The first day of spring is Thursday, and many of us welcome the new season with a cleaning frenzy.

• Why it matters: Doing away with clutter has both physical and mental perks.

💰 The money quote: "I cleaned out my home office today. It had started to feel like all the half-finished projects & past life relics & file folders & books were turning into a crust around me & pressing in," Megan K. Stack, a New York Times Opinion contributing writer, posted on X this week.

• "Same stuff, sorted & organized, feels like exciting ideas and fond memories. Recommend."

The backstory: Spring cleaning has ancient roots. You see references to the practice pop up in Judaism and Catholicism, as well as around the Persian and Thai new year celebrations, National Geographic reports.

• The timing makes sense. In the winter, we have less energy for a deep clean or a reset. As the days get longer and lighter, those sorts of projects seem more appealing.

🧠 Between the lines: Research has linked clean, organized spaces — and even just the act of cleaning — to reduced anxiety and fatigue, as well as improved concentration and mood, Verywell Mind notes.

• Good news if spring cleaning feels too daunting: We reap some of the task's benefits while we're in the middle of it.

Studies show that clutter can intensify stress and procrastination — and trigger coping strategies, like eating junk food or binging TV, according to the Harvard Business Review.

💡 Pro tips: Psychologists and organization experts recommend a few hacks if you need some motivation to start your spring reset.

• Set timers. Do as much as you can in chunks so cleaning doesn't seem like a never-ending task.
• Working with others makes it easier and more fun.

📬 We want to know what works for you! Send your best spring cleaning tip — in two sentences or less — plus your name and hometown to [email protected], and we'll spread your wisdom!

Here's a shot of Upper Antelope Canyon in Page, Ariz., snapped by reader Rudy Maurer during a two-week trip to nine national parks last year.