Why is spring cleaning good for you? Firstly, there are proven health benefits to spring cleaning. The increased movement involved in spring cleaning and the mood improvement from a clean, organized home environment all contribute to improved health. Secondly, removing pollutants will improve the air quality and improve your immune system. Lastly, spring cleaning has been proven to reduce stress. Let us face it, we can all do with a little less stress in our lives. Therefore, spring cleaning is good for you!

When Did Spring Cleaning Originate 

Spring cleaning began many centuries ago. Originally the Jewish tradition of cleaning all non-kosher items from the home before Passover was the first reference to spring cleaning. Couple that with the Chinese practice of clearing negative energy before the beginning of the Little New Year and it becomes clear spring cleaning has been around for an exceptionally long time.  

Locally, spring cleaning became a necessity during frontier times. After a long winter with candles, fireplaces, and indoor cooking the house was dusty, sooty, and stale. When the first warm spring day arrived, it prompted the settlers to open windows to the fresh air. Then to wash the long winter buildup of soot from the walls and furnishings. This practice still happens today but with many modern conveniences that make the task easier.

Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning 

Spring cleaning is good for you because of the health benefits. Whether it is the better air quality or the increased heart rate, spring cleaning improves overall health. Furthermore, it also helps your mental health!  

First, the air quality inside of a house is constantly bombarded with toxins and pollutants. Cleaning products with harsh chemicals and candles which infuse the air with scents and soot are all pollutants. Couple that with mold and mildew from being closed all winter and a house is a ticking time bomb, especially for those with allergies. Next, speaking of allergies, dust, pet dander, mold, and mildew build up over the winter months. Clearing the home of this buildup will help reduce the allergens inside a home. Thus, making the air easier to breath. In other words, the pollution inside a home can be worse than outside. Spring cleaning helps cut pollution inside a home.  

Second, Spring cleaning increases movement and cardiovascular health is improved. This movement also helps alleviate depression and stress. Spring cleaning is good for you and your health.  

Lastly, Spring cleaning has been shown to increase focus and productivity. When the house is in order and clutter has been removed it is easier to focus which increases productivity. Therefore, spring cleaning your office or workspace will help your job. Why spring cleaning is good for you becomes clear when we look at each benefit closer.  

Allergy Relief with Spring Cleaning 

Over the winter months, dust from the furnace, mold in damp places, dander from any pets builds up and can trigger an allergy attack. Spring cleaning clears these contaminants from the living space which will reduce the possibility of an allergy attack. Damp places like the bathroom and basement can increase mold and mildew in a home. Taking some extra time cleaning all this out can reduce the chances of an allergic reaction. Furthermore, removing these contaminants from the air will boost your immune system which can lessen an allergic reaction.  

Once the house is cleaned there are several things you can do to help keep the allergens down. Regular vacuuming and dusting help keep the top allergens to a minimum. Also consider adding a few easy-care air purifying plants to your home.  

Spring Cleaning Work out 

After a long winter, anything you do to increase your activity is a bonus to your health. Therefore, turn your spring-cleaning activities into a workout. First, dress in some comfortable clothes. Next, choose some of your favorite music and crank the tunes. Moving to the music while washing walls and cleaning the ceiling fan increases movement. This in turn creates a feeling of well-being and reduces stress. Hint: if you want to go hard core add weights to your wrist and ankles!  

Have a Spring-Cleaning Plan  

Find a method that works best for you. Maybe start in one room and go from top to bottom cleaning the entire room before moving on. Alternatively, another method would be to work in the worst area and go from there. It might be best to tackle the worse area first when you have more energy. Imagine the feeling of accomplishment when the worst room is finished!  

Decide ahead of time if you are just cleaning or are you decluttering at the same time. Because Spring cleaning is the best time to declutter. Time constraints may prevent you from decluttering but seriously consider it as tearing things apart once is better than doing it twice.  

If you opt for decluttering have donation boxes ready. Mark each box with the place the contents will be donated to. This saves you time when it comes time to deliver the donations. Consider a self-storage unit for the items you no longer use but want to keep. Next, be honest when you go through the contents of your house. Nothing will change if everything goes back. Also, throw away anything that is broken. A neat, organized space creates peace, increases productivity, and creativity. Therefore, you can apply the same principle to your workspace.  

Summary 

Even though Spring cleaning has its roots far in the past, the health benefits are still relevant today. Therefore, take some time and plan a spring cleaning. The health benefits are as important today as they were then. It could be said the benefits are more important today as we live in a vastly different world than our ancestors did. In other words, start your Spring-cleaning project today. Your house and your body will thank you!