Clean Space, Clean Mind
- Category: Depression
- May 25, 2023
Let’s talk about why cleaning is so crucial to our mental health. There are 2 main points I will touch on:
- Our home is an extension of the self; our home is a reflection of the mind.
- Cleaning up a mess is a tangible way to improve our mental health.
We all know a cluttered room is a cluttered mind!
Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson explains that we must fix the things that we repeat every day. Peterson applies this mindset to cleaning our spaces overall.; Peterson believes in broadening the limits of our being to not just our physical body, but the physical space in which we reside. This means that the mundane tasks we do every day, such as getting out of bed, are concepts to be optimized to improve mental well-being.
So, when we get out of bed, the first thing we do is make the bed. After washing your face, instead of leaving the towel on the floor, collect used towels in a hamper instead. These are small tasks Peterson believes anyone can do every day to improve our overall mental health.
Peterson explains that these small changes that occur in our everyday routines are essential. Why? Because of a ripple effect.
- Starting small by cleaning after ourselves during morning and night routines will ultimately lead to one prioritizing cleaning their spaces overall.
Beyond cleaning our rooms while we get ready in the mornings, what are the best practices for cleaning/organizing our spaces overall?
- Create a system: Organize your objects and clothing in a way that makes sense to YOU. Maybe this means you organize your hoodies by color, or you stack your books in order of which to read next. Overall, ‘creating a system’ will help you put items back where they belong when you’re finished using them.
- Storage: Use storage solutions like shelves, bins, and baskets to keep your things organized. It also may help to label what is in each box or to use clear containers to see what’s inside!
- Form a routine: Whether it’s weekly or monthly, create a checklist to go through when doing a deep cleaning of your space.
Ultimately, cleaning is a TANGIBLE way to improve your overall well-being. As we know, a clean home is a happy mind. And if you don’t know this by experience, try cleaning your space more often and seeing how this impacts your mood!
