This is not an article about typical New Year’s resolution making. As great as I think resolutions are, and as much as I would never discourage anyone from making them, according to a study by the University of Scranton, only 8 percent of us ever follow through on them.

Recently, a friend informed me that the beginning of the year was the time for purging. Not being much of a resolution-making type, I nodded along and continued on with my life. Coincidentally enough, last week (in the name of good deals and smoking car engines), I found my name on a new lease and became the co-owner of a new car.

Although my situation was on the more severe end (as my boyfriend and I completely uprooted all of our belongings and rented a Uhaul during the first week of school, a few days after our engine decided to blow up), the benefits of my experience have been positively life changing.

However, you don’t have to get rid of your car or buy a new house to appreciate some happy life changes. Studies have shown that consolidating belongings and deep cleaning, such as scrubbing and vacuuming, can dramatically diminish emotional ailments, such as stress and anxiety. These are only a few of the many benefits listed on Healthnet.com.

Cleaning offers beneficial exercise while also improving mental functions, reports Ian Shaffer, head of the behavioral health subsidiary at Health Net. Uncluttered space really does lead to a more ordered thought process. Not only will you feel satisfied upon completing your cleaning spree, but being organized reduces stress by providing a sense of control.

As mentioned earlier, cleaning also can be used as a productive workout. The American Heart Association classifies household work as moderate exercise, meaning you can expect to burn a few calories while you scrub and sort.

Furthermore, exercise naturally boosts the mood, and with the dual purpose of organization in mind, time conservation is also practiced. People today are always busy, and organization is especially important to make the most of each day.

So go ahead; grab your radio and a garbage bag and hit your dorm room, desk, bedroom closet, or, for those of us who are a bit more ambitious, the whole house. By ridding your life of unnecessary belongings and unneeded dirt, you just may find the momentum you need for the start of a fantastic new year.