A messy home can have a surprisingly negative affect on our mental health and wellbeing. From clutter and filth, to dust and decay, the consequences of mess go beyond aesthetics and can cause debilitating emotional, social and physical distress.
Nasty Surprises
One the the most obvious and disgusting outcomes of a messy home is that it is prone to attracting unwanted, pesky visitors, such as rodents, cockroaches, spiders and ants. These creatures are attracted to leftover food scraps, accumulated waste and other debris.
Piles of clothing and clutter also make excellent hiding spots for spiders. Species such as the much maligned white-tail spider are known to frequent clothing piles, and enjoy making their homes in your piled laundry.
For infestations of these pests, as well as mice, rats and roaches, it’s best to call in a pest control professional to locate the source of any nests and block any existing entry points. If you’re wanting to decrease the frequency of these infestations, it’s a good idea to practice better home hygiene, beginning with the kitchen.
Make sure to wash all soiled items after use, and wipe surfaces clean of crumbs and debris. Reseal used products and place them in the fridge or in a sealed cupboard. For bedrooms and bathrooms, store fabric items and clothing on hooks and hangers.
Metaphorical Mountains
Symbolism can be important when it comes to our emotional wellbeing, and you don’t have to look far in a messy home to find your first metaphor. If you’re the type of person who likes to collect mountains of stuff, or considers the floor an appropriate place to store clothing (ie; a floordrobe) it can be an indication of other emotional or physical issues which might be affecting you.
Cleaning and organising can seem both needlessly tiring and unnecessary at times, especially if you’re already stressed or tired. Unfortunately, the benefits of a clean house will be most obvious to you in those times of emotional distress, and can further impact your ability to pull yourself out of it.
To combat mess or clutter building up over time, set yourself small and completable tasks to complete every day which are non negotiable. For example, wiping down the bath or shower after using it, or cleaning the toilet every third day. By putting small and manageable routines into place, you can stop insurmountable or stress-creating mess from ever building up, and in turn give yourself a cleaner, healthier space to live in for those moments when you’re truly craving peace and clarity.
Visitors? No Thanks!
Another not-so-nice consequence of a messy home is its potential impact upon your social life. A messy home can create the inability to host guests in your home, resulting in a lack of social connection. For many people this can be isolating and lead to further stress and discomfort.
If you’re trying to create a neater, more easy to manage space in order to improve your social life, start gradually. A good place to begin is in the kitchen. A clean kitchen is a more inviting space to cook in, and it’s often a hub of activity and social happenings within a house. Regularly clean your stove, cooking utensils and dishware. By doing so you’ll always have clean dinner dishes and cups for tea and coffee in the event of guests.
Once you’ve made an effort to clean your kitchen, try to organize your living and dining space into a more social-friendly space. Create an area with clustered chairs so that it’s inviting for guests to sit at. From there, move gradually to cleaning the bathroom, any outdoor areas, and then bedrooms.
Reforming a messy house into a more manageable and liveable environment will have positive emotional and social outcomes for you and your family. By starting slow and engaging professionals where necessary, you can regain control over your house and your clutter – one small step at a time.
This is a sponsored guest post that does not necessarily reflect the views or ideals of Mommy Ramblings.
“Essential oils are suggested to have healing properties for all kinds of illnesses”, says Quick Doctor. Many people have turned to essential oils to make sure that they can stay on top of any and all of the issues that may come along when dealing with brain fog of all sorts. There are a lot of essential oils out there, though. Which ones are going to do the best job of getting this taken care of? Are there ways to make sure that you can find solutions that work out best for you? Let’s take a look at some of the most important options out there.
This is a sponsored guest post that does not necessarily reflect the ideals of Mommy Ramblings.
The holiday season is fast approaching, and that can only mean one thing: Another dinner where you have to endure Aunt Sue. Try as you might, you can’t seem to find good in this person who shares your bloodline. It’s a sad reality, but family members can be toxic too.
What is a toxic person?
When we talk about toxic people, it goes deeper than your personal feelings. A toxic person is someone who consistently hurts other people with their words or actions. They may even be very charming, but you know you’re going to be sorry if you let yourself get too close. Toxic people are selfish, and they aren’t above lying to get their way.
How to handle toxic people
Fortunately, in most cases, you know when you’re going to see that toxic family member. This gives you some time to prepare. Follow the tips below to help protect yourself from other people’s toxicity.
When you know how to handle toxic family members, there’s no need to stress about the encounter. You’re above all of their nonsense, and you’re going to show that by removing yourself from the drama. The more you engage, the deeper you fall into their trap. It may seem gratifying to expose a toxic person, but you’ll likely be sorry you even spent the effort. Walk away with your head held high. After all, you’re not the one who is toxic.
This is a sponsored guest post and does not necessarily reflect the views or ideals of Mommy Ramblings.
Years ago, mental health was more of a taboo subject, and people were more likely to hide their struggles.
Thankfully, we’ve come a long way as a society. Most people now understand that mental illness isn’t much different from physical illness. The brain is a muscle that we must nurture and exercise in order to avoid issues. Now for explaining this all to your kids…
Why it’s important to discuss mental health
According to data from the CDC, suicide rates are on a steady incline for the first time in over three decades, and one of the most concerning demographic group is girls between the ages of 10 and 14.
To be honest, no one is really sure why suicide rates have increased so drastically in this group, but one theory has to do with puberty.
If you have a teenager, you are intimately familiar with the way hormones can impact your child’s mood. And there’s a ton of research that links puberty with depression in both boys and girls.
To say the least, it’s a precarious time for the child and parent.
Opening the discussion of mental health can let your child know that it’s ok to feel down sometimes, but it’s also important to talk about your feelings.
More consequences of mental health issues
Suicide is a terrifying consequence of mental health issues, but it’s not the only one. Teens who struggle with anxiety and depression are more likely to experiment with drugs in an attempt to self-medicate. Not only is this a problem for teens, but it can lead to bigger issues in adulthood. No less than 90 percent of all adult addicts in the U.S. started smoking, drinking, and/or using drugs under the age of 18.
Tips for talking to your kids about mental health
The topic of mental health should never be taboo – and your children should always know this. They should always feel comfortable talking to you about how they are feeling. And this is more likely to happen when you open the dialog. For more tips, check out this Parents Guide: How To Help Your Team Cope With Mental Health Issues. Let me know what you think, and if you have any tips to share, leave them in the comments.
I know many people who struggle with depression. It can be very difficult for them to even complete the smallest tasks and in the worst stages to even get out of bed. It is very hard to watch someone you care about go through this because you know that they have so much good to contribute to the world.Thankfully we are now very aware of depression and understand that there is help available.
Millions in the United States suffer from depression and 1 in 15 adults have reported experiencing one major depressive episode in any given year. People can feel overwhelmed, alone and hopeless when dealing with their depression. Treatment for depression often includes a number of approaches such as talk therapy, medication, peer support, and a personal wellness plan.
However, even with all that, it can be hard for some patients to stick with their treatment plan. The results of a recent survey found that 70% of patients being treated for depression or another mental health disorder would appreciate some type of mobile tracker to monitor their moods, treatment,progress and more. The good news is that with all the advances in technology there are tools that can help patients as they manage their depression.
Recently, I was selected to test an app developed by Pfizer called the Moodivator. Pfizer consulted with psychiatrists to create this helpful tool that goes along with a patient’s treatment to provide motivation in a simple, effective and mobile way. The Moodivator lets patients track their mood,set goals, establish routines and more that may assist them and complement their treatment. The app is easy to navigate and use, you can see a video about it HERE.
The app is free and can be downloaded for iPhones at the Apple App Store. I downloaded it recently and was amazed at how easy it was to begin using. I liked that you could easily enter your mood and then add details of why you feel that way. You can also set goals for yourself. They can be things that you need to achieve that day or long-term goals.
You are able to enter and keep track of important work, personal or family tasks as well. There is also a reason that you enter for your goal so that you can remember why it is so important to achieve. Having an app like this on my smartphone makes it easy to see how this can really help someone who is taking baby steps to make positive changes and get more out of life.
If patients use the app consistently it can provide great insight to them about why they feel certain ways and perhaps notice a pattern that can even be shared with their care givers if they choose. The mood tracker is a simple sliding scale so it is easy to adjust and record mood changes throughout the day. They may notice that they experience sadness at a certain time every day and may find it is triggered by the same thing every time. That knowledge can help them identify and eliminate triggers that will help them break that cycle
“The Moodivator app is not a treatment for depression and does not take the place of your doctor’scare or advice. This app also includes information about a prescription treatment option for depression.”