A messy home can induce feelings of anxiety, guilt, and depression for many. But did you know that cleaning can actually boost those feel-good endorphins? When I need a little pick-me-up, tidying my space usually helps. However, sometimes I get overwhelmed when there’s a buildup of what needs to be cleaned. Everyone get’s that mountain of a mess to clean up intermittently. No one enjoys facing this challenge. As menacing as it is, cleaning a really dirty house also takes a lot of time.

I instituted a couple of new house rules. The first is: if it takes less then one minute to complete, then just do it. In my initial trials I was delighted to find that by the end of the day, there was much less to clean up. I’d already tackled everything as it came up throughout the day. 

The second rule is: whatever you do, don’t set it down—put it away! As we move through life, we pick up habits. Habits which are both good and bad. I had developed the habit of leaving clean pots and pans on the stove instead of putting them away. Seeing them sitting there really started to bum me out though. So, instead of setting things down and forgetting about them, I began putting them away immediately. A great weight lifted. As small as this change may sound, it made a huge impact.

Let’s face it—a clean house makes you feel good. When everything is where it’s supposed to be, you can truly relax at the end of the day. There’s nothing left to tidy up. No lingering tasks to complete. No other jobs to do. You’ve already done it all.

Small actions can produce great results!