There’s Now Scientific Evidence That Clutter Causes Anxiety

Many of us can’t stand a messy home! However, it can be so hard to keep your house nice and tidy, especially if you have little ones running around. But, taking time to clean and organize your house is important, and we have another reason why you should do some spring cleaning today.

New studies show that clutter actually causes anxiety! “Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Messy homes and workspaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives,” Psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter wrote in an article for Psychology Today. So, what exactly is the reasoning behind all of this anxiety? Well, here are 7 major reasons according to Carter:

1) Clutter overwhelms us because it causes excessive stimuli so our senses go into overdrive. 2) It distracts us from other things we’d like to focus on. 3) It makes it harder to mentally and physically relax 4) It signals to our minds that our work is never done. 5) It also causes anxiety because we have to think about how we are going to clean everything up. 6) It can impede productivity and creativity. 7) It makes it harder for us to find what we need and takes up space for doing other necessary things on our list.

And, according to UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives and Families, women tend to react more to clutter in their homes than men do. Research has found that women who live in cluttered homes have higher levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. But, the good news is that stress and anxiety caused by clutter can be eliminated. So, it’s time to do some tidying up so you can finally relax!