Spring cleaning is self-care: How tidying up boosts your mental health

There’s a reason your feed is full of cleaning montages and dramatic “before and afters” — TikTok’s obsession with CleanTok isn’t just about spotless countertops. It’s about the emotional reset that comes with tidying up.

“I do not care that your house is dirty,” Kylie Perkins, a 27-year-old TikTok creator who’s exploded in popularity this year, said in a recent video. “I care that your home needs help. I care that you need help.”

And with spring beginning, there’s no better time to take that message seriously.

Perkins, dubbed the “tough love BFF,” has become a breakout star of CleanTok, pushing her followers to ditch excuses and clean not just their homes but their lives. Her signature style is bold, brash and a little controversial — but underneath it all is a powerful mental health message: When your space is in chaos, your mind can be too.

And science agrees. According to Dr. Libby Sander, an expert in organizational behavior, studies have shown clutter can contribute to higher stress levels, anxiety and even depression.

“Our brains like order,” she told Today in a 2022 interview. “Constant visual reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources.”

So how do you start your spring-cleaning-for-the-soul journey? Here are a few expert-approved tips to kick things off:

Start small

Choose one surface — your nightstand, your bathroom counter — and clear it completely. “The goal is to finish something and appreciate the job you’ve done, not burn out in the first day,” Matt Paxton, a downsizing and decluttering expert, told Today.

Set a timer

This is a CleanTok favorite. Whatever amount of time you choose, these focused minutes are sure to make you feel better about your space.

Tackle the biggest mess first

If small wins don’t do it for you, go big. “Start with the task that provides the most visual change,” clinical psychologist Dr. Dawn Potter told the Cleveland Clinic. “That can provide a sense of immediate relief.”

Ask questions

Channel your inner Marie Kondo and get real: Does this item bring joy? Does it serve a purpose? Or does it just take up space? As Paxton put it, “Memories live on forever, but your mother’s old encyclopedia collection can go.”

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