Stressed by Mess? 10 Reasons to Finally Take Control

If you’re finding your stress levels are rising, it’s time to look at your life to figure out why. One thing many stressed-out people fail to realize is that the environment where they work and live can contribute to stress, especially when the spaces you spend most of your time in are reaching unruly levels of mess. 

While you might not be conscious of your surroundings because you’re so busy, research proves that a neat and tidy environment, and even the act of cleaning itself, can positively impact your mental health. 

In this article, we will look at ten reasons to finally take control and reduce the mess in your life.

1.A sense of control is stress-relieving

First, stress is often heightened when we experience a feeling that we are not in control. However, when you’re living in a constant mess, cleaning is something you actually can control. Therefore, by cleaning, you not only reap the benefits of living in an organized environment, but also feel more in control, thus reducing stress.

2. Clutter is a constant distraction

When you think about how your mind feels when you’re stressed, it’s like a million different disorganized thoughts constantly bombarding you and fighting for attention. Mess and clutter work very much in the same way, creating a feeling of chaos that you can’t escape. 

When you reduce clutter in your home, you also reduce clutter in your mind, as you aren’t distracted by the endless reminder that you are not keeping up with your daily tasks. The clutter also limits your ability to process information. So, if you work from home, it’s even more important to keep things neat and tidy. Uncluttered work areas increase productivity and make it easier to work because you can process information efficiently.

3. Mess and clutter impact mood

A clean home reduces anxiety. As mentioned above, clutter is a distraction that constantly reminds you that there is too much work and not enough time to tackle it. When you clean your home, you feel happier, as the weight is lifted off your shoulders and you have less to do.

4. Cleanliness smells good

If you’re familiar with aromatherapy or are a scented candle fanatic, then you know how scent can positively impact your mood. Dirty homes don’t smell great, and even if you don’t notice the smell, your subconscious does. 

When your home is clean and fresh, it smells good and helps improve your mood. Clean smells, like pleasant soaps and cleaning products that you associate with cleanliness, reduce nervousness and anxiety, while helping you feel more motivated and positive.

5. Better sleep

Stress is infamous for making it difficult to sleep. If you are constantly tossing and turning in a messy bedroom with less than fresh sheets, you can improve your rest by cleaning your room and making your bed with a clean set of sheets. 

The physical activity of cleaning and making your bed helps you feel more relaxed or even a little sleepy, so you can sink into those clean sheets and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

6. Cleaning as meditation

Instead of seeing cleaning as a chore, you can use it as a form of meditation to focus on calmness and the idea of accomplishment. Mindfulness is a handy method to keep yourself calm and free of anxiety. It teaches you to focus on the moment instead of letting your brain wander to anxiety-inducing thoughts. 

When you clean, you can focus on each task one by one, so you remain in the moment and help ease your mind. Doing a little each day is an excellent way to use cleaning to train yourself on mindful practices to reduce stress, become more focused, and remain in control of your life.

7. A burst of endorphins

The act of cleaning is also a form of exercise. When you exercise, you release endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals that our bodies produce naturally. They interact with your brain’s receptors, thus creating a positive feeling. 

In fact, endorphins can even fight pain. Including regular cleaning in your daily activities can reduce stress and lessen the risk of depression and anxiety.

8. 100% satisfaction (almost) guaranteed

Cleaning offers a true sense of satisfaction, even in small doses. You help create a more livable space where you can relax. Tackling messes is also very therapeutic as it releases those positive endorphins and creates a sense of pride in your work. 

Something as simple as washing dishes, sweeping the floor, or tidying messy papers on the coffee table is very satisfying and are tangible actions that provide measurable results.

9. A happier home and relationships

It’s often said, “Happy wife, happy life.” However, it can also be a happy husband, happy partner, happy kids, or even a happy roommate. The people you live with all feel better in a clean home. 

Messes can harness resentment that builds day after day. You could wonder why no one is cleaning while others are actually thinking the same. You might long for a clean home, but are too stubborn to be the one who “always” cleans or vice versa. Or, even worse, you live with someone who is literally oblivious to the mess. 

When the home is clean, however, no one feels resentment. There is an underlying sense of calm because there is no clutter. All of the points above benefit the entire home, so everyone is happier, calmer, and resentment-free.

10. Improved physical health

There’s much to be said about how good health helps to reduce stress. When you suffer from aches and pains or are always sick or exhausted, it adds to your anxiety. Luckily, cleaning contributes to improved physical health in several ways, such as:

• The release of endorphins (as already mentioned).
• Physical activity can get your heart rate up to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Fewer germs and bacteria in the home can make you sick, including E-coli, staphylococcus, and corynebacterium, and of course, flu, colds, and COVID-19.
• Reduced allergy and asthma symptoms with the removal of dust and allergens in the home.
• Reduced risk for disease-carrying pests attracted to food and dirt, especially in the kitchen or wherever you leave dirty dishes lying around.  
• Improved sleep.

As you can see, a clean home helps to reduce stress and also keeps you healthier and happier. 

If you want to get a good start on keeping your home clean, Maid4Condos offers the deep cleaning services in Toronto that you need to make your daily cleaning more manageable. For more information, you can call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.