Give yourself a boost of feel-good endorphins by doing some spring cleaning.
By Alison Crane
“Every hour of cleaning one does each week is associated with a 53% boost in happiness,” according to Psychology Today. This may be partly because cleaning gives people a sense of control over their environment.
Cleaning can also decrease stress caused by a cluttery environment and improve productivity. So maybe you want to give yourself a boost of feel-good endorphins by doing some spring cleaning.
What should you do to get started?
First, make a cleaning checklist by going through your house from room to room. Write down everything that needs to be done in each room. Try to keep your list focused strictly on cleaning tasks and not organizing.
Next, make sure you have a caddy to hold all your essential cleaning supplies. Your cleaning caddy can be a rolling cart or a hand-held container with a handle. Fancy is not always better but having something with compartments can prevent spills from ruining everything in the caddy. Compartments can also make it easier to find the items you are looking for or see what needs to be restocked.
To stock your caddy, you will want an assortment of cleaning products and tools. Basic items include gloves, scrub brush(es), sponges, magic erasers, cleaning rags, wipes, and trash bags. If you are using refillable spray bottles, be sure to label them with the content’s name and any needed directions.
Finally, be sure to include pencil and paper in your caddy. The temptation when starting spring cleaning is to stop and organize as you go. Instead of bogging down and not completing your list, try writing down anything that needs to be reorganized or sorted. Once the cleaning is done you can go back and sort through any stacks, closets, or containers.
If you would like information about making your own green cleaning products to use in your caddy or tips for cleaning and decluttering, visit our Extension website. You can also participate in our March 9, 2023, Thriving Thursdays event, Spring Cleaning – Clean and Green, at the Garland County Library from 11:00-noon. Contact the Garland County Extension office at 236 Woodbine, Hot Springs, or call 501-623-6841 for more details. Follow our Facebook page @GarlandCountyExtension-UADA.
Alison Crane is a Family and Consumer Sciences Agent with the Garland County Extension Service. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
