Taking Control: Cleaning for a Clearer Mind

When our mental health is in distress, one of the first things to be put on the back

burner can often be our daily task management. This includes caring for our hygiene, tending to our busy schedules, and keeping our environment clean and

tidy. Unfortunately, when our spaces are out of order, it can affect our general wellbeing.

First, full transparency: I am not sharing this from a place of perfection. I, too, have a car

with Goldfish cracker crumbs ground into the floor mats, a desk with a pile of

unorganized papers, and a kitchen table that often holds more random junk than dinner

plates. What I’ve found, however, is that my mood is heavily affected by chaos in my

environment. Allowing clutter or mess to build up results in a distressing cycle of

decreased motivation followed by an increase in guilt and stress.

Why does tidying our spaces improve our mood? In short, it allows us to have control

over our environment. We can easily locate items that would otherwise cause frustration

or anxiety when searching for them. It also provides a sense of accomplishment and is

a form of physical activity which, of course, is also great for our mental health.

Below are a few tips to set in motion a plan to improve your mental health through

cleaning, even when it feels impossible to get started:

• Start small- Try not to let yourself become overwhelmed with the amount of work

ahead of you. Rather, pick one small task at a time to tackle. Take on that pesky

junk drawer, or maybe drop off that box of clothes in the trunk of your car that

you’ve been meaning to donate for 3 months and just haven’t made the time.

Sometimes one small task can motivate you to take on another!

• Set a timer- Plan for 15 or 30 minutes and tell yourself you only have to clean for

that duration. Whatever you complete in that time is a success, no matter how

much or little you get done.

• Make it enjoyable- Turn on a podcast, crank up your favorite 90’s rap playlist, or

treat yourself to a large overpriced coffee to keep you going.

• Ask for support- It’s okay to admit to your loved ones that you need a helping

hand. We’ve all been in a place where we could use some assistance, and the

odds are that your friends and/or family would be more than willing to jump in and

help if you allow them to. Sometimes, even just letting a friend sit with you while

you work on a project can be enough.

• Celebrate your accomplishments- Stand back and look at the work you’ve

done. Take a second to recognize how this newly cleaned space makes you feel. Be proud of the steps you took, no matter how small!