Cluttering, decluttering and health
Written by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
Over 90% of UK homes have clutter. That’s incredible. And we are increasingly aware that clutter is seriously bad for our mental and physical health. Most of us have at least one room which is cluttered and no real idea what to do about it. Over 80% of people surveyed said that clutter had caused conflict in their home.
I’m feeling guilty writing this as I have clutter in my home and its definitely time to do something about it.
Clutter and health
High stress – In a study of parenting in a cluttered home as opposed to an uncluttered home, salivary amylase levels were elevated in the cluttered home group. This is a marker of stress which shows the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) (‘the fight fright and flight system’) is now on high alert. It’s also associated with other markers of stress such as a rapid heart rate. Other research has shown mothers in cluttered homes have comparatively raised levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Chronic inflammation – Living in constant stress increases chronic inflammation in the body which has many risks for physical health. One of these is that the immune system functions less well, increasing susceptibility to coughs, colds, flu and other infections.
Poor parenting – Chaos in the home leads to negative emotions, anger and conflict and may even increase the risk of child maltreatment and child abuse.
Emotional distress – Other research has linked clutter to poor decision-making, indecisive behaviour and procrastination. You may not realise it but living with clutter increases emotional stress and can lead to emotional eating, increased tension at work, lower productivity and a reduced quality of life.
Overeating – 77% of people living in cluttered homes are overweight or obese. In another study, those living in a cluttered environment were twice as likely to eat a chocolate bar as those living in an orderly environment.
Poor sleep – Unsurprisingly we sleep better in an uncluttered bedroom. Medical evidence supports the fact that hoarders have a 2-5 times increased risk of poor sleep quality, waking frequently at night and feeling fatigued during the daytime.
Clutter – the reasons why
Clothes are most commonly hoarded with 71.1% of us admitting to having our wardrobes cluttered. People have sentimental reasons for keeping clothes and constantly think they will reuse them, but this is actually rarely the case.
We may keep things as they remind us of the past or make us feel safe. Getting rid of things makes us fearful of losing memories or facing the future. Clutter is a major feature of grief. We might want to keep things just in case … but then find they are never needed.
It’s understandable to keep special items which mean something to you, such as a special card from your late mother. However, there is no need to keep every bus ticket, train ticket, or advertising leaflet that has come through the door!
We may say we don’t have the time to sort it out, or that we are too tired. I would suggest you turn that around as the clutter may well be a significant reason for your tiredness. Tackling it is likely to make you feel better.
Some psychologists believe clutter is related to trauma. If you have suffered a major trauma this can be a feature of PTSD.
A hoarding disorder is a psychological condition associated with severe mental health problems, loneliness and depression. Hoarders need professional medical help, for example, with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Clutter – how to fix it
There’s no quick fix for clutter, but, however bad the clutter, you can do something to improve it. Nothing is insurmountable. Think positive!
Get motivated – Think of all the reasons life will be so much better when you’ve done it.
Make a plan – Start small, just in one corner of the room. Perhaps just clear out one drawer and go from there. Ask a friend or family member to help you if needed. They can discuss the items with you and help you part with things.
How to do it – Take everything out of the drawer and lay it on the bed or the floor. Look at each item in turn. When did you last use it/wear it? What does it mean to you? If you haven’t used it or worn it for 12 months either throw it away, recycle it, or sell it. Praise yourself for each item you reject. Feel gratitude for the items you love and are keeping.
Make some money – Find out how to sell on sites such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Vinted. Why not make some money out of your unwanted goods?
Charity shops – Make some charity shop donations. It feels good to give to charity and allow some good to come out of your unwanted things.
Go to the tip – Take your rubbish to the tip. You often have to make an appointment these days. You will also find clothing bins, shoe bins and bins for glass and paper recycling. It feels so good driving home from the tip when you’ve done it.
Make it clean – When you’ve sorted the rubbish clean out the drawers and cupboards and make them smell nice.
Improve your storage – Think about what you could do to improve your storage, such as storage boxes, zip-up bags under the bed and shoe holders inside your wardrobe.
Shop differently – Don’t buy clutter. From now on, think hard before you part with your hard-earned cash. Do you really need that item? Where will you keep it? If you buy it, what can you throw away instead? Think minimalist. Life is so much simpler with fewer possessions.
Get professional help
If this is all too much, you might like to seek help from the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers (APDO). You can find a personal organiser in your area by clicking here. They are professionally trained and able to help with both the physical and mental issues associated with cluttering and decluttering.
Final thoughts
I’m thinking of all the reasons we live in clutter and all the better reasons to get rid of it. Clutter could be the root cause of so many of our issues – from being overweight to not being able to sleep. I think Stacey Solomon has it right. Taking time to ‘sort your life out’ could have very real and long-lasting benefits.
I hope this post has given you some food for thought. None of us like change, but once we’ve done it, we often wish we had done it much earlier.
When could you take your first small step and start the great declutter?
Refs
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9216699/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9915205/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797613480186