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Decluttering During the Coronavirus: Type COVID-19 Outbreak May Improve Your Well-Being

While you have a little more time on your hands during the coronavirus (COVID-19) social distancing rules, it may be a good time to declutter your house to help declutter your mind.

General Health

April 14, 2020 | HF Healthy Living Team

It can be all too easy to let drawers fill with junk or to watch old clothes pile up in the closet. But did you know that a cluttered space can actually affect your health and well-being?

If you’ve ever felt a wave of relief after clearing out a stuffed space, you’ve already experienced some of the joy that follows decluttering. Why not aim to improve your well-being while opening up the possibility of finding some lost treasures along the way? Whether it’s loose change or a sentimental item, as a bonus you’re sure to find something you’ve been missing.

Click the photos below to find out how decluttering can actually benefit your health!

Woman with her back to us looking at a large flow chart

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It Can Improve Your Focus

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Right now is a really good time to divert your focus from the coronavirus (COVID-19) to something more positive. If you live in a cluttered environment, disorder can throw off your ability to focus, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health. The mess puts a damper on how well you process information as well. Try to clean out your home and work environment to eliminate clutter wherever possible .

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Clean Easier and Stress Less

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An organized home can lead to less chaos for the mind, according to Psychology Today. And, now is the perfect time to do everything you can to worry less about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Not only will a less cluttered space make it easier to clean, it can also help lower stress and anxiety. A clean space without dust and pet dander can also help reduce allergens and help to prevent problems with bugs or rodents.

Woman sitting on the floor putting folded clothing in a cardboard box

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Energize and Get Moving

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When you start to declutter, you’re likely to discover some energy to then check off other things on your to-do list. Clearing space can help you get in some exercise, too. Whether you’re lifting boxes, cleaning, or even mentally clearing your mind, you’ll feel better by just moving around. Since your outdoor activities are limited, this is one way to find new ways to keep on moving.

Man in a white t-shirt sleeping in a bed with white sheets

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It Can Improve Your Sleep

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Research suggests that links exist between insomnia and significantly cluttered spaces. A lack of good decision making may be connected to hoarding and sleep issues. If you’re stressed about your home environment, your sleep is more likely to be interrupted. Find out more about how to get a good night’s sleep here.

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It Can Reduce
Financial Pressures

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Are you prone to impulse buying? Decluttering can help you think more clearly about what you bring into your space when you see that you may have too much “stuff.” Now is also a good time to keep track of your financial goals as we deal with the uncertainty of the economy during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Check out some other money-saving health tips here.

If you live in New York City, on Long Island, or in Orange, Sullivan, or Westchester County and want more information about our health plans, please click here.

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This health information or program is for educational purposes only and not intended to treat, diagnose, or act as a substitute for medical advice from your provider. Consult your healthcare provider and always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions.

Sources
“Cleaning and Clutter,” Department of Health. Accessed April 8, 2020.
https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/indoors/healthy_homes/clutter.htm

“Effectiveness of a ‘Workshop on Decluttering …” National Institutes of Health. June 10, 2017.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5541631

“An Initial Investigation of the Relationship Between Insomnia…” Wiley Online. March 2015.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jclp.22161

“Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms,” National Institutes of Health. January 12, 2011.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21228167

“What Your Clutter is Trying to Tell You,” Psychology Today. January 25, 2011.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/prescriptions-life/201101/what-your-clutter-big-or-small-is-trying-tell-you

“No Place like Home: Home Tours Correlate with Daily Patterns…” Sage Journals. November 23, 2009.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167209352864