Spring cleaning often includes things such as organizing one’s personal belongings, donating old items, throwing away trash and more. A clean space means one fewer thing to worry about, providing an outlet for stress. 

As spring approaches, the need for a fresh start is beginning to be felt by a good portion of the community. Originating from the combined ideas of many cultures, spring cleaning and similar traditions date back thousands of years. Today, the act of spring cleaning, both literally and figuratively, can improve our well-being and help us transition into better habits. 

Figurative spring cleaning is another consideration as the seasons change. It is important to evaluate the relationships we find ourselves in and whether they are adding positivity into our lives. If the answer is no, figurative spring cleaning can mean cutting ties that no longer serve you. The same goes for habits. If you find yourself engaging in an activity that isn’t benefiting you, then springtime is the perfect opportunity to work towards your goals and eliminate these habits. 

In order to gather more information on this topic, The Wolf interviewed Tualatin High School (TuHS) psychologist Kayla Worley. 

 What are the main mental health benefits of keeping a tidy space?

“Having a clean space can help regulate emotions, increase a sense of calm and improve focus. This can be due to a number of things like order, control, consistency and predictability.”

Are there any figurative aspects of spring cleaning people should consider? Letting go of relationships that don’t add positivity to our lives, changing our attitude, etc.?

“Spring cleaning can apply to your physical space or your mental/emotional space. Sometimes we need to let go of things, people, expectations, grudges, anger, fear, perfection…the list goes on and on. Spring,or any time really, is the perfect time to check in with yourself and ask what might be holding you back from walking into the next season happy, energetic, curious, kind, open, connected… again the list goes on and on. Talk to someone you trust or reach out to some of your support staff here on campus,[including] Ms. Fortmiller, one of the school counselors, myself, a trusted adult if you need.”

What advice would you give to a TuHS student who wants to improve their well-being as we transition into spring? 

“Aside from that, set some goals! Maybe you want to get outside once a week, or spend time with a friend(s) outside of school once a week, join a sport or club, pick up a new hobby, read a book a month, anything you can think of to get in community with one another and increase the time you spend doing things you enjoy!”

As spring approaches, remember to be kind to yourself as you work towards your goals.