A Soft Place

We all know that having a clean home reflects well on how others look at you. It’s the main reason we clean up before having guests over for dinner or before hosting a large social gathering. However, did you know that cleaning your home can be therapeutic and relaxing, in and of itself? So instead of only cleaning when you are expecting guests soon, it is just as useful to clean on a regular basis, regardless of whether you expect any company or not. Let’s discuss why cleaning is so beneficial, and then discuss the most effective ways to go about said cleaning.

Cleaning improves your health

First off, let’s point out what we all instinctively know about cleaning: it takes work and effort. We won’t deny that fact. However, this work is of a physical nature, which means that cleaning is a form of physical activity! This makes it the perfect activity to not only get something substantial done in and of itself, but to also get a physical workout in at the same time. Physical health is something that a lot of people neglect, especially as they get older and older, so having an easy way to improve your physical health is very beneficial. Especially when you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to do it.

Not only does cleaning improve your physical health, but as a direct result, it improves your mental health as well. Did you know that just 20 minutes of physical activity per day can help reduce depression? This is something that not a lot of people realize and is clearly another great reason to clean your house on a regular basis. But cleaning your house doesn’t just stop at helping to fight depression – it is also a great way to control and channel any negative emotions and energies as well. Seeing all the dust and clutter building up in your home can further exacerbate any negative thoughts and feelings in your life. And so physically cleaning it all away helps you to feel a lot happier and relaxed as a result. This is truly where the therapeutic effects of cleaning really come into play and the part I personally love the most about cleaning.

Maintaining a clean home in general will help improve your overall health in the long run as well. Multiple studies have shown that those who live in clean homes are typically the healthiest, and there are a few reasons why this happens. For one, the very act of cleaning your home can eliminate tons of allergens that build up over time, meaning that if your house is constantly clean, your immune system remains in tip-top shape in the long run. Another psychological reason for cleaner homes leading to healthier people is that clean homes subconsciously lead to those living in them to make more health-conscious food choices. Although it’s hard to give a concrete example, one way to look at it is that having a cluttered home lends itself to people more often reaching for quick and easy (but very unhealthy) snacks like chocolate bars, rather than healthier alternatives. I know it’s not the clearest example in the world, but hopefully it makes at least a little bit of sense. In any case, keeping a home clean doesn’t just provide short-term health benefits, but long-term ones as well.

And those long-term benefits don’t just benefit yourself, but everyone in your family who lives with you as well!

Tips on effective cleaning

While cleaning a home is fairly straightforward, there are some things to keep in mind if you want to get the most therapeutic benefits out of your cleaning sessions.

The most important thing to keep in mind, in our opinion, is that cleaning should be a light and fun activity. While cleaning does serve a practical purpose, if you are using cleaning with therapeutic means in mind, it is important not to go overboard with your cleaning. In other words, your cleaning style should be more akin to trying to just “tidy up”, rather than trying to clean the house from top to bottom all in one day. Going overboard with how you go about cleaning will only stress yourself out, which almost defeats the entire purpose of cleaning in the first place. Treat cleaning as a whimsical activity, and one that you wouldn’t have any problem stopping as soon as you get bored or tire out.

Once you have that mindset in place, there are a few other small things to keep in mind to have the best cleaning session possible. All the necessary tools that are required for cleaning should ideally be accounted for in the beginning, before you start any cleaning (i.e. things like your vacuum, cleaning solution and dusters). You should also be sure to wear comfortable clothing, ideally anything that you wouldn’t mind getting a bit dirty since they may get a bit dusty or wet depending on what type of cleaning you are doing. And if you really want to help pass the time, try playing music to keep your spirits up while you make your house clean as a whistle!

If possible, you should also try to open your windows while you clean and let some fresh air into your home. Getting some fresh air while cleaning is a great way to not feel so crapped inside your own home (which is such a restricting feeling, especially if you start to work up a sweat while cleaning). Obviously if you have air conditioning in your home then this would most likely not apply to you, but in any other case, we highly recommend taking this small but effective step to enhance the conditions in which you are cleaning your home. Along those same lines, you should also try to let in as much natural sunlight as possible, not only to see the sunlight radiate the inside of your home, but also to possibly feel the faint warmth as well, both of which are very refreshing and therapeutic feelings!

Make cleaning an activity, not a chore!

Like we mentioned above, cleaning should not only be limited to when you anticipate having guests over. It should be done on a regular basis (or as often as time allows you). In addition to (inevitably) making your home clean and presentable, cleaning also naturally improves both your physical and mental health! If you really need some therapeutic release amid your constant daily grind, consider spending even just half an hour to simply clean your home. It can really make a positive difference in your life, not just now but many years into the future as well!