Spring is the season of new beginnings. New buds form and bloom on flowers and trees, animals come out of hibernation, and the temperatures begin to rise. The air feels lighter, and the atmosphere is buzzing with a fresh energy. With this energy, many people refresh after the winter months by participating in a long tradition known as spring cleaning.
After being bundled up all winter long, it can be revitalizing to open your home back up for the warmer seasons. As you tidy and deep clean each area of your home, it may be a good idea to use your spring-cleaning efforts as a way to declutter and downsize. You are already going through your belongings, so take advantage of the opportunity! Even if you do not plan to move in the foreseeable future, you can still enjoy your current home without as much clutter.
Why should you participate in spring cleaning, and where should you start the process? Community Senior Life has senior living communities located throughout Alabama, and we understand the benefits of refreshing and downsizing your space. We want to help you tackle this project by sharing these benefits as well as downsizing tips you can implement this year.
Benefits of Spring Cleaning
Provides a Sense of Accomplishment and Improves Well-Being
Even if you do not love the actual process of cleaning, once you are finished, you will likely feel a great sense of accomplishment. According to Robin Berzin, MD, founder and CEO of Parsley Health, “a neat and tidy, fresh-smelling home can naturally boost endorphins in the brain and improve energy levels.”
Additionally, a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that a clean, restorative home decreased levels of fatigue and risk of depression and improved mood and overall well-being.
Increases Productivity
If your house is messy or cluttered, you may have trouble focusing on one specific task. Unnecessary clutter or dirty dishes piled in the sink can distract you and inhibit your ability to focus. Furthermore, you may spend more time searching for something that you need among the clutter.
By spring cleaning and downsizing your home, you can eliminate these distractions and streamline your tasks. Maintaining a fresh, clean, and decluttered environment allows your brain to concentrate solely on the task at hand and can improve your productivity.
Lowers Your Risk of Injury
A common home safety tip is often to reduce the clutter in your home. The less stuff piled around your living space, the less chance you have of tripping over it or your clothes catching on it. This is also one of the benefits of spring cleaning.
If you implement decluttering techniques into your spring-cleaning efforts, you can decrease your risk of injury due to clutter. Once your spring cleaning is complete, you will be left with a cleaner, safer home!
Spring Cleaning and Downsizing Tips
Give Yourself Time
To help you not get overwhelmed, spread out your spring cleaning and downsizing efforts over a reasonable length of time. You want to get this project done, but there is no need for you to stress yourself out by attempting to clean and downsize your home in one day.
Create a schedule that works for you. If you are preparing for a move into a senior living community, make sure you plan ahead to accomplish this task with plenty of time before moving day. Depending on your amount of clutter and the size of your home, you may need a few days to a few weeks to accomplish your spring cleaning goals.
Declutter and Downsize First, Clean Second
Spring cleaning is about deep cleaning your entire home, meaning that you are cleaning spaces that are not included in your routine schedule. These spaces may be blocked by clutter that you need to organize anyway, so there is no sense in attempting to deep clean before your decluttering process.
Sort through, organize, and get rid of unwanted items in your home, then continue with your deep cleaning efforts.
Enlist Help When You Need It
One of the most important spring cleaning and downsizing tips is to ask for help when you need it. Getting into hard-to-reach places or moving heavy items or boxes can be challenging to do on your own. Do not risk injuring yourself by trying to tackle spring cleaning and downsizing alone. Enlist help from friends or family members with these more difficult tasks.
Spring cleaning and downsizing can help you feel a sense of accomplishment and improve your overall well-being and lifestyle. Additionally, the services offered in senior living communities can help you achieve your desired lifestyle.
To learn more about our communities and the services we offer, we invite you to contact a member of our senior living team or visit the Community Senior Life website.