Keep Calm and Clean On

When life feels scary, or out of control, we naturally feel more anxious. Anxiety is the mind's way of preparing us to be ‘on-guard’ and protect in an effort to survive. Sometimes we experience anxiety more intensely or in more situations than our context really warrants; meaning we have these feelings and they are not always helpful.  In instances when our worry is real, and founded, but still we must welcome and adjust to the feeling of being out of control, one way to channel that anxious energy is by keeping calm and cleaning on. Indeed, many seek control in various ways to achieve that sense of balance and predictability that’s so lacking from the realities of life. (Note: there are restrictive, routine, and compulsive forms of control seeking that can be unhealthy to some individuals; if you are working through these tendencies or traits take from this what helps, and leave the rest behind. )

Adjusting to spending more time in confined spaces lends opportunity to take control in new, more focused ways. Clutter in our physical space renders the sense of clutter in our internal space. Cleaning, while soothing and productive, is also a known tool for actively achieving a sense of or feeling of being more in control of something, of anything. 

Organization has its place and natural flow in all systems, it can increase productivity for some or stall efficiency completely for others if the ‘fit’ is not compatible. So if you live and work among your own style of organized chaos, or just chaos and that works for you (and those around you), do your thing. Regardless, a basic semblance of tidying exists for most people; whether you bullet journal to organize your thoughts or you iron your clothes to find a meditative calm, both function to bring the same type of serenity.

If you need a bit more encouragement to tackle those more tedious projects, studies support the idea that some people use cleaning as a type of meditation, a calming act that continues to rejuvenate one’s mind when re-entering a clean and orderly space decreasing anxiety.

Here are a few tips to feel productive, organized, accomplished and in-control while much of the greater world around us feels uncertain and unpredictable.

The Basics: 

1. Continue to keep your mind active and healthy 

   1. Keep to a routine

   2. Stimulate your mind 

   3. Continue therapy 

   4. Make time for self-care 

2. Clean as you go

   1. Keep dishes out of the sink 

   2. Empty and reload the dishwasher (don’t wait!)

   3. Wipe down surfaces when you are waiting on the oven 

   4. Wipe down the bathroom countertops and sinks while you brush your teeth

   5. When your laundry basket is getting a bit full, throw a load in the wash

3. It’s the little things 

   1. Make your bed in the morning 

   2. Keep your bags and keys in the same spot 

   3. Put away items after use 

   4. Fold the blankets & fluff the pillows 

   5. Make a list & share tasks as needed 

   6. Buy yourself the flowers, light the candle- take pride in and enjoy your space

The Big(ger) Projects: 

Clothes

Go through your closet, if you have never worn the clothing decide in that moment to either start wearing the clothing, or decide it’s never going to happen and give the clothing away! Do this with each category of clothing you own; don’t forget your sock drawer! Partner up all your socks (if that’s your thing, if you like to wear two different socks no judgement here!). 

Drawers

One of the sneaky secrets about furniture with compartments is that everything looks organized and tidy upon first glance. But if you have the time, or the interest… open the drawers, take everything out, go through each item selecting (trash, recycle/reuse, keep), then actually clean the drawer out with your desired cleaning product, and replace everything with intention and structure. 

Pantry 

Start by getting everything out of one section, wipe the surface down then evaluate all of your pantry goods before replacing them on the shelf. Get a little creative, use baskets, containers, flip an old tupperware over to create height, whatever inspiration strikes, go with it. My personal favorite next step is to label sections and containers. Don’t forget to check expiration dates as you put everything back! 

Fridge 

Categorize items and organize based on frequency of use and easy access. Again, it’s nice to remove everything and clean out the drawers, bins and surfaces in your fridge. It’s surprising how much debris is in there when you start to look. 

After you have done all that cleaning and organizing, remember; we have to keep working at it for it to stay that way! Therapy is not always clean, pretty, or organized. Often, the most productive work takes effort, organization and order are direct results of noticing a need and doing the messy work.

We must first notice messiness, and next, be willing and active in our efforts to sort through that mess. This is not work that needs to be accomplished alone. Sometimes it takes someone (a therapist perhaps) celebrating messiness, and honoring the movement from disintegrated to integrated, with you. A guide and/or confidant can help you to see the potential for growth and then ultimately the path toward achieving it.

By ignoring mess (physical or psychological), we can’t organize it and make meaning from mess. Cleaning will always be a process, something we must revisit time and time again, it will even make new messes along the journey. Remember, making new messes to work towards a more intentional, mindful, organized self; and that’s okay.