Having a messy room might be the result of a lot of factors. It might mean you are busy and have little time to clean and organize. It might be a sign that you have too much stuff. Or it might be the result of having young kids in the house who are usually not motivated to clean up after themselves.
So what does clutter mean? An excess of unnecessary or unloved belongings, that accumulate into an overwhelming mess. The easiest way to eliminate clutter: Minimize - let go of anything that you don't use / love.
While cluttering is not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it is widely recognized as a condition that affects both men and women in all socioeconomic classes and is commonly dealt with in psychotherapy and community support groups as are mental health disorders that also involve ...
But research shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains. Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus. The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.
According to Psychology Today, clutter causes stress in part because of its excessive visual stimuli. It also signals to our brains that our work is never done and creates guilt, anxiety and the feeling of being overwhelmed.
One of the biggest reasons it's hard to declutter for many people is simply lack of time. Your life might already be busy and full. And sometimes it feels like there's just not enough time to add decluttering to your already never-ending to-do lists.
"Clutter is bad for your physical and mental health," Gilberg says. Too much clutter can be a fire hazard. Dust, mold, and animal dander that collect in cluttered homes are all bad for allergies and asthma. "When people see clutter, they use language like 'suffocating,' and 'I can't breathe,' agrees Walsh.
Clutter might be making you sick physically and/or mentally. Motherly's Article, It's Science: Clutter Can Actually Give You Anxiety explains the science of cortisol: “No matter the ways, reasons and means by which the creep of stuff exceeds our ability to mentally and physically manage it—all of it amounts to stress.
Clutter May Lead to Decreased Focus, Confusion, and Tension
In some ways, clutter and mess is linked to negative emotions like confusion, tension, and irritability while an organized home tends to produce more positive emotions like calmness and a sense of well-being.
Just about every home has some clutter—even if it's contained behind closed closet doors or tucked away in a garage, basement, or attic. You know where your clutter lurks, and even if it's not visible, it could be causing you stress.
Behavioral/psychological: Clutter caused by depression, attention deficit disorder, low self-esteem or lack of personal boundaries. Time/life management: Clutter caused by the need for better planning. Of these, the behavioral/psychological-driven clutter is the hardest to solve.
Distinguishing between hoarding and clutter
On the face of it they can seem quite similar, but there is a big difference between hoarding and clutter. While clutter is the result of general mess or untidiness, hoarding is more serious. Hoarding is what happens when somebody is suffering from a hoarding disorder.
Toxic mold can also have a grayish, soot-like texture, or a slimy, wet surface. In some cases, you may even notice furry orange or brown spots. If you find mold with any of these qualities in your home, don't get too close, and call a professional right away.
Clutter can make it difficult to get things done, to find what you need, and to live in an orderly and efficient manner. When we spend time everyday looking for our keys or trying to find that one pair of pants, we can become frantic and stressed, allowing this negative daily energy to build up over time.
Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important. Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on. Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.
Ataxophobia is an extreme, irrational fear of disorder or untidiness. People may feel intense distress in messy environments or even while thinking about disorder. This specific phobia is closely linked with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).