- Cleaning is not many people's favourite pastime due to how laborious it can be.
- However, studies prove it can reduce stress, anxiety and feelings of demotivation.
- With the cleancore trend being all the rage, here are tips on how to get more than just a clean space from spring cleaning.
Cleancore is among the emerging trends the notorious TikTok app and I’s centred around cleaning and its therapeutic powers.
Cleancore, also known as safetycore, is an aesthetic based around clean objects or objects intended to sanitise. The resurgence of the trend or aesthetic took place as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic when overcleaning and ensuring we were in sanitary environments was of the highest priority.
Now that we’re post-pandemic, the cleaning habits we adopted at the time seem to have stayed with some people, which is not the worst thing. Especially now that the season has changed and it may be necessary for us to do a good old spring clean.
Apart from the cleancore being among the latest trends for hygienic or aesthetic reasons, it is also reported to be therapeutic. So, while spring cleaning has the usual benefits of an organised wardrobe, a sparkling countertop and more open spaces - it is also associated with a lifted mood, less stress and more creativity.
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Clutter is said to increase stress by distracting us and causing us to be overstimulated by the piles of clothing, paper, shoes, smells and dirt - this sends signals to our brains that suggest that the work is neverending.
Studies have shown that women, especially, exhibit chronic levels of stress hormone called cortisol when they perceive their homes to be cluttered.
These are some of the mental health benefits of decluttering:
- It gives you a sense of control, perhaps if there is something weighing heavy on your mind but you are not in a position to tackle it as yet.
- It’s intentional and ritualistic which is helpful as it provides you with a routine to help make you feel like you have things together and not all over the place.
- A clean and decluttered space provides a calming and energising effect, while clutter makes you feel overwhelmed.
If the idea of spring cleaning sounds like a mammoth task and you don’t know where to begin, according to agendahealth.org you can try the following:
- Start small: trying to complete everything in one go is a surefire way to overwhelm yourself and end up feeling demotivated.
- If you can, involve others: this lightens the load if you live with people.
- Set a timer: cleaning doesn’t have to take up your whole day but cleaning in 30-minute intervals, for example, will help keep you dedicated to the task at hand and free of distractions
- Make it fun: blasting your favourite Beyonce album, having your favourite movie or listening to your favourite podcast in the background may help the task feel less boring.
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