It’s finally spring! Soon there will be fresh flowers, warmer weather, and the animals will wake up from hibernation. You know what else spring means? Spring cleaning. Yep, it’s almost time for that annual deep clean.
This year, why not make a few changes to your cleaning regiment? There are many efficient ways to tidy up your space. Additionally, it might be a good idea to think about cleaning up a different kind of space — your mental space.
It’s true that many people feel a sense of relief after deep cleaning. You can also get that feeling when you take care of your mental health. Focusing on both spaces, mental and physical, will help you ‘clean up’ your life, so to speak. Keep reading for advice on how to deep clean inside and out this spring.
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Do an Inward Evaluation
Tidying up is known to help you feel refreshed. However, your living or work space is not the only place where some tidy-work could help. The most important space to spring clean is your mind. It’s also a great first step to kick off the season’s cleaning.
Take some time to do your own mental evaluation. Are you feeling stressed or anxious lately? Have you been feeling down? Be honest with yourself about everything you feel. It might be time to make some changes.
Sometimes a second opinion can be extremely beneficial. For this, you’ll want to trust it to the professionals. Did you know you can get a mental health treatment evaluation online? Such providers can set you up with the next steps and resources to ensure you get the right treatment. And you can do all this from the comfort of your home. That means you’ll have extra time for more spring cleaning.
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Schedule Your Tasks
If tackling a large amount of cleaning stresses you out, there’s a way to simplify things. Scheduling when you’ll be cleaning what can make deep cleaning feel not as daunting. Plus, this is a great way to practice time management skills, which can decrease stress.
Get out a calendar or planner and start scheduling. Make sure you don’t give yourself too much to do in one day. Remember, this isn’t supposed to add to your stress. It’s supposed to help release anxiety and make your living space your oasis.
One way to make your cleaning schedule more efficient is by grouping similar tasks together. For example, sweeping and mopping both focus on the floors, so they would work well on the same day. Or, you could complete tasks for each room piece-by-piece. This would be like cleaning all the windows one day, then all the mirrors the next day.
Another way you can split tasks up is by splitting up your cleaning by room. Today, focus on the living room. Tomorrow, clean the kitchen. The day after, tidy up the bedroom. This is another easy way to divide and conquer.
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Organize, Organize, Organize!
This task may be more enjoyable, considering it doesn’t involve chemicals and scrubbing. Organizing your living and work space is actually important for your mental health. Did you know that an unorganized home is scientifically proven to be a major stressor? Luckily, this problem isn’t too hard to fix.
You don’t have to overdo it with this, like color-coordinating your clothes, unless you want to or think this level or organization will help. Shooting for simplicity is just fine. Set up stackable storage bins or install some new cabinets. Drawer dividers can prevent the creation of a ‘junk drawer.’ The rule to follow with organizing is to make sure that everything has a place to be. Don’t let random objects lie around willy-nilly. Give them a home.
If you struggle with deciding where items should go, you could use the “co-worker/cousin” organization hack. This like-with-like method helps you store random items that you might use at the same time (co-workers) or in the same way (cousins). For example, a lint roller often ends up in a junk drawer. However, if you store it with its co-workers, it could go in your closet. Or if you store it with its cousins, it might go in a tape drawer or with laundry supplies.
Did you know there’s a way to organize your thoughts, too? Journaling is a great way to keep track of your feelings and changes in your emotions. You can identify triggers/stressors and vent about how you feel. Keeping a journal will help you take charge of what’s going on in your mind. It can also help you keep track of your progress, which can be encouraging.
Don’t Overload Yourself
It’s easy to get carried away when you have so much to do. But it’s an important benefit for your mental health to make sure you’re not doing too much. Remember to take breaks. Don’t do too much in one day. Otherwise, you could get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of cleaning to do. Pace yourself to find your perfect speed.
Also, make sure you reward yourself for your hard work! At the end of your task, take some time to relax. Take in the wonderful job you just accomplished. Enjoy a yummy snack or take a nap. You deserve to be able to unwind and decompress, even in the middle of big activities like spring cleaning.
