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Writer's pictureWinnow & Bloom

The Hidden Chaos: How Clutter Impacts Your Mind and How to Overcome It


Do you ever just feel all kinds of chaotic when the world around you is chaos too?  Research studies have found that cluttered environments can actually increase stress levels to clinical levels which negatively affects our overall well-being.


Ready to nerd out? Here are a few of the neurological and physiological reasons why we feel disorganized when our homes and lives are disorganized:



Visual Clutter = Visual Overwhelm

When there is too much stimuli in our visual field, the clutter competes with our overall neurological processing.  Specifically, the chaos of clutter limits our focus and interferes with our ability to recall and process information.

 

Solution:

Focus on your most lived in space and  WINNOW - literally remove (donate, recycle, or toss) things from your home until you are left with only the best, most useful, or most loved items.  Science shows it will help you think more clearly.


To the Brain, Clutter = Stress

The higher the density of household objects (i.e., having more stuff), the higher our cortisol levels.  Increased cortisol signals our brains to stressed the eff out.

 

Solution:

Decluttering and organizing your home means giving everything a place.  When you know where everything is you feel a sense of order and control.  Cortisol be damned!


Clutter Makes Us Grumpy

When our surroundings are disorganized it signals our brain that we are not safe.  This triggers a “fight or flight” reaction that, when it persists, leads to irritability, confusion, and tension.

 

Solution:

Living in and around organized spaces releases happy hormones like dopamine which leads to pleasant emotions like a sense of well-being and calm.


 

So, if you've been putting off getting organized because you don't have time or it feels like too much, shift that mindset and start small.  Little by little you'll be on your way to a happy brain and body, not to mention freedom from the clutter.


Not sure where to start? Our Guide to Stress-Free Decluttering walks you through four easy to follow steps to get your life in order.



Prefer to leave the doing up to the pros and just reap the rewards? Tap the button below to go to our contact page and get started. You'll be so happy you did.



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