It seems as if one of the worst things our parents can ask us to do as teenagers is clean our room. It is something we all dread and hate. Why make my bed if I am just going to get back in it in 2 hours? But maybe our parents’ goal is not just to keep their house clean. Maybe they believe that maintaining a clean room is very important for mental health.

“Experts say a disorganized and messy house can contribute to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression,” says psycom.net.

Whether we realize it or not, stress can not only come from having a lot on your plate, but also from simply having a messy room or house. 

“Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing 

our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t necessary or important,” says psychologytoday.com.

For example, when the floor in your bedroom is covered with clothes, our minds don’t have “time” to relax because there is too much in one space.

Maintaining a clean room can be hard in times when you may be stressed, but it is extremely important. You have to remember that it will help you out in the long run. 

Personally, I can focus or do my homework better and more efficiently when my room is clean and my bed is made. It makes me feel like I can fully focus on the task at hand and I don’t need to worry about cleaning my room because it’s already done. 

“Decluttering requires decision-making, emotion regulation, prioritization, and patience,” Dattilo says,” states realsimple.com.

Even if you are not someone who is currently struggling with stress, organizing, decluttering, and minimizing your room takes time, effort, and thought. Maintaining a clean room is not something that just happens in the blink of an eye; you have to make it a point to keep it the way it needs to be.

“Keeping your home clean and engaging in the cleaning process is good for you. In fact, research shows that cleaning—or the lack of cleaning—can have a direct impact on mental health,” says verywellmind.com.

So not only is keeping a clean room healthy but the process of maintaining a clean room is healthy for you as well.

Maybe next time when you are lying on your bed watching Tik Tok or scrolling through Instagram, get up, clean, organize, and declutter your room. You might thank yourself later.