The Science Behind the Clutter: Why it’s Healthier to be Organized

 Guest Blogger #330, Entry #901, January 16, 2012

You get home from work, decide to check the mail on the way in, and open it in the kitchen. Then you get distracted by your kids/dog/significant other, or all of the above. The next thing you know your kitchen table looks like it could double for a mail sorting table at the post office. Clutter happens, that’s a fact. But what happens when your clutter starts to affect your health?

How can you get rid of the clutter?

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What Does Clutter Feel Like?

With shows such as Hoards gaining popularity, more and more of us are starting to understand how clutter can turn into an out of control living space. Studies have shown people who have a lot of clutter consider themselves depressed and have seen a therapist.

Determine how to

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WebMD also found, “professional organizers who are called to cluttered homes and offices say their clients use the same words, over and over, to describe their reaction to the mess: their energy is drained, they can’t find things, and it’s beginning to interfere with crucial parts of life — such as getting to work on time or navigating staircases.” Other articles mention things such as weight gain, anxiety and tension on personal relationships.

Why You Might have More Clutter Than Others

Dr. Randy Frost found, “emotional impoverishment was related to clutter behavior. His studies revealed that when cluttering occurs outside of psychiatric conditions such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD it is related to emotional deprivation and lack of warmth expressed in the family, especially during adolescence,” reports Organization Makes Sense.

So Now What?

Now we know why and how you feel when there is too much clutter, but what is the step to a cleaner healthier you? Start small. You can get overwhelmed if you go for the gusto and decide to tackle the extra bedroom, garage and basement all at once. Instead, dedicate an hour at a day to de-cluttering.

Once you start to see your efforts paying off, it can energize you to do more. Cindy Glovinsky, MSW, a psychotherapist and professional organizer, tells WebMD, “As people clean up, their energy seems to rise. Once clutter is cleaned up, some people begin to work on other issues.” One of her clients, a professor unhappy with her job, got a better position once the clutter was under control. Another, so overweight she was housebound, joined an online self-help group after the clutter was cleared away.”

Serenity from the clutter can be yours

Image Credit: Home Interiors

Have you tamed your inner clutter daemon? Let us know what worked for you in the comments below.

Miguel Salcido is an avid blogger, sports fanatic, father, and home owner who also enjoys social media and SEO. He manages a blog, where one can find amazing custom house plans and floor plans direct from designers, and at PremiereVanities.com, where you can get free shipping on a unique selection of bathroom vanities & cabinets.

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