There is no better feeling than walking into a perfectly clean house after a long day, so amazingly satisfying. Seeing clear countertops and perfectly plumped pillows can give you an immediate energy boost and attitude shift, Oh my! Of course, the opposite can be said as well. After a long day, you come home and the dishes are piled up in the sink, there is laundry that needs to be folded, cluttered counters and piles everywhere. How does that make you feel? Overwhelmed, tired, and disorganized, right?
How Does Cleanliness Affect Mood?
I am willing to bet that you would prefer the first scenario. What many people don’t realize is that your house’s cleanliness has a direct correlation to your mood and your attitude. Studies have also shown that those who have a clean home, with a place for everything, are less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Knowing this, why wouldn’t you try to keep your house in order?
We both know it’s not as simple as it sounds. It is hard to find time and energy to keep up with all the things required to keep a tidy home. Here are some quick tips I’ve learned that will greatly help you get your house in order and create peace in your life.
Tidy Home Tips
Set your intentions
Everything starts with intention, think about what you want, get crystal clear on your desires. Then work toward attaining those desires. Just the act of setting those intentions can drastically improve your mood and attitude without even having to DO anything.
Use a timer
Setting a timer when cleaning or decluttering will help you focus on the task at hand. All too often, we will start cleaning a room and get distracted, and end up with more work for ourselves. For example, you may be cleaning your laundry room and you find a bottle of windex. Next thing you know, you’re washing windows. What’s the problem with that? Well, the laundry room still is not clean and now you are overwhelming yourself with more work than you have time for. Set a 15-minute timer for each room and focus on ONLY that room during that time. After 15 minutes, move on. This will not only help you concentrate on one task at a time but it will also keep you moving and not wasting time. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in just 15 minutes.
Lower your expectations
It took time for your house to get to its current state and it will take time to attain your vision. True change is slow and gradual, as much as we’d like things to happen overnight, the reality is you’ll have to give yourself grace through this process. It’s all about progress, not perfection.
Do a little each day
Reaching your goals will not seem as daunting if you break them down into smaller tasks. The goal of having a clean kitchen can be broken down into bite-sized pieces, each day you need to do something to make progress toward the end goal. A little progress each day will go a long way.
Find your Shiny Sinks
This is my personal favorite! Years ago, I discovered FlyLady! While her emails can be a little overwhelming, her system is truly transformational. The foundation begins with shining your sink (even if you have to take the dishes out and put them on the floor). When I walk into a kitchen with a shiny sink my heart soars. I call this a sink hug. If you keep your sink clean and shiny the rest of the kitchen just kinda falls in line. It’s really unbelievable. I soon realized that every room has a “shiny sink” of its own. In my bedroom, it’s the bed – if the bed is made the rest of the room feels tidy. In my living room, it’s my reading chair. Just find the “shiny sinks” of each room and a tidy feeling home will soon be yours.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Do you find that your mood and mental health is better with a clean home? Tell me about your intentions! What can you do to ensure a clean home? Do you believe in the shiny sink syndrome? Let us know in the comments below! Feel like you need some extra help? I am here for you! Please click here to schedule a consultation.
