{"id":2023,"date":"2016-09-07T10:27:38","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T14:27:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/?p=2023"},"modified":"2018-10-10T19:45:42","modified_gmt":"2018-10-10T23:45:42","slug":"cluttered-home-causes-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/cluttered-home-causes-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"Why A Cluttered Home Causes You Stress & What You Can Do About It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know your cluttered home is having an adverse affect on your health?<\/p>\n

In this consumerist society where we tend to accumulate far too much \u201cstuff\u201d, the clutter that results has taken a toll on our stress levels.<\/p>\n

That direct link between excess home clutter and higher\u00a0stress levels has been made in numerous studies in recent years.<\/p>\n

Our home is supposed to be our private refuge, but its value as a comforting space declines\u00a0if it\u2019s not kept in an orderly fashion.<\/p>\n

Get educated on the harmful effects of living in a\u00a0cluttered home and what can be done to fix this problem.<\/p>\n

The science behind how clutter causes you\u00a0stress<\/h3>\n

A study<\/a> conducted by Princeton University Neuroscience researchers found that a cluttered home environment impedes your ability to focus.<\/p>\n

When we have a hard time focussing, our\u00a0mental faculties get worn down and frustration ensues, causing\u00a0stress. Struggling\u00a0to focus properly also inhibits our ability to be creative and to problem solve.<\/p>\n

The Yale School of Medicine published a study<\/a>\u00a0that revealed some surprising results. When the\u00a0study\u2019s participants who were less inclined to throw away things were forced to part with belongings, researchers found increased activity in the areas of their brains that are\u00a0associated with conflict and pain. It literally hurts<\/em> some of us to part with things we own.<\/p>\n

Findings<\/a> from UCLA researchers\u00a0showed that women\u00a0who had an increased\u00a0level of clutter in their homes also had higher levels of a stress hormone\u00a0known as high cortisol. Their study also found that the tidier a home was, the\u00a0happier its occupants seemed to be.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"Messy<\/h3>\n

Further evidence of clutter\u2019s negative impact on our lives<\/h3>\n

On a less scientific level, but still worth a mention, is a recent Huffington Post survey<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a01,000 U.S. adults. In it, 81% of men and 87% of women expressed some level of anxiety over how organized their home was.\u00a0\u201cWorrying my home isn\u2019t clean or organized enough\u201d\u00a0came fifth on their list of the most common stress triggers in their lives.<\/p>\n

When you\u00a0live in a\u00a0cluttered home, there\u2019s a constant feeling of guilt (even if you\u2019re not fully aware of it) over the disorganized state of your\u00a0space.<\/p>\n

Our\u00a0brains are\u00a0always\u00a0telling us\u00a0there\u2019s still plenty of work to be done, which makes it harder to relax.<\/p>\n

Four\u00a0ways to transform your cluttered home and\u00a0lower your stress<\/h3>\n

Taking the appropriate measures and using\u00a0some home\u00a0clutter\u00a0solutions will help lower your stress level\u00a0by making your living space more pleasant to inhabit. Consider these four suggestions:<\/p>\n

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  1. Buy\u00a0less. <\/strong>Really evaluate the necessity of your\u00a0purchases and weigh the pros and cons of how much they\u2019ll enrich your life. We often buy things with the best of intentions of using them, but ask yourself if you\u2019ll realistically be\u00a0using something you\u2019re considering purchasing a year from now.<\/li>\n
  2. Eliminate your non-essential belongings<\/strong>. Even if the trendy minimalist lifestyle isn\u2019t for you, it isn\u2019t difficult to live with fewer things. Just about all of us\u00a0own many things that get little to no use. Purge them from your life and home\u00a0clutter will be more manageable. Get the rest of your family involved and don\u2019t be overwhelmed at the prospect of cleaning out your home clutter \u2013 it doesn\u2019t have to be accomplished overnight.<\/li>\n
  3. Use smart home storage solutions. <\/strong>Naturally,\u00a0<\/strong>investing in smart\u00a0ways to improve your storage and organization efficiency in the home isn\u2019t included in the\u00a0\u201cbuying less\u201d category because of the long-term benefits they\u2019ll provide on a daily basis. Smart\u00a0home storage solutions<\/a> give you the ability to tidy up your space and keep it clutter-free. And these solutions are not only functional, their stylish designs will also enhance your home\u2019s decor.<\/li>\n
  4. Maintain your clean space. <\/strong>Custom home storage solutions do make it easier to keep your house or apartment clean and organized, but your family still needs to put forth their\u00a0best efforts\u00a0in maintaining their clean space.\u00a0Put things away once you\u2019re done with them\u00a0in the dedicated homes that home storage solutions provide.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Now that you\u2019re aware of the stressful effects of living in a cluttered home, what steps will you take to combat this problem?<\/p>\n

    Lowering your home\u2019s stress levels by\u00a0creating a more calming, clutter-free environment that will do your mind and body good is easier than you might think.<\/p>\n

    To get started, schedule your free in-home consultation<\/a> with one of our designers today.<\/p>\n

    See also:<\/h4>\n