Spring is in the air and for many that means it’s time for a complete home overhaul. If you’re in need of a little extra motivation for this year’s spring clean keep in mind it’s about more than just tidying your house. There are a number of health benefits, including:
- Helps de-stress
- Helps breathing
- Boosts your mood
- Creates incidental exercise
- Helps you sleep
So where do you start? Along with the regular scrubbing and dusting these spring cleaning tips will help keep your home healthy.
Limit indoor pollution
Air pollution can be found anywhere. It’s not the typical smoke billowing from factories that you may first think of. But the pollution generated by everyday fragrances in your home can be just as harmful to your health.
It was recently discovered that one-third of Australians report health problems when exposed to common fragranced products. With common problems including: breathing difficulties, sneezing, watery eyes, migraines, dizziness, rashes, congestion, seizures, chest pain and nausea.
Some fragranced products that may be in your home include:
- Air fresheners
- Spray Deodorants
- Cleaning supplies
- Scented candles
For some natural cleaning products that may not be as harmful check out this list of natural cleaning tips.
Improve your air quality
Now that you’ve removed indoor pollutants help improve your homes air quality with some plants. Most of us already know that it’s good to have plants inside. But you may not realise the extent of their prowess, it goes much further than just providing aesthetically pleasing decor.
In the 1980’s a study was conducted by NASA which found that plants played, “a major role in removal of chemicals from indoor air”.
Get your weekend warrior on, a trip to Bunnings might be in order… Here’s a list of plants to look out for:
- Snake plant
- Golden Pothos
- Peace Lily
- Bamboo palm
- Gerbera Daisies
- English Ivy
- Pleomele
- Aloe Vera
Declutter!
Clutter is an unfortunately by-product of our busy lives. But if your home is packed to the rafters it is worth knowing that clutter:
- Can affect your mental health
A recent study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that people who have cluttered bedrooms are more likely to suffer from mental health issues.
We all know that a poor night’s sleep can leave us irritable the next day. It can also reduce our daily cognitive function, increase our stress levels and even lead to depression and anxiety in extreme cases. If you’re struggling to get some shut eye, try decluttering your bedroom.
- Pollutes your home
Cluttered environments, at work or home, can encourage biological pollutants such as dust mites. These can build up over time and increase our risk of indoor allergens.
To reduce this risk remove any unnecessary clutter and dust regularly.
- Reduces your ability to concentrate
Suffering writers block? A cluttered work space may be to blame. Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that our ability to focus is directly linked to our surroundings.
Our brains are too preoccupied processing all of the information and clutter around us to focus on what needs to be done.
Don’t know where to start? Give these decluttering tips a try!
