Staying warm in winter once meant chopping firewood and snuggling around a roaring hearth. As spring arrived, and the weather improved, windows and doors were thrown open and months of accumulated soot and grime were swept outdoors.

Thanks to central heating and combination boilers, the spring clean you undertake each year is likely to be less intense than those of our ancestors. But drawing a line under winter, purging the house of clutter, and looking forward to spring’s fresh start is as important as ever.

Not only is a thorough clean good physical exercise, but it can declutter and de-stress your mind too. Here’s how.

1. Decluttering can improve your mood

If you’re the type of person that writes to-do lists, you’ll understand the satisfaction derived from ticking items off your list.

You probably have many jobs around the house that you’ve been meaning to do but didn’t get around to over the winter. As these jobs build up, so too does the space they fill in your head – the mental clutter.

A clean home can make you happier and the same is true for a clean headspace too.

Once you start your spring cleaning, the physical activity, the problem-solving, and the constant decision-making – to throw away or not to throw away – will energise your body and mind.

The positive mindset that comes from a job well done, and ticking that job off your list, will help you to complete even more tasks. The more jobs you do, the tidier your home and mind will become, and the happier you’ll be.

So, what are you waiting for?

2. Organising reduces anxiety and leaves more time for you

Organising your home clears your physical space of distraction, helping to declutter your brain and potentially reduce anxiety.

Living in a tidy, organised space might not help you remember where you last saw your car keys, but it might make them easier to find.

Decluttering, by throwing away the items you no longer use and dismissing the thoughts that are muddling your brain, could restore a sense of calm and order.

With more space to live and breathe, you should find you have more time to concentrate on yourself.

In this new environment, try setting aside 20 minutes each day that is just for you. Take up a hobby, have a bath, read a book.

Do whatever makes you feel calm and relaxed and then commit to it, ensuring that nothing gets in your way.

3. It gives your mind time to wander

The intense manual labour of a thorough spring clean is the perfect opportunity to clear your mind, letting it wander.

In the same way that you can remember an important fact as soon as you stop thinking about it, freeing your brain allows for creative leaps and improbable insights.

An untidy house could be leading to arguments with loved ones, while a cluttered brain and the anxiety that follows could also detrimentally affect your personal relationships.

Giving yourself time to free your mind could help to give some perspective or to make solutions clear.

4. You might find lost treasures to keep or sell

Whether it’s an unused lockdown purchase in the back of the wardrobe or a childhood toy collecting dust in the attic, a spring clean can uncover plenty of unwanted items.

If you find something you’ve wanted to recover for a long time, then great. Keep hold of it and enjoy it. If on the other hand, you have items you no longer want or need, consider selling them.

Online marketplaces, social media forums, and an old-fashioned car boot sale are all great ways to get rid of your unwanted clutter. You might make a few pounds too!

Use any money you raise to do something for yourself. Maybe a relaxing spa day, a round of golf, or a trip to the theatre? Do something that helps you to relax, and the benefits of your spring clean will keep adding up.

5. Declutter your finances to reduce stress

We all worry about money now and again. Why not use your spring clean to reduce household mess and relieve your money-related stress by decluttering your finances?

It could help you regain a sense of order and financial control.

You might consider:

• Clearing out your wallet – remove your old cards and crumpled receipts and get your wallet or purse organised.
• Going paperless – If your files are full of bank statements and pension quotations that you’re worried about throwing away, remove the mess, the stress, and the potential security risk and go paperless.
• Setting up direct debits for regular payments – If you worry each month about whether you’ve made a payment that is due, take some time out of your day to set up an automatic payment. It will save you time in the long run, and a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

Get in touch

We might not be on hand to help with the cleaning, but if you want to get your finances in order this spring then speak to us now.

If you have any questions about your long-term plans, managing your estate, or updating an In Case of Emergency (ICE) document, please get in touch and speak to us today.