Yes, clutter can have a big impact on mental health. When we're surrounded by mess, it can make it harder to focus, relax, or feel at peace in our own homes. Seeing piles of things lying around can make us feel overwhelmed and tense, even if we don't realize it right away.
As you know, hoarding is a psychological disorder. And the way I conceptualize this, and one of the ways to look at this is, think of hoarding as lots of the same stuff—toilet paper, toilet paper, toilet paper, toilet paper. And clutter is breadth.
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.
For example, if your clutter consists of other people's stuff, you might have issues with boundaries; if your clutter is largely memorabilia from your past, you may have trouble letting go of the past and moving forward; and if you constantly find yourself relying on the phrase “better to have it and not need it than ...
"Excessive clutter and disorganization are often symptoms of a bigger health problem, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression or obsessive compulsive disorder," Hurtado says. "If this is the case, the behavior needs to change versus the logistics of the home, like space or layout."
“Kerri Richardson's new book, What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You helps you clear the clutter in your life by figuring out why it's in your life to begin with. It not only helps you eliminate physical clutter, but emotional and mental blockages, too, creating space for your soul to be energized!
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign? ” ― Albert Einstein - Quora.
Symptoms of ADHD Clutter Anxiety
This may include cluttered surfaces, piles of paperwork or clothing, and difficulty finding necessary items. People with ADHD clutter anxiety may also experience feelings of overwhelm or anxious when faced with clutter or disorganization.
Hoarding Level Two: Clutter inhabits 2 or more rooms, light odors, overflowing garbage cans, light mildew in kitchens and bathrooms, one exit is blocked, some pet dander or pet waste puddles, and limited evidence of housekeeping.
While twin studies have demonstrated a strong genetic component associated with hoarding disorder, they have also highlighted the potential importance of non-shared environmental factors (Iervolino et al., 2009), including, among others, traumatic and other stressful life events (SLEs).
Compulsive hoarding is different from having a cluttered home or collecting, because the items are not displayed, used or have any value.
Clutter puts your mind into overdrive, causing your senses to focus on what isn't important, leading to stress. A messy environment draws your attention from where it ought to be.
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.
Sometimes, however, significant clutter problems can be linked to underlying mental health conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding disorder, major depressive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorders.
Disorganized people could likewise show characteristics such as laziness, absence of focus, and challenges in decision-making. Psychologically, disorganized people may experience disappointment, tension, stress, and anxiety, as well as instability, because they stop working to stay organized.
Serenity as the Inspiration. Trish Buscemi, a specialist who creates calm interiors for those with cognitive learning challenges, recommends blue, green, and muted brown towns for bedrooms of children with ADHD. These gentle hues actually work well with people of all ages seeking a space that inspires rest and calm.
Others have what is referred to as high-functioning ADHD. While this is not a formal diagnosis, it is a term commonly used to describe people who have ADHD but not to the point that it drastically interferes with their daily lives and responsibilities.
Besides Oprah and Katie, other examples of famous people who are known to be disorganized are: Olympic-swimmer Michael Phelps, Jim Carrey, Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams, Stevie Wonder, Anthony Hopkins, Will Smith, Ted Turner, Ludwig van Beethoven, Pablo Picasso, Babe Ruth, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Abraham ...
Researchers at Northwestern University tried the same thing, and found similar results. They found that people in messy rooms drew more creativity and were quicker at solving creative problems.
Mental clutter refers to the excessive or overwhelming thoughts, worries, or concerns that can fill our minds and make it difficult to focus, make decisions, or feel at peace. Mental clutter can take many forms, including excessive worrying, rumination, obsessive thinking, and over-analyzing situations.
A messy house doesn't necessarily mean a lack of intelligence or discipline, but rather it could be due to other factors like time management, priorities, or even creativity. Highly intelligent people may have messy houses due to their focus on complex tasks, leading them to overlook tidying up.
If you don't clean your house, 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.