A clean home is a haven in the midst of hectic schedules and stressful days. When you walk into a spotless kitchen after a long day, you can finally take a deep breath, relax, and clear your mind. And you’re more likely to smile instead of scowl at your loved ones.
8 Science-Backed Reasons Housekeeping is Good for You
You’ve always known it, but now researchers are proving that keeping things tidy has very real and far ranging benefits. From relieving stress and melting tension between loved ones to preventing illness and reducing toxins, read on to learn how housekeeping can improve your life. Some of the benefits may surprise you!
No One Can Do it All
Despite your best efforts, you can’t keep a perfectly clean house, juggle work and family responsibilities, and maintain your sanity all at the same time. But letting the cleaning duties slide and living with dust and disorganization only increases stress and decreases productivity. So what are you supposed to do?
Between paying the bills, caring for family and pets, cooking dinner, running errands, mowing the lawn, and every other task on your unending to-do list, something’s got to give. Especially if you plan to have a social life or practice self care as well (which we strongly recommend you do).
We’ll let you in on a secret: The people who seemingly “do it all” and have an immaculate home are getting help from cleaning professionals.
Asking for Help Isn’t a Weakness
There’s a myth that professional housekeeping services are only for the ultra rich, entitled, spoiled, or lazy. But we can tell you that is far from the truth. Our clients come from all walks of life, but they all share one thing in common: they needed help and they asked for it.
They asked for help because they decided they were worth it. Worth the little bit of extra time it afforded them to rest, be with loved ones, or cross other items off the to-do list. Worth the wonderful feeling of relief and support they get when they walk into a sparkling clean home.
Asking for help in any area of life takes strength. And whatever your reason, hiring a housekeeper isn’t a luxury or indulgence, it’s self care.
8 Reasons Housekeeping is Important for Your Wellbeing
With her best-selling book and Netflix show, Marie Kondo is shining a spotlight on what researchers have proven: there is “life-changing magic” in cleaning and organization.
The positive psychology of cleanliness is well documented. Here are eight reasons why, according to science, you can consider it an important part of your wellness routine.
- Your environment dictates your mood. In a survey conducted by UK cleaning brand Dr. Beckmann, 90 percent of people said that mess and clutter around the home made them feel unproductive and unhappy. And a scientific study analyzing how people talk about their homes found that women who used words like “cluttered” were more likely to be depressed and fatigued.
We look at a messy environment and see a pile of unfinished work, but a clean one is a sanctuary. Regular housekeeping is important for fending off depression, lethargy, and even low self-esteem.
- That mess is causing stress. In the same study mentioned above, researchers also discovered that clutter is correlated with higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that spikes blood pressure and weakens the immune system. As we know that stress can take years off your life, it’s important to tackle a messy home sooner than later.
According to psychiatrist Dr. Rian Rowles, “Too much clutter can cause tremendous stress and fatigue. When things take longer to find, or can’t be found, stress levels rise, and so does your risk for illness.”
A clean home reduces feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, and makes it easier to relax at the end of the day. This simple shift can have a domino effect, leading to better sleep, a more positive mindset, and a healthier life.
- A clean home energizes you. To their surprise, physical activity experts at Indiana University found that people with clean homes are more active than others. This makes sense when you consider that a messy house causes stress and low mood, which make you less likely to get off the couch.
Additionally, researchers at Princeton University found that clutter makes it hard to focus because, simply put, your brain gets overwhelmed by all it sees. These visual distractions slow productivity and decrease your motivation get things done.
- Relationships thrive in tidy homes. The stress-busting, mood-lifting benefits of cleanliness extend to everyone in the home, and impact the ways you interact and communicate. After all, if you’re harboring resentment over crumbs on the countertop and cat hair on the couch, you’re more likely to snap at your loved ones or give them the silent treatment.
In a survey of recently divorced people, 30 percent said “disagreements about housework” were the main reason they called it quits. The stress and frustration of a messy house is all too easy to take out on your spouse (or child, roommate, or house guest for that matter).
A neat and organized home can take significant pressure off your relationships and help stem criticism and resentment, leading to better quality time together.
- Cleanliness keeps you safe and healthy. Aside from the ways it improves mental health, a clean home improves your physical health in myriad ways. Cleaning is part of personal hygiene and sanitation, helping to stop the spread of illness, prevent pest infestations, reduce asthma and allergies, and eradicate toxic mold and mildew.
Proper, regular cleaning cuts down on allergens from mold, dust, and pet dander. This takes a burden off your immune system, as does disinfecting the surfaces you touch daily to kill unwanted germs. It also reduces fall and fire hazards, both common causes of home injury.
More surprisingly, a clean house may help you cut calories. Cornell University researchers showed that people working in a messy kitchen ate twice as many sweets as people in a clean kitchen.
Prioritize Your Wellness with Housekeeping
To make sure you achieve the benefits outlined above, you can’t trust just any cleaning company. Some so-called “professionals” are inexperienced, have poorly trained employees, or spread themselves too thin.
At Lily’s Cleaning, health and wellness is at the core of our mission. We take great care when cleaning so you can return to a relaxing, restorative home. If you’re looking for a high-quality housekeeping service to boost your health and happiness, reach out today for a free quote.