(WHTM) — With the change of the season, many of us are starting to think about spring cleaning. Not only can a little tidying up make our environment look better, but it can also benefit our mental health.

Dr. Dawn Potter is a psychologist at Cleveland Clinic. She says the spring sunshine tends to give people a boost of energy, making it a great time to tackle some spring cleaning and other projects we tend to put off in the winter.

“Spring cleaning can be beneficial for a number of different reasons. In general, cleaning can restore a sense of control. So when things are feeling out of control, people often like to take control in ways that they can, like taking control of their environment. It can also be beneficial because a lot of people find clutter distracting, so engaging in some spring cleaning can help you kind of refocus on your other goals,” Dr. Potter said.

Checking items off our to-do lists can provide a sense of accomplishment and mark a fresh start to complement the season change.

To get started, Dr. Potter states that writing down some tasks and coming up with a reasonable timeline to complete them.

Dr. Potter also said that people should work at a comfortable pace, and not be afraid to ask someone for help if needed. If you decide to take on the lofty task of spring cleaning, make sure it is because you want to.

“When you’re taking this on, do it for you. Don’t necessarily do it to meet other people’s expectations. So if you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed about it, ask yourself, ‘is this what I want to do? Is this the right time for me to do it?’ So I think spring is a great time, but if it’s not the right time for you, don’t feel pressure, you know, just do what you want to the level that you feel good about,” Dr. Potter said.

Dr. Potter says people should seek professional help if they feel depression, anxiety, or if any other mental health disorder is stopping them from doing everyday tasks, such as cleaning.