Clean Your Space, Clear Your Mind
We’ve all heard some variation of the phrase, “your outer world is a reflection of your inner world”. When it comes to cleaning, (or lack of cleaning) this could not be more true!
Cleaning, decluttering and organization have been linked to incredible mental & physical health benefits. In this blog we’re going to explore these connections, as well as how to clean for your own needs, plus, our favorite cleaning tips to help you stay on task. ✅
Mental Health Benefits of Cleaning
Regular cleaning removes debris, bacteria and germs from our home, while also contributing positively toward our mental health in numerous ways. ✨
Sense of Control: As we make cleaning a part of our daily routine, it can be a way to manage stress and anxiety. Cleaning may be used as a way to restore a sense of control, especially when someone is faced with many problems at once. When life feels chaotic, knowing that we have control over our inner environment can feel incredibly therapeutic.😌
Mood Booster: Cleaning provides tangible results that releases endorphins which actually boosts our mood! When we see the transformation of our home, we get to step back and take in the beauty. We receive that well-deserved feeling of satisfaction!
Improved Focus: Regular cleaning & organization provides improved focus by eliminating distractions!
Declutter your home = declutter your mind. 🧠
Regulates Emotions: Sometimes we come to cleaning when we are frustrated or overwhelmed. Deep cleaning (especially) provides vigorous physical exercise, which may be a constructive way to decompress and be present with our emotions.
Less Stress: Regular cleaning helps with the maintenance of our home. When our home is clean and well-functioning, this means less stress & overwhelm!😄
Improved Air Quality: When our air quality is clean, we are able to breathe and sleep better. Sleep is the time where our physical and mental body repair themselves. When we are able to sleep soundly, this allows us to wake up feeling refreshed to take on a new day!
While there are many benefits we receive from cleaning, for some people, cleaning provides feelings of anxiety, depression and burnout.
Next we’ll discuss how you can begin to mend your relationship with cleaning.💚
Cleaning for Anxiety & Neurodivergent Thinking
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. At Dee’s Green Cleaning, we understand how the scope of cleaning needs may differ for each individual.
For some people within the neurodivergent community, cleaning becomes a “love-hate” relationship due to the anxiety about an ever growing checklist that never seems to get done.
Executive dysfunction leads toward a spiral of negative feelings about these tasks, making the task increasingly difficult and the emotions even stronger. 😥
One may intellectually understand that having a clean space makes them feel good, but getting there is oftentimes challenging or difficult.
“Executive dysfunction is not laziness, it describes real difficulties with skills like planning, organizing, starting tasks, shifting attention, and managing emotions.”
Mending our relationship with cleaning is just as important as cleaning itself.
One step to begin this process is to do your best. Homes are lived in; they tell a tale of how you live. Have a busy day? Don’t have the time to check all the tasks off your checklist? That’s okay. Pick one task that is most essential for your needs, do your best, and let that be enough. ✨
Next, investigate how you can release unreachable cleaning standards. This is challenging for people with anxiety who have a loop of other people’s opinions running through their head. As we begin to do our best, we honor who we are and what our personal needs are. Once we understand those needs, we can adjust our cleaning priorities, plus, change our perspective toward cleaning.💚
Lastly, we recommend asking for help if you’re struggling with your cleaning needs. Asking for help can look like:
FaceTime with a friend to help keep you on task
Have a friend or family member over to help with designated tasks
Hire a professional service
While it is less stigmatized now, sometimes people feel shame when asking for cleaning help or searching for a cleaning service. Cleaning companies like Dee’s Green Cleaning offer you the peace of mind that comes from not having to worry about the maintenance of your home.
Hiring help ensures that recurring cleaning takes place in your home, saving you time, physical and mental energy. 😌
Cleaning Tips to Keep You on Task
Whether you are someone that is easily distracted, has trouble accomplishing your cleaning goals, feels anxiety around cleaning, (or not) we have 4 cleaning tips that will improve your focus & help you stay on track!
Cleaning Caddy : While cleaning your home, have you ever found yourself running from room to room as you put items away? Then you become distracted, only for time to pass by and your original task is still not accomplished? A cleaning caddy can be incredibly useful in saving time & energy. 🔋
Your cleaning caddy does not have to be any specific container; utilize whatever you have that is easily portable and can carry multiple items. This way, as you stay in one room and find items that don’t belong, you’re able to put those items into your caddy, and put them back all at once!
Create a Plan: Instead of the usual “to-do” list, create a cleaning plan that gives you the power of visualization plus knowing what to expect. Remember to do your best based on your own cleaning needs. 📝
When creating your cleaning plan, keep it to one section of a room, or one room at a time to dispel burnout. Within your plan, list what is most important, what order you will perform the tasks, and how.
Set a Timer: After you have created your cleaning plan, set a timer for 10, 15, or 30 minutes and begin. Once the timer goes off, allow yourself to pause. Timers give us the availability to gauge time and see how long we have spent on any given task.
Check in with yourself to see how you feel. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a break. If you’re nearly done with your task, set a timer for a few more minutes to finish.
Don’t forget to celebrate when you’re all done 🎉Take it Slow & Be Mindful: Cleaning can become a meditative experience when we are present. During your time spent cleaning, remember to take a few deep breaths. Once you check in with the timer, pause and reflect. Inner awareness is an amazing tool that we can utilize whether we’re cleaning, or going along with our day.
Remember, there is no race when it comes to cleaning! 🧹
Next Steps
If you’re someone who struggles to meet their cleaning goals, or you just want more time and energy, Dee’s Green Cleaning is here to help with your cleaning needs!
We offer residential and light commercial cleaning with services like maintenance recurring cleans, as well as deluxe deep cleaning.
We clean the “green” way, by using no harsh chemicals or fragrances, plus, our cleaning tools and practices are eco-conscious with your family & our planet in mind. 🌍
Curious about what Dee’s Green Cleaning can do for you?
Connect with us & schedule your free quote today through the link below 👇
