Cleaning and decluttering your way to happiness

Did you know that cleaning and decluttering are proven to improve your overall happiness and brain function? Keeping things neat and tidy around the house is important even if you are not a "clean freak." There’s no doubt that having a messy home doesn’t make you feel distressed. A cluttered house can drag your mood down and diminish your self-esteem. Whereas a clean home means a happy home – a happy home means a happy you. But is this true?! Of course it is. It’s scientific!

It is often emphasised that tidying up our homes and lives will change our lives, but for some people throwing away their belongings can have the same effect as physical pain. Before getting into the nitty-gritty of just what cleaning and decluttering does to our moods, rest assured that it is something that has a direct impact on our mental wellbeing and can be beneficial in more ways than just a clean home.  

Clutter is defined as anything that:

• Has no place to land or live
• No longer serves a purpose to you
• Is damaged or needs to be repaired
• Looks messy
• Is disorganised or chaotic
• Becomes stagnant
• Is hard to manage

 Physical clutter can be quite overwhelming, and wasting time sifting through it can prevent you from getting to other important tasks or taking care of yourself.

The science behind cleaning and decluttering:

Multiple studies have proved the correlation between cluttered and messy spaces and the overall effect it has on a persons mind, health, and wellbeing. A few of these include findings that show:

• A link between elevated levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and a high density of household items in female homeowners. Women who have more stuff feel more stressed. Men, on the other hand, seem not to mind mess, which explains the tension between tidy wives and their clutter-loving husbands.
• Many women believe that a tidy home means a happy and successful family. More dishes in the sink makes women feel anxious.
• The act of sorting and throwing away things can paralyse many families, even if they want to reduce clutter.  

How to make the most of cleaning and decluttering

• Follow the Rule of Five

Put away five things every time you get up from your desk or walk through a room. Every hour, take five minutes to declutter. By the end of the day, you would have cleaned for an hour.

• Practice the KonMari

"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo popularised the benefits of simplifying and organising your home.

According to her method, known as "KonMari," you should tackle your clutter by asking each item: "Do you bring joy to my life?" If the answer isn't "yes," it's time to toss.

• Sort your items into piles

As you fill containers, categorise and label them. Keep them neatly stored. Sort your items and decide what to donate, sell or toss before you get rid of them.

• Use scented detergents/disinfectants

Once you’ve finished decluttering and throwing away all the junk, it’s time to clean. There’s nothing like the smell of a freshly cleaned home that is most of the time short-lived once the scents fade. Apart from wanting a clean and neat house, you also should want a disinfected house which makes Zoflora your number one go-to. Zoflora's long-lasting fragrances are ideal to motivate you for all your cleaning and decluttering needs. 

Cleaning and decluttering is known to:

1. Reduces stress
2. Helps fight depression
3. Make it easier to focus
4. Help your appetite
5. Improve air conditions

Materialistic culture teaches us that the more things we own, the happier we will be, but clutter actually stagnates energy and increases stress levels. Here are more tips on dealing with stress management in a cluttered and unclean home.

Start looking forward to cleaning and decluttering again if you’ve lost the zeal to regularly do it or try using Zoflora if it’s your first time attempting to do it all at once. No one should dread the act let alone suffer the consequences of a messy and unclean space.

So, before the shopping spree starts this season, do yourself a favour and get cleaning and decluttering. You’ll be happier, healthier, and stress-free! Your home will love you for it and so will your mind. And don’t forget to top it off with your favourite Zoflora fragrance that you can purchase here.