Improve Your Mental Health – The Link Between Clutter, Stress, and Anxiety
Have you ever looked around your home and felt frustrated by the impact of clutter on your life? After all, stacks of paper on the counter, never-ending piles of laundry, and stuff covering every surface can feel overwhelming!
Certainly, you’re not alone. Clutter has become a major problem in our culture, and it’s even taking a toll on our emotional and mental health. You’ve felt it before, right? What impact can clutter around you have on your mind and well-being?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so I thought this would be the perfect time to discuss clutter’s impact on our mental health — and how organization can help!
“High stress prevents us from organizing our homes, but the clutter itself can also lead to stress.”
-NATALIE CHRISTINE DATTILO, PHD
The Impact of Clutter
It’s not just your friendly neighborhood organizer (Hi!🙋♀️) who says clutter has an impact on your mental health — research shows it, too. Studies have found that when someone perceives their home as cluttered, their cortisol levels increase. What’s cortisol? The stress hormone.
The key word, however, is ‘perceive’. Clutter weighs on people differently. To some, a stack of paper on the kitchen counter is organized. To others, it’s a taunting pile of agitation.
Understanding how you relate to clutter is the first step in identifying its impact on your mental health.
5-Step Solution to Clutter
Once you better understand your clutter’s impact on your well-being, it’s time to decide what to do about it. This varies for everyone, but there are a few universal steps I’d suggest you take.
-
Find Your Biggest Stressor
As we’re talking about mental health, I suggest pinpointing the space in your home that stresses you the most. Find the low-hanging fruit that will impact your daily life, like the entryway you go in and out of each day or the dining room table that’s always covered.
-
Start Small
Though you might find your overflowing garage or basement your most stressful space, those are huge projects. Instead, choose a smaller space that will allow you to see results immediately. Examples include a kitchen drawer, bedroom nightstand, or single shelf.
-
Set a Timer
You’d be amazed by how much better you feel after 15 minutes of decluttering. If you find you have more stamina, feel free to keep going. But remember that progress is better than perfect! (Because Perfect isn’t real:()
-
Sort Your Stuff
Starting in your small space, go through the items and decide what can be kept, tossed, donated, or recycled. Even in a small space, you’ll be amazed by how much you can go, and you’ll quickly feel a little lighter.
-
System Set-up
Systems sound big and complicated, but they can be simple, too! Hanging your keys on the same hook every single day is a system. Putting your shoes in the same spot when you get home is a system. Once you’ve sorted the items in your small space, put them back in a way that works for your habits. Think about how you use the space and decide whether items belong there. If they do, contain them in a way that can help you find them when you need them next.
Support and Resources
As with anything that feels overwhelming, it can help tremendously to have someone at your side along the way. I would love to support you through your organizing journey, but I understand there’s a time and place for everything. I’m here when you’re ready to declutter and organize. I’ve got other organizing posts about clutter and decluttering, so please also check those out.
Some professional organizers specialize in chronic disorganization, frequently related to neurodivergence. If you struggle with ADHD, hoarding, or other challenges, you may find the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) a helpful resource.
If you or a loved one needs additional mental health support or services, please visit the National Institute of Mental Health website for the resources listed.