House cleaning as a prescription?

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Feather duster, dustpan and broom, and upright...

Feather duster, dustpan and broom, and upright vacuum cleaner in one picture. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That’s right, cleaning house is good for you! I think I keep my house clean for all of these reasons –

Cleaning’s Therapeutic Side Effects

Marla Deibler, executive director of the Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, often advises patients with anxiety or depression to do 20 minutes of housecleaning a day because of the emotional and psychological benefits, including:

Sense of Control. After cleaning, people tend to feel they have accomplished something and gain a sense of control over their lives and environment, Dr. Deibler says.

Achievement. “When we set out to accomplish a goal with a beginning and an end that we can see, and we accomplish that goal, we gain confidence in our ability to succeed,” Dr. Deibler says.

Exercise: “It’s not aerobic activity for the most part, but it is considered by the American Heart Association to be moderate exercise,” says Dr. Deibler. “Studies suggest that even the exertion involved in cleaning reduces stress and anxiety.”

Taking care of the family: “People feel good about having cleaned out their kids’ closets, for example,” says Dr. Deibler. “They feel better about their role in the household.”

Nostalgia: “Some people have that nostalgic wanting to be like their mother and keep a clean house,” says Dr. Deibler. On the other hand, some people want the opposite. “Perhaps mom was a total neat freak and they are tired of it,” Dr. Deibler says.

Ellen Byron

From the Wall Street Journal Article – The Cleanest Homes

To me, they missed the most important reason – the sense of calm you get when your home is clean. You can actually relax without a bunch of undone stuff nagging at you.

You don’t have to worry about being embarrassed if someone stops over.

People are comfortable and like spending time at your home.

It makes you feel good about yourself.

There is just this tension in the house when its dirty and cluttered. I hate it. I need my home to be my calming oasis. How about you?

When I was much younger – I could spend hours cleaning. Now I can’t. Since my daughter was born – 21 years ago, I just don’t have that kind of time. But I cannot live in a cluttered mess. It literally drives me crazy!

It took me a while, but I came up with a system that keeps my house really clean without having to spend hours and hours cleaning it. You can find my whole house cleaning system here –

Life is stressful enough. You work hard. You deserve to come home to a clean and calm home!

” align=”alignright” width=”180″ caption=”Feather duster, dustpan and broom, and upright vacuum cleaner in one picture. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)”]Feather duster, dustpan and broom, and upright...[/caption]

That’s right, cleaning house is good for you! I think I keep my house clean for all of these reasons –

Cleaning’s Therapeutic Side Effects

Marla Deibler, executive director of the Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, often advises patients with anxiety or depression to do 20 minutes of housecleaning a day because of the emotional and psychological benefits, including:

Sense of Control. After cleaning, people tend to feel they have accomplished something and gain a sense of control over their lives and environment, Dr. Deibler says.

Achievement. “When we set out to accomplish a goal with a beginning and an end that we can see, and we accomplish that goal, we gain confidence in our ability to succeed,” Dr. Deibler says.

Exercise: “It’s not aerobic activity for the most part, but it is considered by the American Heart Association to be moderate exercise,” says Dr. Deibler. “Studies suggest that even the exertion involved in cleaning reduces stress and anxiety.”

Taking care of the family: “People feel good about having cleaned out their kids’ closets, for example,” says Dr. Deibler. “They feel better about their role in the household.”

Nostalgia: “Some people have that nostalgic wanting to be like their mother and keep a clean house,” says Dr. Deibler. On the other hand, some people want the opposite. “Perhaps mom was a total neat freak and they are tired of it,” Dr. Deibler says.

Ellen Byron

From the Wall Street Journal Article – The Cleanest Homes

To me, they missed the most important reason – the sense of calm you get when your home is clean. You can actually relax without a bunch of undone stuff nagging at you.

You don’t have to worry about being embarrassed if someone stops over.

People are comfortable and like spending time at your home.

It makes you feel good about yourself.

There is just this tension in the house when its dirty and cluttered. I hate it. I need my home to be my calming oasis. How about you?

When I was much younger – I could spend hours cleaning. Now I can’t. Since my daughter was born – 21 years ago, I just don’t have that kind of time. But I cannot live in a cluttered mess. It literally drives me crazy!

It took me a while, but I came up with a system that keeps my house really clean without having to spend hours and hours cleaning it. You can find my whole house cleaning system here –

Life is stressful enough. You work hard. You deserve to come home to a clean and calm home!

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