Almost 11 years ago, I drove my son to the airport. He was eager to start his college life, and couldn’t wait to fly solo. He said goodbye to me quickly, and I drove home feeling nothing but sadness. Once I was home, I started cleaning. As my body became exhausted, I began to feel better. I realized for the first time how powerful cleaning can be to lift one’s mood. 

To my co-workers, I was not a particularly neat person. My office was just a typical (messy) one for a scientist. I remember a credit card company fined me for not making a payment on time. I called and said I never received the bill. The company gave in when I insisted: waving the fee or I will cancel the card. Weeks later, I discovered the bill under a stack of paper. Oh, well. 

Last night, I drive my son to the airport. This time, I was sure that he is leaving for good. Even with two big pieces of luggage, he left behind things that need to be mailed to him later, not to mention tons of other things that need to be stored or tossed away. So, I decided to pace myself this time. This two-bedroom two-bath apartment seemed so small with a tall and loud young man in it; now, it’s just the noises from the outside, which does not bother me as I can turn on the radio or play my own CDs. 

“Cleaning gives you a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. For example, tackling that kitchen counter that always seems to gather clutter … will open up more space and can propel you to clean more. The satisfaction of cleaning boosts your mood as you see the positive results of your work. Add in some of your favorite music while you clean and your brain’s happiness factor will increase even more!” (From https://www.carespot.com/blog/healing-power-spring-cleaning/)