mind and muse

Every single day this is my morning routine. I wake up naturally around 7:30, doom scroll for about 30 minutes (I know i’m ashamed), then I get up and dust my room. I dust my room everyday. And to add onto that, every Sunday I take it a step further and Windex my windows and mirrors, vacuum, etc. Sunday is the day for an actual deep clean.

My whole life i’ve always been a very type A, very physically organized, overall just a tidy person. I don’t let clothing sit on my floor, I don’t let my bed go unmade, etc. Now that i’m older, to be completely honest, I’ve realized that the chronic anxiety I have definitely plays apart in that perfectionist side of me, without a doubt. Either way, being a clean maximalist has made my life so fulfilling. I feel like so many people will mistake being clean for being a minimalist, and that is not the case for me. Not one corner of my room is undecorated, i’ve literally had to resort to the ceiling when hanging up posters. But I love it! I also think there is a strong difference between being a maximalist and being an over-consumer. Decorating and curating your space in an ethical, creative, and resourceful way is an art. And to stay on topic, it’s also an art to be clean. We spend so much time in our rooms, doing anything and everything. A mess is the key to increased anxiety and stress, and I learned the other day that a room without a mess of visual distractions helps you sleep better.

Staying focused and dedicated to a clean and decluttered room is a skill to me, and that’s why I want to share my simple routine of cleaning and finding joy in being organized. Because i’ve found that a peaceful space = a happy mind. Those little things I do everyday make me not only at ease, but make me feel productive. I think it can seem intimidating to a lot of people to maintain a clean room when maybe your room “aesthetic” is a little chaotic, but for me it’s consistency. I prefer doing little acts of cleanliness everyday instead of letting it build up all week and having more to deal with later, i’ve also found that mentally, that way it’s more stimulating.

Dusting first thing in the morning has made me feel very in control, putting my laundry away immediately has helped my problem with over procrastination. And there are so many more tasks along the lines that I could list. It’s a small habit but has huge mental benefits!

– Coming from a girl who is a micromanager and has slow mornings, cleaning is a form of therapy that I think everyone should invest in.