When you see clutter upon entering your home does it make you cringe inside? Does it make your heart rate go just a little bit faster just thinking about the work that needs to be done? How does clutter affect your brain and mental health? Read on to find out how it does and steps to take to reverse this.
How Does Clutter Affect Your Brain and Mental Health?
Do you struggle with clutter? Millions of Americans do. What you, and they, may not realize is that clutter can affect your mind and body.
Scientific reports claim the state of your house reflects the state of your mind.
How does clutter affect your brain? Well, answer this question: how does your home make you feel when you walk in the door at the end of the day? Do you feel peaceful and glad to be at home because it is your sanctuary? Or, do you feel dread because there is a mountain of unfolded laundry in the chair, a stack of magazines spread all over the floor and a sink full of this morning’s dishes?
Scientific reports claim the state of your house reflects the state of your mind. Disorganization and clutter indicate there is something out of balance. The trick is learning what is off-kilter and how to set it straight.
Living in a cluttered home is stressful – for everyone. Mom is constantly pulled from what she needs to do to help someone find his or her homework. Dad is late for work because he cannot find his car keys. As the pressure to find those things that are lost mounts, so does the tension. Before too long, something or someone snaps.
I’ve totally been there, more times than I care to admit. This year I am on a mission to declutter. I am a chronic clutterer – I can remember my room being cluttered as a kid. But I am so sick of being that hot-mess mom and wife. I want to be organized! I want to be able to find permission slips and work papers!
Think about how you feel when you have misplaced something. You may berate yourself for being careless. You may feel frustrated and ready to give up. When your child comes in to ask a question, you may not respond in a loving manner and feelings are hurt. Decluttering and organizing your home can help alleviate this problem.
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Clutter drains you of energy and makes you feel tired. When you have to look at clutter, you most likely feel overwhelmed. You know you need to do something but you do not have the energy. Take time to clear the clutter from one small area. It can help you and your family feel more energetic and more inspired to work on decluttering in other areas.
Did you know clutter could be making you sick physically? No one wants to think about it, but clutter can be the breeding ground for germs, dust, mold and mildew. It could even hide a problem with mice. If you do not believe clutter can make you sick, think of the stress mentioned above. If you have too much stress, you may develop high blood pressure. Dust and mold can cause allergies or worse.
Clutter can also affect your body weight. People with clutter are usually sedentary while those with an uncluttered home are active. Part of this may be because the clutter in the home makes it hard for you to move. You may also be using clutter, like being overweight, as a means to protect yourself. Clutter keeps people at bay and so there is little chance that you will be hurt.
Now that you understand some of the ways clutter can affect your mind and body, consider what you are going to do about it. Will you take a step forward and begin decluttering, or will you let it continue to rule your life and that of your family?
I am a New England mama of 3 kids, 3 kitties and 2 puppies! I grew up in the great state of NH and blog about all things healthy and natural near Nashua and Boston.
Great points to think about. I grew up in a house with clutter and piles. As a result, I now work hard to avoid the piling up of stuff in my own home. I totally agree that there is a direct correlation between how you feel and perform and the state of your surroundings. Visiting from Bouquet of Talent party.
Thanks, I need some of these tips. My home is good but my desk is not at all.