Clean living can seem like a rather vague term. It conjures all sorts of imagery of shopping for cartons of food emblazoned with organic labels or stickers that read “gluten free.” But, clean living can encompass everything from clearing out junk drawers to making your meals at home.

Work Dirt

Clutter can lead to unwanted consequences in the workplace. Mikael Cho at LifeHacker.com reports neuroscientists at Princeton University conducted a study showing “that physical clutter in your surroundings competes for your attention, resulting in decreased performance and increased stress.” In New York Post, professional image consultant Michelle Augenstein states a “messy desk is a barrier to communication.” She goes on to say it, “projects your work ethic to people, whether you like it or not.” It’s worth a shot to clean up your workspace and see if it expels some negativity from your environment and improves your workday.

Fold Down Service

Straightening up disorder in your home may actually help you with your whole day.  Kerri Anne Renzulli at CNBC writes a survey found that people who make their beds get “an early sense of accomplishment that then helps them feel more productive throughout the rest of the day. More than eight in 10 bed-makers felt this way.” Take it from an everyday bed maker, getting into a ship-shape bed at night feels really comforting.

Declutter

Good Food

Water is a chemical and poison ivy is an organic. When you hear something is healthy because it doesn’t contain chemicals or is better for you because it’s organic, that isn’t always necessarily factual. Just preparing more meals at home and knowing what exactly you’re putting into your body can improve your dietary habits. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Public Health found “by cooking more often at home, you have a better diet at no significant cost increase, while if you go out more, you have a less healthy diet at a higher cost.” Dr. David Eisenberg, of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health states, “cooking is easier than people think. It can drastically improve your health and is more fun and cheaper than eating out. And no matter your ability, anyone can learn to do it.”

Messy People

Toxic relationships can be painful to clean out of your life but taking those steps can do wonders for your well-being. Psychology Today published a list of 51 Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship, that points to red flags in romantic relationships. These warning signs include your partner criticizing you about your body, lying repeatedly, and violence. Toxic relationships aren’t always about our significant other. Sometimes we can find ourselves caught up in a negative cycle with a parent that you may want to learn how to cope with if you’re finding it difficult to cut them entirely out of your life. Justin Shubert, clinical psychologist suggests when going to visit toxic parents, to have a plan in place. He “advises asking yourself: How many days do you want to be there? Do you want to stay with them or not? If you’re going to stay with them, do you want to bring someone? How many hours a day do you want to spend with them. Do you have a plan of escape in case things go awry?”

Clean living isn’t just about what you put into your body, but also what you surround yourself with.