A study published in the journal Mindfulness found that participants who engaged in mindfully washing the dishes — meaning they took a moment to inhale the scent of the soap and to allow their skin to absorb the warmth of the water — reported a 27% reduction in nervousness, along with a 25% improvement in “mental inspiration.”

You would be surprised by how keeping the counters clear in your home, can help clear the anxious and disorganized feeling in your mind. The benefits of having a clean and organized home to your health are amazing! Clutter is a visual distraction that competes for your attention, wearing down your ability to focus. If you’re anything like me, you understand how important it is to have an organized and clear mind to help calm any stress or anxiety. When I walk into the doors of my home being left untidy, I feel anxious and overwhelmed. I started to think about all of things that I need to do to get the house in order, and all the things that I must get done unrelated to my home. I understand, and know how important it is for myself, to keep my home tidy to prevent this awful feeling. When my home is tidy, and counters are clear, when things all in the proper place, I become more focused, and have a better week. I find that when my home is tidy, I become more productive, I sleep better, I even relax better.

Growing up, my mother would always make sure our home was picked up before sitting down to watch TV after dinner, or before going to bed. The dishes would always be washed and put away, the dining table always wiped off, the pillows on the couch always fixed. Everything was always in its proper place, so that in the morning, the day could be started in the proper mind set. We would all laugh, and call my mother crazy, because she could never just sit down. She would always say “If I sit down to watch TV, all that I’m going to be thinking about are those dishes in the sink, or the plate counter. I have to tidy up the house before I can do anything else.”

As I grew up, and got my own home, I realized that her mindset is something that stuck with me. I cannot sit down to watch TV or go to bed knowing that there are dishes in the sink, or the pillows on my couch are fixed. As I put the dishes away, put everything back in its proper place, and take away the clutter, I noticed some anxiety goes away right along with it. A tidy home can quite literally give me a tidy mind.

Simple rules we follow in my house to help keep it neat and tidy.

• If you open it, close it.
• If you drop it, pick it up.
• If you take it out, put it back.
• If you make a mess, clean it up.