5 Ways Tidying Up is Good for Your Physical and Mental Health

The post-Marie Kondo world understands full well that there is joy in tidying up. The Japanese organizing consultant who turned a book into an empire not just helps you clean up after yourself but also encourages you to feel a sense of gratefulness and connection to your material possessions.

Whether it’s the end of the year or you just suddenly and randomly feel overwhelmed by the number of things in your condo, tidying up is always a good idea. It gives you something to do and offers a myriad of benefits. 

In 2017, behavioral scientist Hsin-Hsuan Lee surveyed 11 women who committed to following Marie Kondo’s methods. The results “In Pursuit of Happiness: Phenomenological Study of the Konmari Decluttering Method” were published in Advances in Consumer Research. Most of the women agreed that they had an easier time choosing which items to discard versus which ones to keep. With Kondo’s checklist of figuring out what to keep and what to toss, decluttering became an easier and more enjoyable outlet to confront the past and let go. 

Research in the journal Management Decision reveals that people who work in neater workstations have fewer chances to make mistakes. The study, published in 2013, assigned two batches of students the same tasks. The first thrived in a well-ordered lab while the other toiled in a messy one. The students in the latter group made more errors in their output. The study concludes that messiness affects accuracy, which can be a disadvantage in fields like math, accounting, and administration.

Scientists at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute also learned that a decluttered work environment enhances focus, improves how you process information, and increases overall productivity.

The Princeton University researchers also conducted brain scans that showed how clutter overwhelmed the brain’s visual cortex. In some people, it can also seem like unfinished business. Decluttering, whether you’re using the Konmari method or some other philosophy, encourages you to set up concrete plans that you can follow through. Putting that last item on the shelf will make you feel accomplished and inspired to fulfill more tasks. 

According to numerous studies, a mess can sow confusion, anxiety, and irritability. A 2010 study in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin corroborates these findings. Researchers asked couples in the U.S. to describe their homes. Women who wrote about their houses in positive terms, such as relaxing, calming, comforting, homey, serene, pleasurable, showed sharper changes in cortisol levels, which is physical proof of greater psychological and physical well-being.

The men, on the other hand, indicated no significant changes in their cortisol levels. According to the researchers, it means they don’t feel enough accountability when it comes to tidying up the home. 

Cleaning up is an ideal mental health habit. However, it is also a great chance to spend your excess energy. Household chores, after all, burn hundreds of calories. With all the squatting, stretching, leaning, pushing, and heavy lifting involved, tidying up isn’t just a mental exercise. Keep your cool even in the heat of choosing which to toss or take with Vaseline Healthy Bright Fresh & Bright Cooling Body Lotion. It has -4C Instant Cooling to invigorate your body. As you work hard on organizing, this lotion works hard to cool and brighten your skin.

You can also double the fresh feeling with Rexona 3-in-1 Deo Powder Peppermint Cool. Apply in on your underarms, back, and feet to relieve your body’s hot spots of itching and irritation from sweat. Done cleaning up? Make sure to keep your hair dust-free. The Love Beauty and Planet Radical Refresher Shampoo has tea tree oil that cleanses the hair without wearing it down. Your hair will look as light as you feel.

Tidying up isn’t as simple as it sounds. It requires just as much emotional and mental vigor as physical stamina to declutter your environment. Knowing its numerous benefits, however, might be the spark you need to pick up that first wayward item from the floor.