Americans Say A Messy Home Increases Their Stress Levels 

If you’ve been putting off cleaning home, stop.

A new survey of 2,000 American homeowners found 78 percent believe there is a direct link between their tidiness and well-being.

Three-quarters agreed their stress levels increase when the inside of their homes are messy — and 70 percent say that discomfort applies to cluttered outdoor spaces, too.

After two years of the pandemic, 75 percent of those surveyed said they don’t know where they’d be without their outdoor space. An additional 71 percent described it as an oasis in pandemic times.

That said, homeowners may want to kick-start spring-cleaning sooner rather than later. Of those who regularly do spring-cleaning (over 1,600 of those polled), 72 percent say it improves their mood.

Other motivations for cleaning include feeling productive (53 percent), welcoming the change of seasons (48 percent) and preparing for other spring activities (47 percent).

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of TruGreen, the survey found it took respondents over two weeks to check everything off their list.

Over half of spring cleaners need longer than the 16-day average — and 6 percent reported needing about a month’s time (29 days) to finish their cleaning.

Some 68 percent agreed their spring-cleaning always feels overwhelming, and their most labor-intensive task is put off for six days.

Their checklists start with cleaning the bathroom (56 percent), cleaning out the fridge (55 percent) and then cleaning and organizing the garage (53 percent).

Respondents then move to cleaning out their pantries (48 percent), mowing their lawns (46 percent) and organizing their basements and attics (44 percent).

With these long, arduous lists — 59 percent of spring cleaners said they’d rather hire a professional to get the jobs done this year, as opposed to doing it themselves.

“Nothing feels quite as satisfying as a clean home and spruced-up outdoor living space — and the spring, a season that welcomes new beginnings — is the perfect time to make that happen,” said Marc Mayer, TruGreen’s director of technical operations. “But we also know how long — and stressful — that list can be. Bringing in a professional service … ensures homeowners can not only continue to have the time to spend enjoying their outdoor living space beyond the pandemic.”

On top of their spring-cleaning to-do lists, 30 percent plan to make some upgrades to their homes.

Some 60 percent of respondents polled said they feel pressured to maintain their home’s exterior to keep up with their neighborhood.

Top priority projects planned for outdoor spaces include planting flowers or making a garden (56 percent), spreading grass seed (50 percent) and updating landscaping (48 percent).

“With Americans spending more time at home throughout the ongoing pandemic, they appear to be prioritizing improving their homes, with 78 percent of respondents agreeing they take a greater sense of pride in their home’s appearance and 69 percent take pride in their outdoor space,” said Mayer.

Spring-Cleaning Checklist
Cleaning the bathroom
Cleaning out the fridge
Organizing/cleaning out the garage
Cleaning out the pantry
Mowing the lawn
Organizing the basement/attic
Raking leaves
Pruning bushes
Gardening/planting spring plants/flowers
Weeding outdoor spaces
Mopping the floors
Dusting
Pest control

Edited by Fern Siegel and Kristen Butler