"It's just some mess", we've either heard someone say it or been the person saying it at some point in our lives, hardly grasping that the visual chaos is affecting our well-being more than we realise.
The connection between clutter and our mental health.
In a world that often emphasizes productivity and efficiency, clutter has become a silent disruptor of peace in our living and working spaces. Beyond just being an eyesore, clutter can profoundly impact mental well-being, leading to stress, anxiety, and a diminished quality of life.
Although clutter is occasionally linked to heightened creativity, in excess it can get in the way of our capacity to carry out daily tasks and can also make us feel anxious and overwhelmed. Our physical environments significantly influence our cognition, emotions and subsequent behaviours, including our relationships with others. Being surrounded by clutter consistently creates chaos, which can often bleed into our personal lives and relationships.
While an overflowing cupboard or messily arranged piles of clothes might not seem like a huge deal to the layman, research shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains.
Our brains are wired to seek structure and order, and this phenomena can be seen in all aspects of life. From systemically induced social strata to how we have different fronts for different groups of friends to our obsession with how we are perceived, humans have always craved structure. Constant clutter and visual chaos often depletes our energy without our knowledge, and can leave one feeling helpless and unmotivated.
Cortisol, the stress hormone, often gets triggered during our daily encumbrances. However, having clutter in one’s home means that cortisol levels have a hard time going down, accumulation of which can cause an array of health problems. A study from the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin conducted in 2009 found that women with higher stressful home scores had increased depressed mood over the course of the day, whereas women with higher restorative home scores had decreased depressed mood over the day. In layman terms, this means that women who described their homes as cluttered had higher cortisol levels compared to those who felt their homes were organized and restful.
Clutter in living or working spaces can significantly affect mental and physical well-being. Here’s an in-depth exploration of its impact on various aspects of mental and even physical health:
1) Stress:
Clutter has been shown to increase cortisol levels, the stress hormone, particularly in women. Elevated cortisol leads to chronic stress, which can result in persistent fight-or-flight responses. This prolonged stress state is linked to health issues such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes due to its impact on inflammation, glucose regulation, and cardiovascular strain.
2) Anxiety:
Clutter can create a constant visual reminder of tasks undone, making it harder to focus. This sensory overload can trigger feelings of being overwhelmed and heighten anxiety levels. A cluttered environment may also exacerbate the struggle to prioritize, leaving individuals feeling stuck and more anxious.
3) Depression:
Studies have observed a correlation between cluttered living spaces and depressive symptoms. The inability to manage clutter often reflects or intensifies feelings of helplessness, contributing to a cycle of low mood and inactivity. Additionally, environments filled with excessive items may hinder emotional recovery.
4) Isolation:
The embarrassment associated with a messy home often discourages social interaction, fostering loneliness. This isolation not only impacts mental health but also reduces access to social support networks, which are vital for overall well-being.
5) Sleep Problems:
People who sleep in cluttered bedrooms are more likely to experience disturbed sleep. The physical discomfort and mental restlessness caused by clutter can lead to difficulty falling or staying asleep, potentially affecting cognitive function and emotional resilience.
6) Memory Issues:
Sensory overload from clutter can impair working memory. Constant exposure to a chaotic environment reduces the brain’s ability to focus and retain information effectively, which may lead to forgetfulness or decreased productivity.
7) Overeating:
Cluttered spaces can unconsciously encourage overeating. Studies suggest that chaotic surroundings and stress reduce self-regulation, making it easier to indulge in unhealthy food choices, which could contribute to weight gain over time.
8) Headaches and Body Aches:
Clutter-induced stress can lead to muscle tension, resulting in headaches and body aches. The physical strain of navigating through cluttered spaces or the repetitive movements involved in tidying up may also contribute to these physical symptoms.
Why Do We Hold Onto Clutter? Understanding why clutter accumulates is key to managing it.
Emotional Attachment: Many objects hold sentimental value, making it difficult to let go even if they no longer serve a purpose.
Fear of Future Need: A "just in case" mindset leads to holding onto items that could be useful someday, but often aren't.
Cultural and Societal Factors: Societal messages equate material possessions with success, making decluttering feel like losing social capital.
Decluttering: sorting the mess.
Decluttering can be approached through various methods that streamline the process and make it more manageable.
The KonMari Method, developed by Marie Kondo, encourages tidying by category rather than location, and keeping only items that "spark joy." Another popular technique is the Four-Box Method, where you sort items into boxes labeled "keep," "donate," "discard," and "relocate." The 30-Day Declutter Challenge involves removing one item on the first day, two on the second, and so on for 30 days, creating a gradual process. Additionally, the One-In-One-Out Rule helps prevent clutter from accumulating by requiring the removal of one item for every new one brought into the home (RACGP). Any of these methods, when practiced consistently, help create and maintain a clutter-free environment that supports mental clarity and organization.
Final Thoughts.
Clutter's impact on mental health is often underestimated, yet it has profound implications for stress, productivity, and overall well-being. It does more than occupy physical space—it directly influences mental and physical health by exacerbating stress, anxiety, and other conditions. Understanding these impacts can motivate individuals to adopt decluttering strategies as part of their self-care routine. By acknowledging its effects and adopting practical solutions, you can reclaim both your physical space and peace of mind.
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