Words by: Salma Syafathia
Art by: Jasper Kidman 

When I was younger, my mom would constantly give me lectures about cleaning. From tidying up my room to taking out the trash, it felt like I could never catch a break.

As a kid, I would get annoyed at her and, ironically, procrastinate by watching people on social media complete their cleaning, rather than doing my own. It was confusing to see how it could be so relaxing for some when to me it was such a bore. 

Now that I live alone, I realise I don’t have anyone (i.e. my mum) to remind me to clean my space anymore. Admittedly, my room often gets very dirty and tends to become messier and messier as days go by. It gets worse when I am having a stressful week, and being in my room feels exhausting. Eventually, it reaches the point where I have to clean my room and, slowly but surely, my mind begins to feel a bit lighter. That was the moment when I finally understood that cleaning could be relaxing.

As my twenties approach, I look forward to cleaning my apartment at the end of each week. The hum of the vacuum as it picks up dust from the floor, the sight of the sun nearly setting, and its golden-orange light streaming through the window to reveal all the specks of dust yet to be collected on the floor. These are the simple things that make me happy and excited. For a couple of hours, I disconnect from reality and direct my energy to rearranging my space into something refreshing. With my favourite musical playing in the background, my mind focuses on the stain on the table and the process of removing it and nothing else. 

Cleaning has become a way for me to escape my overthinking. 

My younger self probably wouldn’t understand, but cleaning has become an important part of my daily life. It gives me a chance to restart and reflect on my week. 

As the end of the week rolls around, I find myself cleaning, and consequently clearing my mind and soul of the week’s stresses. I sometimes remember those lectures that my mom gave me all those years ago, and all I want to do now is to thank her.  I finally understand that cleaning is not just a chore, but instead, it can be a reward to yourself, a small moment of peace amongst the mess of life.