Spring cleaning marks the change from the doldrums of winter to the sunny days of springtime. It’s also a fantastic way to tidy up after a long winter. Besides the obvious benefits a clean, organized home delivers, there are a few more you might not have considered. For example, researchers have found that living in a tidy home reduces stress levels, boosts productivity, and can even improve your overall mental health!

If those sound beneficial to you, keep reading. It’s all about the benefits of having a tidy space and a stress-free spring. Plus, there are tips, hacks, and great advice on how to get tidy and stay tidy. Read on to discover more and have a spring to remember!

Why Does Mess Lead to Stress?

Several studies over the years have shown that having a messy living space causes more stress. For some, a disorganized or untidy home can cause feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious and unhappy. The reason why messes cause stress include:

• It’s more difficult to find things you need when your living space is cluttered and messy.
• A mess in the bedroom or office can trick your mind into feeling “busy” or “noisy” and prevent you from concentrating.
• Living in a cluttered space reminds you that you have many unfinished tasks you need to take care of.
• A disorganized home can cause stress and tension between family members and roommates.

How Can Cleaning Up Your Living Space Create Less Stress?

The thing about a cluttered, unorganized living space is that it overwhelms your senses. For many people, the clutter is so much that they can’t relax completely, with visual distractions everywhere they look.

Having a tidy home reduces these visual distractions, helping you feel more relaxed and at ease. It also helps you to concentrate on more important things, like work, communicating with loved ones, and enjoying life. Below are some of the key benefits of keeping a tidy home:

• Lower cortisol levels. Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone” is lowered when you live in a tidy home. Less cortisol means lower stress levels.
• Improved focus and concentration on other tasks. This can be especially helpful if you work from home.
• An improved and enhanced mood. Researchers have found that a clean living space promotes healthy, positive emotions.
• Better sleep. It’s been found that sleeping in a tidy bedroom helps you sleep better and get more REM sleep.
• Less Anxiety. Studies have found that a clean space can help calm your mind and reduce anxiety levels.

Cleaning Up Offers Mental and Physical Health Perks

Cleaning is one of those chores that most of us don’t enjoy and thus avoid. However, it’s been shown that there are certain mental health perks that come from cleaning. Even more, it can be a form of simple exercise that helps you to feel calm afterwards. For example, cleaning your home or living space can:

• Give your mind a quick boost
• Help you feel more relaxed and calm
• Reduce feelings of stress or sadness
• Keep you active as you get older
• Give you a sense of satisfaction and success

Top Tips for Keeping a Tidy Home 

Depending on the size of your home and the chaos in your life, maintaining a tidy home might seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be though! Here are a few simple strategies for keeping a tidy home in springtime and all year round:

• Declutter and tidy up your living space regularly. Tidy up a little every day. This is especially true if you have little ones running around creating paths of destruction all the time.
• Dedicate 15 Minutes a Day to Tidying Chores. Use a timer during your daily tidy-up session and set it to 15-20 minutes. You might be surprised how much straightening you can get done in that short amount of time.
• Turn Tidying-Up Into a Routine. We all have routines for when we wake up, work-out, sleep, etc. Turn tidying up into one of your routines and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to keep your place looking great!
• Use various storage solutions. Bins, shelves, racks, and other storage devices can help you keep your place ship-shape.
• Follow the “Buy Something, Toss Something” Rule. This rule states that, every time you buy something new, you get rid of something old. Whether giving it away, selling it, or tossing it, this rule will help you keep clutter from building up again.
• Rotate Your Seasonal Gear. There’s no need to have, for example, winter gloves and hats around in spring and summer. By rotating seasonal gear and other items, you’ll keep your most important living spaces less cluttered.

How A Tidy Home Can Save You Time and Energy

Besides the mental health benefits, living in a tidy home also saves you time and energy. You’ll suffer less down-time, have less frustration, and get daily tasks done more quickly. Here are a few of the time-saving benefits of a tidying your home in the spring:

• It will be easier to find items you need quickly.
• You’ll be able to clean and straighten your living space faster.
• You’ll keep better track of important items like keys, documents, etc.
• You’ll create efficient routines that save you even more time and energy.
• In the morning you’ll get out the door faster with less hassle and frustration.
• Cooking tasks are easier in a tidy, organized kitchen.
• You’ll spend less money replacing something that got “lost” in your home somewhere.

Use Self-Storage to Help Your Spring Tidying

We think you’ll agree, tidying up in springtime is a must. Clean away the winter blues and improve your health while you’re at it!

If you need more storage space but your home is already bursting at the seams, NSA Storage can help. We feature clean, safe, and secure storage units across the United States. From a single room to an entire home, you can store practically anything in a self storage unit from NSA. That includes seasonal items, winter gear, summer sports equipment, clothing, and furniture. Rent a storage unit today to make your spring tidying chores easier and make your home more open and livable!