Boost Your Mental Health with A Little ‘Spring Cleaning’

With increased hours of daylight, there is more of an opportunity to tidy up your mental and physical spaces.

Some call this time to tidy up spring cleaning, and it’s not an accident that it happens when nature is starting to renew again.

Could this possibly be a time for you to feel mental health rejuvenation too?

We think so.

You can spring clean a physical space at work or at home.

Experts like, Dawn Potter, PsyD of Cleveland Clinic, chime in and report that spring cleaning can indeed benefit your mental health.

More daylight can certainly help reduce anxiety and improve your mood, especially if you have been diagnosed with SAD (seasonal affective disorder), and it can be motivational for a spring clean too.

People often think of the spring season as a time to build new habits and get a fresh start.

These ideas can impact your mental health in a positive way.

So, what exactly are the mental health benefits of a spring clean?

The Mental Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning

You feel proud of yourself.

Read More: “Make Time This New Year For An Internal Spring Cleaning”

During the dark months of winter, sometimes your biggest accomplishment is leaving your house. That is okay.

However, spring cleaning can bring a sense of pride when you clean up your clutter.

By getting rid of the things that you have been holding on to during the winter, choosing one paperwork pile to eliminate, or simply finding a new home for your blankets; you can clear out both physical and mental blocks.

You can reduce overwhelm. 

When you begin to tackle physical piles around your home or office, you are taking one step at a time.

This is a common sentiment in the rooms of recovery.

The notion of one day at a time can help you to put things into perspective and it can be helpful as you spring clean.

You don’t have to get every job done at once, and when you do get something done or eliminated, it’s no longer on your plate.

It’s one less thing to think about each time.

So, what is the next step you want to take?

Your focus may increase. 

Cleanliness around you can mean tidiness within you.

What do we mean by that?

Read More: “Your Brain On Trying New Things: The Benefits and Things To Try In Denver”

Well, when you are able to complete a task, you can put your focus on different, sometimes more important things.

Instead of mentally going back to the same old pile of clothes that you need to put away, you can now focus on time spent with family, friends, and even yourself.

Spring cleaning can mean relationship building if that is your priority, and mental health can be supported when you find ways to connect.

It can also improve your mental clarity.

It can improve physical health. 

Spring cleaning can mean you are getting rid of hazardous materials and waste around your home.

It is time to go through the refrigerator, take the time to learn about leaks, clean out the garage, and get your appliances working properly.

The small tasks you may have been putting off can be hazardous to your physical health.

This could mean you are more tired, overwhelmed, or just stressed out.

Physical and mental health work together, and you can work on both at the same time with a spring clean.

Positive mental health can be a result of improved physical health.

You can let go of habits that are no longer serving you. 

Spring cleaning can be a time to let go of the habits that are no longer serving you.

This can mean that you start to develop a new habit to replace old ones.

With the coming of spring, you can start to get out more with friends as well as family, invite people over to your newly cleaned up home, or even take on a project with a loved one that you have been avoiding.

If you had the habit of isolation during the winter, you could think about ways to connect during the spring.

Spring cleaning can have some important mental health benefits, and you can enjoy a cleaner physical space too.

It can be intimidating to get started, especially if you identify with having a diagnosis that impacts executive functioning skills like ADHD, Autism, C-PTSD, etc.

So, what can you do to initiate a spring clean whether you identify as being neurodiverse or not?

Helpful Ways to Initiate Spring Cleaning

Tackle the biggest projects first.

Read More: “Unlocking Your Full Potential: Strategies for Adulting with ADHD”

By starting with the big stuff first, you can build your confidence and cross more off your to-do list.

This can help you to lessen your load before you start on smaller projects.

You don’t have to get mired in the mess, and you can take one, small step at a time to get your motivation going.

You may be surprised that once you start, you will enjoy the results of your momentum.

Finishing bigger projects first can also help you to see immediate results and give you a sense of accomplishment.

Let go of perfectionism. 

This is a habit that you can get rid of in the spring.

You don’t have to spring clean perfectly to spring clean.

Just get started on a task and go.

Eliminate what you can, save what you want the most, and give away anything that still holds value to someone other than you.

This isn’t about doing a task perfectly; it is about making progress.

Quit comparing. 

It doesn’t really matter if your organizational skills aren’t as great as someone else.

You need to find systems that work for you so that you can maintain them.

If you don’t have full buy in, it could impact your accountability.

Find some inspiration to guide you and let go of the comparison once you do.

It’s okay to do things your way if it makes sense to you.

When you are spring cleaning, the benefits for your mental health can be monumental.

If you are finding the task to be overwhelming, there could be other factors at play. It’s okay to reach out for professional support.

At Denver Metro Counseling, we can help with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other therapies that best support you.

Whether you are an adult, teen, or young adult; there are therapists available.

We’ve got you.

Written by: Randi Thackeray, MA
Clinically Reviewed and Edited by: Julie Reichenberger, MA, LPC, ACS, NCC