Many people firmly believe that a tidy home is a happy home. This is far more than something parents tell their kids to make them tidy their room! It’s a medically proven fact that a cluttered home can cause stress – and when we have a big clear-out, it can improve our emotional well-being.
Living in a tidy environment can positively affect your mental health, according to researchers at the Yale School of Medicine.
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Why do we save clutter?
Researchers found that the two parts of your brain associated with pain and conflict — the insula and the anterior cingulate cortex — overreact when you start thinking about getting rid of possessions.
You can be left with papers scattered across your desk, unused clothes and personal items gathering dust, purchases never taken out of their bags, or emails left unopened. Anything can be described as clutter, whether it’s physical or digital items.
Our brain tricks us into believing it will be painful to get rid of the items, so we leave them where they are. The more the clutter builds up, the worse we start to feel. We don’t know where to start rectifying the problem and don’t feel like we can tackle it alone.
Research shows that 47% of householders have even thought twice about inviting guests to their home because of the embarrassment of having clutter everywhere.
What are the effects of stress?
In a survey conducted in the UK in 2018, around 82% of respondents said their mood was adversely affected by clutter, blaming it for increasing their stress level.
Those people who felt stressed by the clutter said they often turned to food to combat the stress, often over-eating. A study by the University of California, in Los Angeles, revealed mothers in particular reported an elevated stress level while sorting through possessions in their home.
A side-effect of the stress caused by clutter is that our environment makes us generally less productive and less creative, according to research by Princeton University in New Jersey. Living in a disorganised environment makes us more distracted and less able to function efficiently.
How do you combat clutter?
Among the main items of clutter in UK homes are toiletries packed into the bathroom, dirty clothing piling up in the bedroom, cooking utensils left lying around the kitchen and magazines or mail festering in the living room, making the place look untidy.
If you’re feeling stressed out by clutter, it’s time to do something about it. Have a clear-out and take excess items either to the charity shop or to the tip if they are simply junk.
Keep those items that bring you joy – don’t discard everything until there’s nothing left in your home. You need things that bring you pleasure! The goal of tidying should be to create a living space filled solely with the things that you like.
What system should you employ?
Once you’ve de-cluttered, start implementing new systems, so you don’t lapse back into your old ways. Some examples could include having a letter rack in a designated spot, so instead of throwing mail on the table, or propping it up on the mantelpiece, you could put it in the correct place. Throw junk mail straight in the bin and keep other mail tidy in the rack.
Instead of leaving dirty clothes on the floor or in a chair, put them in a washing basket, so that you don’t end up with piles of washing that may be clean, or may be dirty, but you simply have no idea! Shoes should go on a shoe rack, or in the bottom of the wardrobe.
If you don’t have enough cupboard or wardrobe space, it’s time to either get rid of some clothes or shoes or invest in some more furniture. You should never be in a situation where you have so many garments that there’s nowhere for them to go, except draped over a chair.
Remember, you’re not getting rid of old things just to make space for new ones that you don’t really need – as they will just become clutter all over again!
To get organised and stay organised, the golden rule is to put something away in the proper place as soon as you take it off or stop using it. Once your system is in place, carry out a daily five-minute tidy-up. This will be a breeze because clutter won’t have had the chance to build up and a quick clean-up will become routine.
If you live with other people, it’s important to explain any new system to them. Everyone in the household needs to be on the same page, so walk other household members through each room and show them what has changed.
If you’re looking to make your home a stress-free zone, make sure you have adequate storage space to ensure a tidy and comfortable interior.
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