Since the dawn of time housework hasn’t exactly been an activity we look forward to – after all, there’s a reason we call it doing the ‘chores’.
Our attitude towards cleaning is generally pretty negative, and when we know we have a lot of housework to get on with we tend to dread the boring, monotonous, dull activity – aiming to ‘get it over with’ as it were.
Even the OCD ridden amongst us who love to clean and organise are more often than not heard apologising for their thirst for cleaning, saying things like ‘I know you’ll think I’m mad…’ or ‘call me crazy but…’
In general, housework and cleaning have been given an all-round bad rap as something that needs to be done rather than something people take pride in.
However, should we be thinking about housework differently? Yes, housework can be boring and slightly icky (especially when we’re cleaning the bathroom) but if you really think about it, it’s not all bad; the saying ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ comes to mind…
There are some seriously positive side effects to house cleaning, and if we start to recognise them chances are we’ll get our chores done faster, better and believe it or not, we might even enjoy the process! With a little imagination and positive thinking, cleaning can become something you get something out of, something creative, an art even…
Sound crazy? Check out our list of cleaning benefits below:
Get Clean and Lean
Housework doesn’t just make your home look great, it has a fabulous aesthetic effect on your body, too! Vigorous housework such as hoovering, dusting and mopping is a whole body workout – where do you think Mr Muscle got its name?!
If you become muscle conscious you can even concentrate on a particular area of your body you wish to tone. Want to work your abs? Tense your whole core whilst running the vac around. Bulging biceps need work? Work on scrubbing those surfaces as hard and fast as you can!
We’re not saying cleaning up means you can forgo the gym, but it does mean you can supplement your regular workouts whilst achieving a clean house – bonus!
Enjoy ‘Me’ Time
The minutes/hours spent cleaning are also precious pockets of time that you can spend with your own thoughts. With our society’s tendency to rush, stress and get everything done at a hectic pace, sometimes it’s nice to have time to think, plan and dream. Cleaning the house is the perfect opportunity to slow down and reflect – some of the best decisions people have made or ideas they have come up with have been whilst cleaning or tidying up!
Feel Accomplished
Often accomplishments in life become so normal that they begin to be overlooked – if you’re always doing well at work or always killing it at the gym then you start to take it for granted and lose that feeling of achievement – especially if you stop seeing tangible results.
Well, cleaning the entire house will give you an instant sense of accomplishment; as soon as you’re done your sparking kitchen and organised closets will make you feel immediately great!
Get Moving
Most of us have office jobs and are sitting at a desk all day, so doing some physically exerting housework can make a welcome change! Not to mention that moving around helps de-stiffen joints, improves posture and releases endorphins – the feel good chemical!
Relax
Although ‘relaxation’ probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you think of tackling the dirty dishes, cleaning itself can actually be a relaxing activity. There is an element of yoga named ‘housewives meditation’ – it essentially describes the mental state of being so involved in a task that you almost become a part of it. This is said to be refreshing and revitalising – who needs Pilates?!
Gain Perspective
Following on from the last point, going back to basics (no TV, iPad or smartphone distractions) is good for the soul, and enables you to gain some life perspective. You’d be amazed at how something that seemed like a ‘big deal’ when you worried about it all day long will seem insignificant after a marathon cleaning session.
Get Resourceful
Cleaning is more complicated than just getting yourself a mop and bucket of soapy water. When doing the housework things like time, saving energy techniques and order of chores (never clean the floor before you’ve wiped down the surfaces) are all things that need to be considered.
Learning how to think in a practical way is a wonderful life skill to have, and doing so on a regular basis is bound to lead to forward thinking and ingenuity.
So there you have it – our list of amazing mental, physical and spiritual benefits you can gain from simply cleaning your house. Now if that doesn’t convince you to get on with the spring clean, we don’t know what will…!
