Boost your wellbeing with winter cleaning

Winter cleaning tips to boost your wellbeing!

After our first Christmas free from Covid restrictions for three years, it is not surprising if we are feeling the effects of boom and bust! January is often a month of low mood, low energy and poor motivation. Money worries, and the extra pressure of new year’s resolutions together with dark mornings and bad weather can intensify these feelings and make us believe that we are the only ones suffering from the January blues.

The January Blues are normal!

There are biological reasons why we feel low in January and for most people it is perfectly normal. The trick is to accept this and fill your spare time with positive activities and comforting daily rituals. Here are a few suggestions to banish the January blues:

Get outside as often as possible – short days, cold, rain and strong winds do not encourage outdoor activities but as soon as the weather improves make a point of spending time outside and absorbing as much Vitamin D as you can.
Keep warm – even at 10 degrees C, significant changes occur in our bodies that impact our health and wellbeing. Dress warmly in layers and enjoy plentiful hot drinks.
Eat well – after the holiday excesses, foods high in omega-3’s are particularly helpful to ward off anxiety and depression. Oily fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds and eggs all contain good levels of omega-3’s and should be added to your diet in January.
Stay social – if it is tempting to curl up and hibernate – think again! Our connections and support from family, friends and colleagues help us to ward off the blues and if a face-to-face meeting isn’t possible a video or telephone call can raise our spirits. Thinking of others often improves our mood and writing thank you/catch up notes after the holidays can be beneficial.
Plan a holiday or a day trip – just the act of planning away days and vacations lifts our spirits! Make a plan for sunny days that triggers positive memories and makes you smile.
Organise a cleaning project – after the holidays and the departure of guests, there are plenty of places in the home that need additional TLC. Mindful cleaning and organising is a wonderful way to detox your home and boost your wellbeing.

Image credit: Annie Spratt

Post-holiday winter cleaning for wellness

We all know the quote from Benjamin Franklin:

“Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today”.

Putting all our efforts into each day, not grieving for the past or worrying about the future cultivates a very positive mindset that is particularly helpful in January. If we set out to accomplish a useful task, our energy levels will soar and our sense of achievement will boost our wellbeing.

Here are some tips for successful winter cleaning:

Make a plan. Decide on the jobs you need to do and prioritise each. Choose a task that will make you feel happy and content in the moment.
Ban outdoor footwear inside. Especially during winter, mud and dirt make their way into our homes on the soles of wet shoes. Not only does this create unpleasant stains on floorcoverings but it allows bacteria & viruses into the home. Set up an area for outdoor shoes and provide slippers for guests. Washable/reusable cotton door mats are useful in winter to absorb mud and rain.
Air things out. Ventilation is critical all year round but especially in winter when doors and windows remain shut most of the time. Enjoy the blast of cold air and interact with nature. Exchange indoor air with fresh air from outside to help remove bacteria and viruses.
Use your diffuser. Once the air is clear and your windows are closed, use your diffuser and an anti-bacterial/anti-viral blend of organic essential oils to purify your environment. Enjoy the healthy aromas as you clean and allow yourself to feel refreshed.
Tackle condensation. In winter, the effects of condensation include damp walls, peeling wallpaper, streaming windows, black mould and a musty smell.
Ventilating and heating your home daily throughout the winter months will help to reduce condensation.
Wipe damp walls dry with t-towels or reusable cotton cloths.
Open any windows where there is water on the glass until the window is dry.
Black moulds in the home can be very dangerous, especially for babies and children or anyone with allergies or respiratory illnesses. Moulds grow in areas where there is little sunlight, little air and lots of moisture. Kitchens, utility rooms and bathrooms are especially vulnerable to mould. Black mould can often be seen around windows, behind fridges and in corners where the air has settled. First, make sure that any clutter is removed and allow as much air to circulate as possible. Ventilating these areas daily to avoid the build-up of moisture is key. We suggest using an organic anti-bacterial spray and removing black mould with a reusable cloth. Alternatively, an old toothbrush can be very useful for cleaning away black mould. Be careful to rinse away all the mould from the cloth or toothbrush before using again. It is advisable to wear a mask for this task to avoid inhaling the mould spores. Once you have removed the mould, dry the area with a clean t-towel or cloth. Always wash cleaning cloths at the highest temperature setting on your washing machine to kill any spores, bacteria or viruses. Hygge organic essential oil blend is a brilliant help if you are trying to kill off black mould. Just pour a few drops on to a cloth or old toothbrush and rub over the affected area.
Clean your windows. As well as helping to remove condensation, cleaning your windows in winter means that you can take advantage of any precious sunlight. Use an organic window cleaner and make sure the glass is dried well after you finish cleaning. Paintwork can be cleaned with an organic all-purpose sanitiser and should always be dried afterwards with a clean t-towel.