Declutter Your Space, Declutter Your Mind - the Impact of Clutter on Mental Health and Decision Making
Have you ever noticed that the state of your surroundings can influence your mood and productivity? Imagine you sit down at your desk to get some work done…but you can’t even put your materials down because there is too much stuff in your way. You push everything to the sides to make room. Some papers slide off the top of a pile. Yesterday’s empty water bottle nearly falls off the edge. You quickly move to catch everything, and as you do, you feel your body shrink into itself. There’s not even room for your elbows! Sound familiar?
Personally, when my workspace feels closed in, my body feels closed in, too. When there is no room to work or to move, it’s almost like there’s no room to breathe. Clutter is not just a physical issue; it has a profound impact on our mental well-being and decision-making abilities. A cluttered space creates a cluttered mind. The problem is, that it’s so easy to find ourselves trapped under the weight of clutter. We live in a culture of excess, and let’s face it – there just isn’t a lot of time to keep up with the mess.
Try as we might to stay on top of it, there are times when we find ourselves totally buried. I was feeling like this fairly recently, in the midst of a major move, and even now, two years later, I’m still trying to climb out from under the boxes. Let me explain. Two years ago, my husband and I decided to move from our home in New Jersey to a smaller home in Switzerland. Over the years, we had built a life in that house, complete with three children and all of their belongings. It was very full – full of love, full of memories, and full of stuff. We knew that we were in for a massive downsize, and we were prepared for it. We no longer wanted to live with so many extra things…but even with that acceptance, it can be overwhelming. Where does everything go? How do you decide what to keep and what to get rid of? It’s also emotional. We were at the end of a chapter, a family of five who no longer lived together in one home. My oldest was moving in with her boyfriend, my middle child would come with us for about six months before heading off to college, and my youngest did not want to move.
It was the right time to downsize, but there was still a feeling of loss. To make it worse, all of the physical things laid out in front of us provided a visual representation of that emotional burden and overwhelm. Eventually, we decided what to take to Switzerland and what to let go of. As for the rest of it, we were able to bring some things to our second home, a condo in Saratoga Springs. The problem with that, though, is that our condo was already furnished and decorated. We didn’t need anything else. So, here we are now, with belongings we’ve held onto but don’t really have a place for, many of which are still packed up and stacked in tall towers in our Saratoga office. I am not able to work in that office. It’s impossible to be productive. I look around at the piles of the boxes, and it takes my breath away. What’s even worse is that now, when we go to our Saratoga Springs home, I’m wasting much of my valuable time unloading boxes instead of enjoying family and friends. As a health and wellness coach, I understand all too well that I’m being dragged down by these boxes, burdened by too many physical things. Still, it’s something that I am chipping away at, striving little by little toward a more peaceful space, both physically and mentally.
In my coaching sessions, I often emphasize the connection between our environment and our mental health. Let's delve into the effects of clutter and explore practical steps to declutter our spaces for a healthier mind.
The Clutter-Mental Health Connection
Our living and working environments act as mirrors to our minds. When these spaces are cluttered, disorganized, and chaotic, our mental state tends to mirror that disarray. Studies have shown a direct correlation between clutter and increased levels of stress, anxiety, and even depression. Living in a cluttered space can create a constant low-level source of stress that takes a toll on our overall well-being.
Decision-Making Under the Weight of Clutter
The cluttered environment doesn't just affect our mental health; it also hampers our ability to make decisions. When surrounded by a chaotic environment, our brains are bombarded with excessive stimuli, making it challenging to focus and make clear choices. This cognitive overload can lead to decision fatigue, where even simple choices become overwhelming.
How Clutter Affects Mental Health
Increased Stress Levels
Cluttered spaces can elevate stress hormones, contributing to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. Studies show that people who perceive themselves as having a cluttered home tend to have higher levels of cortisol. Their stress levels stay high throughout the day. Conversely, for those who do not feel cluttered, cortisol levels typically drop as the day goes on. This tends to impact women more than men and increases with age. However, individuals of all age groups and genders can be affected.
When our bodies release cortisol, we go into fight-or-flight mode. This not only puts us on edge, but it can actually cause physical and physiological changes in our bodies. Has anyone ever told you that too much stress can make you sick? That’s why. Creating a calm, orderly environment is literally good for your health.
So, we know that clutter can spike our stress hormones, but why? What is it about visual chaos that bothers us so much? The book, Life at Home in the 21st Century examines clutter culture in our society as part of UCLA’s ongoing research into contemporary suburban America. In it, one of the co-authors, Anthony P. Graesch, observes that “our excess becomes a visible sign of unaccomplished work that constantly challenges our deeply ingrained notions of tidy homes and elicits substantial stress.” Wow. I don’t know about you, but this viewpoint really resonates with me. When I look around my home and see things that need to be organized or put away, I don’t just see a mess; I see tasks that need to be completed. More specifically, I see tasks that I should have already completed, that I just can’t find time for. A cluttered mess is not just aesthetically displeasing – it’s a picture of our inability to keep up. No wonder we’re stressed.
2. Impaired Concentration
Excessive visual stimuli make it difficult for the brain to concentrate on specific tasks, hindering productivity. Why is this? Well, while some people may pride themselves on their ability to multitask, it turns out that the brain generally prefers order and focusing on one single task at a time. When we are surrounded by distractions, everything around us competes for our attention. This leads to cognitive overload. When the chaos makes it hard to focus, we aren’t able to process information as well. The visual cortex, the part of the brain that processes visual information, has trouble doing its job.
3. Negative impact on mood
A cluttered environment is often associated with negative emotions, impacting our overall mood and outlook. For one thing, it can affect our self-perception, which in turn is strongly connected to our life satisfaction. For most of us, when we are able to keep our homes tidy, we feel like we have it all together. Unfortunately, that never seems to last very long. When, inevitably, it all gets too much and the clutter encroaches, it feels like a failure. Feelings of low self-worth creep up on us. When our confidence takes a hit, and we feel a loss of control, that’s when anxiety and depression can set in.
A chaotic environment can bring on a variety of other unpleasant emotions as well. These include frustration, irritability, and unease. We might find ourselves getting into more arguments. Or, it could lead to avoidance because the disorganization is simply too overwhelming. Procrastination can lead to anxiety and worry. Cluttered homes have even shown to be correlated with disruptive behaviors in children. A lack of order makes it hard to regulate emotions.
Decluttering for Mental Wellbeing
1. Start Small:
Tackling an entire space at once can be overwhelming. Begin with a small area, like a desk or a corner of a room, and gradually expand from there. By making it easier for the brain to focus its attention, we’re more likely to accomplish what we set out to do. Plus, when we reach small goals quickly, our confidence grows, and this sets us on the path to continued progress.
2. Categorize and Prioritize:
Organize items into categories and prioritize what is essential. Donate or discard items that no longer serve a purpose. To reduce the chaos, we need to reduce the stuff. It can be hard to let go. Our physical things hold emotional meaning. Plus, it can feel wasteful knowing that we spent money on these items. Here’s what we need to remember, though – it’s not doing us any good hanging onto items that we don’t use, especially if we’re so bogged down by clutter that we can’t find or easily access them anyway.
3. Create Designated Spaces
Establish specific spaces for different activities, helping to maintain order and reduce visual clutter. It’s so much easier to maintain organization when everything has a designated spot. This prevents piles of miscellaneous objects on countertops, tables, and the floor. When you are finished using something, put it back in its home.
4. Digital Declutter
Extend the decluttering process to your digital life. Organize files, delete unnecessary emails, and declutter your virtual space.
*Coaching Support for Decluttering:*
As a health and wellness coach, I guide individuals through the process of
decluttering both their physical and mental spaces. Together, we explore the
root causes of clutter, develop personalized strategies for organization, and
set achievable goals. By decluttering your space, you can create a more
conducive environment for positive mental health and decision-making.
For some more decluttering ideas, click HERE!
Decluttering isn't just about creating an aesthetically pleasing space; it's a powerful tool for enhancing your mental well-being and sharpening your decision-making skills. Embrace the journey of simplifying and organizing your surroundings, and you'll likely find that a decluttered space leads to a decluttered mind – fostering a sense of calm, focus, and overall mental clarity.
Claudia is an NBC-HWC Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, the owner of Vibrant Health by Claudia LLC and Virtual Health Coaches LLC. She studied Health and Wellness Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where she also completed courses in Gut Health, Hormone Health, and Advanced Coaching. She is a Havening TechniquesⓇ Certified Practitioner and certified 21-Day Sugar Detox Coach as well as a co-author of two Amazon Bestsellers “The Ultimate Guide to
Creating Your Soul Aligned Business” and “The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Successful Soul Professional”.
To schedule a time for a free information call click here or join her Vibrant Health Power Community - a free Facebook Group - here.
Sources
Arnold, Jeanne E., et al. Life at Home in the Twenty-First Century: 32 Families Open Their Doors. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press at UCLA, 2012. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvdjrr2c. Accessed 1 Feb. 2024.
Feuer, Jack. “The Clutter Culture.” UCLA, 28 Dec. 2020, newsroom.ucla.edu/magazine/center-everyday-lives-families-suburban-america.
Jaffee, Sara R., et al. “Chaotic Homes and Children’s Disruptive Behavior.” Psychological Science, vol. 23, no. 6, Apr. 2012, pp. 643–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611431693.
Lucchesi, Emilie Le Beau. “The Unbearable Heaviness of Clutter.” The New York Times, 17 Nov. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/well/mind/clutter-stress-procrastination-psychology.html.
Neuroscience News. “Why Household Mess Triggers Stress and Anxiety.” Neuroscience News, 4 Sept. 2023, neurosciencenews.com/anxiety-stress-messy-home-23874.
Stanford BeWell Team. “A Clean, Well-lighted Place.” Stanford BeWell, 25 Aug. 2023, bewell.stanford.edu/a-clean-well-lighted-place.