If you’ve ever walked into a messy house and wanted to cry, you’re not over-reacting. That overflowing laundry hamper, those unmade beds, the dust bunnies lurking in the corners… It’s mess, but it’s also what the mess means. Yet another list of things to sort, scrub, sweep, wash, rinse and repeat. It’s mental, and sometimes also physical, overload.
The mental load carried by so many women isn’t just about doing too many things at once. It’s about juggling all the have-tos with the want-tos, like practicing self-care and coming home to a calm, ordered sanctuary after another demanding day. So, when you walk through your front door and see wall-to-wall chaos, it can feel like the final straw.
And for women, the emotional toll of a messy home can be heavier. Research suggests that clutter raises women’s cortisol levels, increases anxiety, contributes to feelings of shame or inadequacy, and causes depression. The thing is, unlike an untidy handbag that can be zipped up and hidden away, the state of our homes is hard to ignore.
But here are two truths many women need to hear. Firstly, cleaning up isn’t about perfection. Don’t be fooled by the impeccable homes you see in your social feeds; a little chaos is perfectly normal. Secondly, there are smart ways to manage mess.
One powerful step is carving out a weekly time to declutter. Dealing with ‘stuff’ gives an instant hit of accomplishment and calm. It signals to your brain that you’re no longer under siege. Even just 10 minutes of emptying out a drawer or cleaning a countertop can ease your nervous system.
Cleaning doesn’t have to mean doing it all yourself either, because technology can lighten the load. “Smart devices like the Hobot Legee D8 can make your life easier,” says Bianca Leonard, Marketing Manager at Solenco. “This little sanity-saving robot vacuums and mops on a schedule you set, navigates multiple floor surfaces, and gets under furniture and into corners.” While no robot can fold your washing (yet) letting one look after your floors ticks a cleaning to-do box.
If your home has damp or mould, the result isn’t just unsightly. It could be contributing to your anxiety and low mood, while also causing mild to serious respiratory problems, and even fungal infections. Sometimes opening a window is enough. But in many cases, a dehumidifier or air purifier is worth the investment.
Leonard explains that mould isn’t just something you can scrub away with a TikTok hack. “A good dehumidifier, like the MeacoDry Arete, draws moisture out of the air while also filtering it and removing up to 99.9% of airborne impurities, including mould spores, allergens, and toxins.”
Perhaps most important of all, remember that the cleaning-related mental load isn’t yours to carry all by yourself. Share it. Use chore charts. Assign a space to each member of your household. If they can use an iPad, they can learn to operate the washing machine.
