Starting your day with a tidy room may help to keep your stress down!
I returned from a trip recently. Having to jump right back in to regular life I didn’t unpack and clean up with the usual care. I let a few things linger. Jewelry was still in the travel case, my toiletry bag was not cleaned out, and shoes were everywhere. You know, basic disorder. What I found over the next few days was that it was dragging me down. I needed to get it under control.
I took the time to get it back to it’s typical level of order. I felt my mood immediately begin to improve. Then, the following morning I was able to get up and jump right into my usual morning routine.
This got me thinking about daily room cleaning routines. Simply put, the act of cleaning up your sleeping space has a great effect on your overall mental health. It can even help to reduce stress. It was one of those moments where I got to experience the truth behind this theory.
Are interested in testing the theory for yourself? Here are 5 steps to help create a room cleaning habit that works for you.
To Make Your Bed, or Not Make Your Bed
Making your bed everyday always makes for an interesting discussion. There are some people that take the stand of “why bother if you’re just going to mess it up again in a few hours.” There are others who swear by making their bed every-single-morning. Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle. I have also learned that it’s hard to change someone’s mind on this topic. I will say that my personal preference is to make my bed. However, some days prove a little challenging, so I don’t beat myself up for it.
Starting your day with a feeling of satisfaction is one of the benefits of making your bed each morning. If you accomplish nothing else the rest of the day, you started off with one small accomplishment. In the evening you can climb back into bed with fluffed pillows and the blankets are not a jumbled mess.
Hamper, Hang, or Drawer
A habit that I do each day is dealing with clothes that start piling up in the bedroom. It’s a great habit to deal with small piles each day. Whether it is jammies from last night, yesterday’s clothes, or clean laundry, it’s a great habit to regularly deal with these small piles. By taking five minutes each morning, you are saving yourself from the stress caused by a larger buildup. Bigger piles take a lot longer to deal with later.
Tidy Up Your Nightstand
My nightstand can become one of the room’s biggest clutter areas. It will always include some combination of medications, cords from electronics, headphones, books, and sleep masks. Each morning, by taking a minute to tidy up you are essentially getting ready for the next good night sleep. Taking last night’s water glass to the kitchen, gathering things that can be thrown away, and straightening electronic cords are all part of my daily routine. Books get straightened and miscellaneous items are put back in the nightstand drawer. If you are feeling extra inspired, give it a quick wipe down as well.
Give Your Closet a Quick Clean-up
A daily clean-up of your closet is as simple as putting away items that may have been taken out the day before. I know that for me there is a good chance that there are shoes that I changed my mind about the day before. There is also probably some jewelry that I took off when I got ready for bed, or a purse that I just finished using that didn’t make it back to the shelf. If you are feeling extra inspired, you can create a habit of purging things that you no longer need. If you tried on a piece of clothing then ended up changing, ask yourself if that item can be decluttered. Think about how decluttered your closet can be if you purged just two or three items each week.
Straighten The Bathroom Counter
Last but not least, clear the bathroom counter of items that can be put away. For me, the bathroom is an extension of the bedroom when it comes to a daily clean-up habit. Clear away makeup or hair styling supplies. Put away toothpaste and toothbrush, and get rid of any trash. Give yourself extra kudos if you give it a quick wipe down. Remind yourself how good it will feel when you come back to this spot in the evening to get ready for bed.
Creating a healthy habit of tidying up your room each day goes a long way to starting your day off on the right foot. While these five steps may appear daunting at first, as you repeat them over again each day you will start to see that they will begin to take less time. Hopefully, you will also see that the benefit is far greater than the effort.
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