and wipe down surfaces often will not only make your space more vibrant but also filled with fewer germs leading to a lower chance of infections and illness. You most likely will notice the air of your house feeling and smelling cleaner once you make the habit of cleaning more often as well because bacteria have a way of holding onto or creating bad scents.
Feelings of motivation or productivity
When you do small tasks throughout the week to make your space cleaner, you’ll feel like you have completed more throughout your day. You have probably heard of the large number of people who make their bed right after waking up. Well, a popular reason for that is the sense of checking off things from your to-do list already. When you wait 2+ hours after waking up to be productive, sometimes it can feel like you’re already behind or not as productive as others.
Pick simple cleaning tasks that you believe are doable daily and that can be accomplished soon after waking up. This act will help you start your day on the right foot, feeling productive and motivated to complete harder tasks you may have planned for later.
Becoming more comfortable within yourself
Dirty space can make us feel less about ourselves. Why can’t I keep my space clean like everyone else? Why am I such a messy person? Am I nasty? The truth is that no matter who you are, cleaning is a long and sometimes hard task. We all have to take time out of our day to get it done. If you have a messy space that simply means you just haven’t dedicated the time to clean. This is assuming you are able-bodied and can clean your space yourself.
If you find cleaning hard don’t start with the big messes and don’t force yourself to believe you have to get it all done in a day. Start off with something small and continue over the course of a couple of days or weeks to get your space the way you like it. It’s also okay to for support from friends or family to help clean your space occasionally. However, for our mental health because we know how some people can be, make sure you aren’t asking someone who will judge and bring negative energy during the process.
Cleaning your space is supposed to be a healing process!
Days start off more relaxing!
Once your space is clean on a more consistent basis you will notice being less anxious or stressed. Often when we wake up or come home to a dirty mess we are already thinking of all the things we still need to get done. It’s important to be able to feel like we can sit down and relax (turn on Netflix, Hulu, whatever) without feeling lazy because we know our space could use a good cleaning.
You’ll also notice you won’t be having long cleaning sessions as often anymore, leaving you with more time to indulge in your hobbies, career, time with family and friends, etc. Making cleaning a priority will add time to your other more enjoyable priorities in the long run.
If you think your messes are just impossible to tackle, there are many videos on YouTube featuring people who discuss how they get everything done or what inspires them to clean. We all have our own reasons for not cleaning often (busy schedule, lack of energy, mental or physical illness) but it’s important to find a way to tackle that hurdle, not beat yourself over it.
“When your enivornment is clean you feel happy, motivated and health.”
Lailah Gifty Akita