A video of a woman reorganizing her bedroom has been viewed over 4 million times on TikTok.
The oddly satisfying clip of Anna Russell (@annarussellll) tidying up her room and creating more space has resonated with many people.
The video’s caption reads: “Me after a little mishap.” “This is how I deal with it,” Russell says in the caption, indicating that turning her room upside down is therapeutic for the woman living in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
TikTok/@annarussellll
In fact, research has already shown that cleaning has psychological benefits.
In a 2015 study published in the journal, MindfulnessResearchers have investigated whether washing dishes could serve as an informal contemplative practice to promote mindfulness and the associated emotional and attentional benefits.
The researchers hypothesized that participants who received mindful dishwashing instructions would demonstrate greater mindfulness, attention, and positive emotions, as well as reduced negative emotions and overestimation of the time spent washing dishes, compared to a control group. The study involved 51 college students who practiced either mindful dishwashing or a control activity, followed by assessments of mindfulness, affect, and recall of the experience.
Results showed that people in the mindful dishwashing group experienced greater mindfulness, increased positive emotions (such as inspiration), decreased negative emotions (such as nervousness), and overestimated the time spent doing dishes. The results suggest that mindfulness and positive affect can be cultivated by intentionally engaging in daily activities.
According to the comments, rearranging your room is indeed therapeutic: So far, the July 6 clip has over 512,000 likes and more than 1,500 comments.
Many of the comments come from users who can relate to this chore. One said, “I’ll cry my eyes out saying I need a change in my life and then I’ll DO THIS like it’s the change I need.”
“I’ve moved my room around so much that there’s no new way to tidy it up,” said another.
A third user wrote: “I used to do this every weekend when I was a teenager, it gave me a sense of control but also a fresh start when I was stressed!”
“I still do this every 5 months or less,” said a fourth.
They say a cluttered home can lead to a cluttered mind, so changing out your furniture is an affordable and effective way to freshen up your mind, but there are other options too, like incorporating dopamine-boosting decor.
This “feel good” design trend, which is gaining popularity on the internet, focuses on bright colors and elements that bring joy and improve your mood. Some people have also been known to transform their homes into a different era. Newsweek I once spoke to a woman who spent $5,000 to create a time capsule from the 1970s in Cleveland, Ohio.
Newsweek I reached out to @annarussellll for comment via TikTok. We were unable to verify the details of the case.
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