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This is what happens when people meet cleaning challenges head on.

Remember the last time your house felt clean?

It felt good, right? Everything back in the right place and your floors smelling like they've just been aired out in a garden can give you a deeper sense of relaxation and wellbeing than you might realize.

For instance, did you know that a clean space can make you more productive? If you're a parent — a clean home can help your kid do better in school. But that's still only the tip of the iceberg: Researchers have also found that people who work in neater spaces are healthier, that those who have a clean home sleep better and eat healthier. All that leads to you being an all around friendlier person, too.

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What Comes Next Project

What do coffee, a pharmacy and rock-and-roll have in common? In Philly, everything.

Gary Viteri was living the rock-and-roll life when an accident changed everything.

As a musician in a rock band since he was 17, Gary Viteri lived a fast-paced, go-big-or-go-home lifestyle. But when he got hit by a truck and was basically immobilized for a year, his focus changed. "The accident was definitely a type of blessing," says Viteri. "I needed to take a break. I was moving too fast."

He looked around at his community in south Philadelphia and recognized the need for a community-based space for creative people to gather. An abandoned building that had once been a clinic and pharmacy caught his eye, and the idea for The Pharmacy coffee shop and music venue was born.

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What Comes Next Project

Remember the last time your house felt clean?

Let's start with our closets which, I think we can all agree, are tricky to get organized and clean.

Now it's your turn: Whether you've got a closet to untangle or a park down the street you'd like to restore to its former glory, know that you can make a difference — in your life and others' — just by getting a little dirty for a few hours.

Gary Viteri was living the rock-and-roll life when an accident changed everything.

He wanted to create a space where local musicians could collaborate, perform and build a following.

So Viteri organized a massive cleanup of The Pharmacy basement to build an affordable recording studio.

Viteri hopes the studio space will be a launching pad for local musicians.

Let's face it, cleaning your house can be a pain, but the after effects come with way more benefits than you might realize.

Research shows that keeping a tidy house has a positive effect on kids' productivity and learning.

This is not to say that your house always has to be sparkling. Life happens, and often makes that impossible. But a home that's disorganized on the regular can lead to problems.

However, you can begin giving your kids the tools they need to succeed in life by making them an integral part of keeping the house comfortable and organized.

Ready to get that house clean? Here are just a few tips that will help you help your kids have a surefire chance at a better academic life.

No matter how stressful life can get outside the house, coming home will make them feel calmer and less anxious. And that's a good thing when it comes to sitting down to do homework.

When you're homeless, finding a clean place where you feel safe can seem impossible.

At Transition Projects in Portland, the goal isn’t simply to get people off the street. The organization is helping people regain hope, reclaim their dignity, and find long-term housing.

One such barrier is the late in/early out policy of many traditional shelters. At Transition, the staff know that this model often doesn't provide enough support to help people change their circumstances.

For many people, Transition has made a life-changing difference. The program helps more than 1,000 people a year find housing.

It all started with a man named T-Bone and a simple desire.

So Russinger and his friends partnered with a local laundromat. They took over the space once a month and paid for everyone's laundry. But providing clean clothes to those in need was only the beginning.

Soon, Russinger's initiative had a name: Laundry Love. And the organization had a mission to occupy as many laundromats as it could manage.

If you're wondering what you can do to help your community transform in a similar way, start by asking someone in need what would make their life a little easier.

Was your New Year's Resolution to clean up and finally get your home organized?

1. Cleaning up can alleviate stress.

2. It can also improve your relationships.

3. You're more likely to socialize if you keep your space tidy.

4. Cleaning up can boost your creativity and productivity.

5. It might also help you financially.

6. You might eat healthier.

7. A clean bed could help you sleep better.

Before you embark on your cleaning adventure, though, there are two important things to remember: