The Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning

And while we all know that a little spring cleaning can go a long way in making your home feel nice and fresh, you might be surprised to learn that it can benefit your physical and mental health as well.

Need some extra motivation to break out the rubber gloves and get to work this month? Here are four ways that spring cleaning can benefit not just your home, but your health:

1. Cleaner air means easier breathing
   With seasonal allergies running rampant in the springtime, it’s even more important to find ways to help your respiratory health. By deep cleaning your home, you can remove allergy triggers like dust and pet dander that build up over the winter months.
2. Off the couch and on your feet
   While it may not burn as many calories as going to the gym, cleaning the house still keeps your body moving. So if you’re struggling to get off the couch and out of winter hibernation mode, spring cleaning might be the extra push you need to get moving.
3. Get rid of expired products
   It’s easy to accumulate a lot of products over time, and most of them come with an expiration date.  As part of your spring cleaning, try sorting through your pantry and medicine cabinet to find any old products that need to be thrown out. This way you don’t need to worry about you or your family using expired products throughout the year.
4. Less clutter means less anxiety
   The state of our homes can often reflect the state of our mental health as well. Decluttering your physical space can help to remove the “mental clutter” that may be causing you additional stress. A clean, organized home can be the first step toward a less anxious home life. Being in a clean bedroom can even help improve your sleep.

Kick off the spring season with some good old-fashioned elbow grease—your body will thank you for it!

This article first appeared in the April 2019 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.