Everyone struggles with stress from time to time. One of the best things you can do for your mental health and wellness is to clean and organize your home in a way that minimizes your frustration. Read on for tips on decluttering, organizing, and spring cleaning for a relaxing home.
Decluttering
One thing that can really nag at your subconscious is clutter, according to the writers at Psychology Today. If you find yourself juggling two or three projects at the same time, like framing some artwork, potting plants, and putting together a fundraising mailer, your home can quickly get swamped with tools, bags of soil, envelopes, stationery, etc.
If this is the case, make a resolution to complete at least two projects this weekend. And if you can’t get them done, consider whether each project is really something you have time for. There is no rule that says you have to do everything. Decluttering might start with thinning out your activities.
Another strategy for decluttering is to go through your house and look for anything that is broken or unused. If you haven’t used something for the past two years, take it to the Goodwill or throw it out. If it’s broken, give yourself a deadline for fixing it. If that deadline passes and it’s still not fixed, throw it out or give it away.
Room organization
Having really well-organized rooms will save you time and aggravation and improve your mental health.
Your bedroom is a good place to start with efficient organization. Make sure that you have plenty of storage space for all your clothes and shoes. If your scarves, sweats, T-shirts, and sneakers are all crammed together, you will be spending way too much time sorting through them to find what you need for the day.
If you do not have a walk-in closet, consider adding a free-standing wardrobe to your room. This is like adding a closet, but without having to hire a contractor to build you one.
Also consider how you can repurpose the inside of your closet door to create extra storage space. Closet doors are a good place to put a shoe rack, and you can then use the pockets for other things, like gloves and socks. Don’t hesitate to put more hooks in your bedroom for hanging coats and jackets so they don’t get strewn on the bed or over a chair.
Spring cleaning
It’s the season for deep cleaning in many households. Deep cleaning your house can eliminate odors that cause you stress as well as provide reassurance that your house is germ and dust free. Buildup of dust and germs can cause both physical and mental health issues.
Spring cleaning involves emptying all your cabinets and doing a thorough cleaning of the insides of cabinets, including the top, sides, and bottom. Do the same with drawers. Put flatware organizers in the dishwasher or let them soak in water and bleach. Pull back electric appliances and clean behind them
Everyone needs to clean their baseboards once a year. Pet owners need to do so more often because pet hair and other debris tends to accumulate there. The easiest way to clean baseboards is to first run a duster over them and then spray them down with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe clean with paper towels or cheese cloths.
Consider adding a fragrance, like an essential oil, to your cleaning projects. According to the experts as Hello Glow, the best essential oils for cleaning include lavender, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary, peppermint, rose, and thyme. The aromatherapy you enjoy from the scent of essential oils will definitely help you relax.
Putting a little effort into cleaning and organization can save you a great deal of stress and aggravation. As we head into spring, consider the benefits of a deep spring cleaning. And don’t hesitate to donate unwanted things to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Your junk might well be someone else’s treasure.
Author, Alice Robertson began her career in the home organization industry as a professional house cleaner. After cleaning and organizing her clients’ homes for years, she decided to open her own home organization business. Over the years, she has built an impressive client list, helping to make spaces in homes and businesses more functional. She recently created tidyhome.info as a place to share the great cleaning and organizing advice she has developed over the years.