We all hear how you’re supposed to declutter and simplify your life. Organize each room into a box, system to make your life easier. But why? What’s the real reason behind it all? HOW exactly is decluttering going to make my life easier? Decluttering and minimalizing your life might sound like more work in and of itself.
I had these questions when I wanted to simplify and felt overwhelmed by my life. I needed to know the WHY. Why and how is this going to be beneficial to me? As I started digging into research. It became undeniably impossible to ignore all the benefits. Not only visually in your surroundings which is an obvious benefit. I’m talking about the more profound level here. How clutter and overwhelm affect your mental health and well-being and how to fix that.
Clutter compromises an individual’s perception of home and ultimately the feeling of satisfaction with life.
-University of new mexico’s catherine roster & Colleagues Research
Let’s dig in and start to learn how clutter affects your mental health and well-being.
1.) LOW IMPACT ON WELL-BEING
Your home should be a safe place for you. A place of retreat from the outside world. A safe space where you and your family feel connected and loved. When we bring excess clutter into our homes. It slowly diminishes the feeling of safety or retreat. Instead, it has the opposite effect. Living with clutter and overwhelm places your body in a flight or fight response. Increasing cortisol and stress in your body.
2.) UNHEALTHY BINGE EATING
An Australian U.S. study conducted by Lenny Vartanan et al (2017) showed that people would eat more cookies/snacks if the environment in which they’re offered a choice of food is chaotic, and they are led to feel stressed.
That’s one of the many studies done to prove that we oftentimes binge eat when we feel stressed and overwhelmed.
We feel a sense of being out of control in our environment and binge eating is a safety mechanism many of us learn to get an instant hit of dopamine to make us “feel good” at the moment. Leaving us with harmful long-term effects on our health and well-being.
3.) LESS EFFICIENT THINKING
The term “metal clutter” is a state of mind which can’t inhibit irrelevant information. This has been studied by the University of Toronto. Lynn Hasher proposed several years ago that mental clutter is one of the prime suspects in the cause of age-related memory loss.
When you think more clearly. It’ll improve your physical and cognitive mental health.
THE STUDIES ARE ENDLESS.
Clutter results in the feeling of overwhelm and stressed. The alarming part of this all is oftentimes we are unaware of the state we live in. Think about a time in your life when you simplified and cleaned out, say, a drawer or closet. How about when you spring clean? After the work is completed and you get rid of a lot of junk or items that you may not have even realized you had. You feel lighter, more accomplished, and happier.
Now, imagine amplifying that. Imagine if each room was simplified and carried out a specific function to fit your life. If you could spend less time cleaning and organizing your clutter and more time with your family, or enjoying a hobby. Placing more time into a side hustle, traveling, whatever it may be.
In this day and age, we are chasing excess. The world tells us more is better. You’ll be happier when you achieve XYZ. What the world, unfortunately, leads us to believe is lies. The more stuff you fill your life up that does not have a meaning or brings you joy is not only taking up “space” in your life but adding mental clutter. The silent blanket of overwhelm we cover ourselves up with.
I know you’re still reading this because you care. You’re ready to make a change. Check out my easy 4 steps to start decluttering when you feel overwhelmed. This method I teach you will provide you with the foundation to start simplifying your life one area at a time. Achieving the minimal and functional life you desire.