cleanliness

I’ve always had a compulsion to rid my closet of excess materials–clothing that has never been worn, books that have never been read, and papers that don’t provide any value – emotional, informational, or otherwise. While friends and family continued to collect clutter, I remained baffled at how they could sleep at night with messy bedrooms, kitchen cupboards so full they couldn't close, and desk drawers stuffed with random gadgets and trinkets that would never be touched again. Over the years, I believed myself to be the odd one out, forever plagued with a compulsion to clean.

Some may say cleanliness is next to godliness, but scientific experts are suggesting that too much cleanliness can actually wipe out the beneficial microbiome from our bodies. Beneficial microbiome are considered important bacteria that help us with our every day bodily functions. Other researchers even suggest that washing too much and over-bathing, especially using harsh antibacterial soaps, can lead to problems with the immune system.