What does a house, clean or not clean, have to do with depression? It is quite simple: Our surroundings affect our moods. If you already are in a dark mood, an unhappy, dirty environment will make it worse. Clean, organized surroundings on the other hand have a calming effect.

Have you ever felt especially good after accomplishing a particularly challenging task? It's the same concept.

Picture this: You suffer from depression, you had a very difficult day at work, fought the inconsiderate idiots in traffic on your way home, and you open the door to your home. The first thing you see is clutter, dirty dishes, laundry piled up, papers everywhere. How does that make you feel?

Now, change the scenario: You had the same idiotic stuff to deal with at work, the same morons in traffic, but as you open the door to your home you experience this: Clean floors, empty sink, organized shelves, and ... open space.

Which environment makes you feel better? Sitting down looking at a cluttered, unkempt environment can actually give you negative feelings, which makes depression worse. The mind knows that there is a mess that needs cleaned, it's just so hard to get motivated when you have depression.

On the other hand, if you work little by little it can be done. Not only will a clean environment make you proud of yourself living in a nice fashion, you will feel an incredible sense of accomplishment maintaining a clean house. You are also more likely to have friends over when your home is clean. If it's not, we tend to avoid having people over because we are embarrassed. Socializing is actually a good thing, especially for people with depression. This is actually another benefit from having a clean house.

So remember, we don't have to feel trapped and helpless at home. While we can't control depression itself, at least we can control our surroundings!

Learn more about this author, Alexandra Heep.
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