Need for control To some, clutter can represent a loss of control over one's space. Compulsive declutterers view getting rid of clutter as a way of regaining this control and creating a sense of order in their lives. A study done by the University of Connecticut supports this.
Always feeling the need to declutter can be linked to stress and anxiety, where having lots of things in your space increases your anxious feelings. To try and relieve your feelings of stress, you can develop the urge to constantly declutter your space. Decluttering can temporarily relieve anxiety.
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.
People that have compulsive decluttering disorder think that any items around them are cluttering or disrupting their everyday lives. Throwing these items away gives them satisfaction, and gives them the idea that they are in control of their lives.
The 50% rule for clutter is a straightforward yet powerful principle: reduce the number of items in any given space by half.
What Is the 90/90 Rule? Here's the gist: When you come upon an object you're unsure about decluttering, ask yourself two questions: Did you use it in the past 90 days? If not, will you use it in the next 90 days? If your answer is “no” to both questions, away it goes.
It's possible that you use cleaning rituals to cope with other conditions, like anxiety. Or maybe you just thrive in a clean environment. But obsessive cleaning can become a threat to your well-being when the need for cleanliness and order becomes unmanageable.
"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."
If someone's obsessions center on organization or symmetry, they might be dealing with a specific subtype of OCD called Perfectionism or “Just Right” OCD.
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.
ADHD & Laziness Are Not the Same
The truth is that people with ADHD often come across as lazy because their minds move too fast. Before getting an ADHD diagnosis, people with this problem have trouble focusing. Their minds work overtime, but they have difficulty completing tasks on time.
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.
Cleaning your home or surroundings isn't just a physical process, but a mental one as well. Reducing clutter minimizes distractions, allowing your brain to concentrate on more important tasks at hand.
Compulsive decluttering comes from deeper psychological needs, often due to a need for control, and individuals' minds are filled with anxious thoughts about clutter.
It is often unrecognized by outside observers and the hoarder. Indicators include difficulty parting with redundant items, excessive shopping for items already in the home or not needed, accessible stairs, doors, and windows, no noticeable odors in the home, little to no visible…
Some researchers believe hoarding can relate to childhood experiences of losing things, not owning things, or people not caring for you. This might include experiences like: Money worries or living in poverty in childhood. Having your belongings taken or thrown away by someone.
Messy house syndrome presents in older adults, usually 60 and over. People with messy house syndrome cannot maintain a healthy household. They hoard large amounts of useless objects within their homes. Often, their homes are so cluttered that they are inhabitable and unsafe.
People with contamination OCD may spend a lot of time cleaning of household items or other inanimate objects. For example, someone with this type of OCD may wash their shoes, credit cards, cell phone, or other things that may have come into contact with as these items may be considered dirty or contaminated.
Gain Control of Your Environment
You can start to feel stuck in a rut. So, if you're feeling the urge to clean and declutter when you're stressed, your mind and body are probably looking for a way to bring some order to your environment.
Start small and simplify. Beginning the decluttering process by starting small and focusing on one area at a time can be a highly effective strategy to prevent overwhelm, maintain motivation, and achieve tangible progress in organizing your living space.
Declutter before cleaning
But it's super helpful to have baskets or even garbage bags on hand to collect stuff that belongs in other rooms. For example, when I tackle the office today, I'll have a basket for the stuff that belongs in the bedroom and a basket for the stuff that belongs in the guest room.
Ltd., said that the one-touch rule involves handling an item only once. “Rather than picking something up and setting it down temporarily, you place it immediately in its designated spot. This habit minimises clutter, and helps maintain organisation, and prevents items from piling up,” he said.