Thinking about cleaning our homes doesn’t necessarily drum up the happiest of emotions. For a lot of us, maintaining a clean home can actually be a large time commitment we just can’t afford. This is especially true now that many of us also consider our homes to be our workspaces, too.
While cleaning is surely a lot of work, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some huge benefits. In fact, it’s been shown that cleaning can boost our moods significantly, as well as help to reduce our stress levels.
By utilizing tools that help us declutter and finding ways to boost our motivation, we can get our homes clean and our stress levels down.
Declutter for a Clear Mind
Decluttering a messy room, especially a room that we spend a good amount of time in, helps us feel less stressed and overwhelmed. In fact, around 61% of Americans polled have said that they feel less stressed after decluttering a space in their home.
Cutting down on clutter cuts down on visual noise. Visual noise can distract us from work or even leisure, which lessens the enjoyment we get out of those activities, as well as our productivity.
Decluttering your home can actually boost your productivity and creativity. Think of it this way — would a painter prefer to work on a blank canvas, or one that’s already been smeared with a palette of paint? The answer is pretty obvious, and it’s true for you, too (even if you’re not an artist)!
Not only does decluttering help our focus, it also boosts our confidence. This is especially true if cleaning is a task that’s been at the very bottom of your to-do list for longer than you’d like to admit. Once you’re finished, you’ll really feel accomplished!
Cleaning Doesn’t Have to be Boring
For many of us, the hardest part about cleaning is getting off the sofa and grabbing a broom. There’s a good reason why many of us had to be bribed to do our chores when we were kids!
That doesn’t mean that cleaning has to be monotonous. There are a few ways to kick up your cleaning process so that it doesn’t feel like work at all.
First of all, cleaning is actually a perfect time to catch up on a great podcast or TV show! Since podcasts are typically quite long, you should be able to find an episode or two that will have your attention for a few hours. You won’t want to stop cleaning once you’re hooked into a great story or conversation from a podcast!
While you’ve got your headphones or speakers ramped up, why not listen to some new music? Find an album that you’ve been wanting to listen to, or a favorite you’d like to revisit. Just don’t take too many breaks to sing along or dance with your broomstick!
Another great, distraction-free way to get some cleaning done? Put on an audiobook! Revisit a story you love or catch up with the latest romantic thriller! You’ll be so entranced by each chapter that you might forget you’re cleaning at all.
If the idea of cleaning your home makes you think “Well, what’s in it for me?”, use that to your advantage by rewarding yourself when you’re done!
Your reward could be a chocolate donut, a great book you’ve been wanting to buy, or even just the time to relax outside by the pool. Whatever you haven’t had the time for, give yourself a little treat by indulging once you’ve completed all of your less savory tasks for the day. You’ve earned it!
Make Your Life Easier With Technology
It’s true what they say — there’s an app for everything these days! Apps are great because they make life easier, especially the tasks that aren’t so easy in the first place.
You may be surprised to learn that there are even apps to help you clean! And no, we don’t just mean apps for hiring a maid service (though those can come in handy, too!).
Snupps is an app for better home organization. If you’re a collector or a decorator, you’re sure to find a ton of inspiration by browsing photos of other users’ homes and how they like to declutter. And if you find that you’ve decided to let go of some of your collections or belongings, you can actually buy and sell them through the app!
Not interested in hunting down buyers for everything you want to sell? Decluttr is here to rescue you! This app will pay you for your used items, such as games, books, and even tech like laptops and phones. If you’re looking to replace an item or add something to your space, you can also make purchases through the app — with free shipping!
Want to improve your cleaning routine throughout the week? No problem! Check out the HomeRoutines app. This app allows you to create a list of the tasks you want to keep up with every week, and even gives you a “Gold Star” once you’ve completed them! It may not be as great of a reward as a chocolate donut, but it’s still an effective way to make sure you get everything done on time!
Get Motivated to Reap the Benefits
A clean, well-organized home can truly do wonders for your mood and well-being. Not only can you reduce your stress, but you’re sure to feel a wave of pride and confidence knowing that you’re keeping up with some of the most arduous tasks in your routine.
Surely, getting motivated is half the struggle. But once you’ve started checking boxes on your spring cleaning to-do list, it’s easy to build momentum and keep going for gold. And surely, the home organization apps available can be a valuable tool to help you keep that momentum going.
Read more on the benefits of cleaning and decluttering from Hippo (including the best apps to make cleaning a breeze) by checking out the detailed infographic below.
Author bio: Sarah Hollenbeck is a writer, homeowner and neat freak from Austin, Texas. When she isn't deep cleaning her home to remove all the pet hair her dog and cat leave around, she's watching Friends and taking notes on how Monica cleans her vacuum. She prides herself on helping others take care of their home, inside and out.
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