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sparefoot.com
article
https://www.sparefoot.com/blog/link-between-clutter-and-mental-health
There’s a clear link between clutter and depression, with an increase in clutter triggering elevated levels of depression and mood disorders and a lower sense of psychological health.
The research relates a rise in clutter to the consumption of unhealthy foods and sedentary lifestyles.
A person’s quality of life decreases in tandem with the increase in clutter levels. [...] Again, there’s a difference between a hoarding disorder and experiencing ADHD clutter anxiety or depression caused by procrastination or a lack of time, resources, and abilities.
Life events and social expectations trigger mental health challenges in otherwise healthy individuals, but there are also actual disorders like the hoarding disorder, classified in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. [...] The good news is that people are taking this information to heart. Maybe we’re attracted to the trend. Perhaps we’re learning firsthand that an organized space boosts our productivity and elevates our mood. Regardless of the reason, young professionals, retirees, and college students are applying storage and organization techniques and donating more books, clothes, trinkets, and other belongings they no longer need each year.
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apa.org
news
https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/clutter
It’s tiring. It’s exhausting. As we said, it could be an emotional trigger, but we know that the more clutter leads to more depression, more mood disorders. As I said earlier, lower psychological wellbeing, life satisfaction, negative emotions about the self. People with lots of clutter do lots of self devaluing the data shows. We didn’t do this study, but a study had been done that found it’s related to over consumption of unhealthy foods. So people with lots of clutter tend to eat a lot maybe [...] I remember talking to a Japanese reporter who said, “What do you think of this expression?” And I said, “I got to tell you, the first half,” I told them. I said, “But this joy, joy is a deep emotion.” Listeners, you know this as psychology listeners. Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is a mood. Emotions are deeper. We sing every Christmas Joy to the World, not Happiness to the World. So there’s something more to it there. And the Japanese reporter said, “You’re right. In Japanese, the [...] So why do we accumulate so much stuff and why do we find it so hard to deal with it? Does everyone find clutter equally stressful, or are some people happy living in spaces that might seem chaotic to others? What is clutter anyway? And how is living in clutter different from hoarding? Do men and women deal with clutter differently? How does clutter affect relationships? And if you want to clear the clutter in your home, what’s the best way to get started and to stick with it?
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verywellmind.com
article
https://www.verywellmind.com/decluttering-our-house-to-cleanse-our-minds-5101511
# How Clutter and Mental Health Are Connected
Kristen Fuller
Kristen Fuller:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/KristenFullerAuthorPhotoCropped-bb9db104a61d4df6a0368533fc9c5268.jpg)
Kristen Fuller is a physician, a successful clinical mental health writer, and author. She specializes in addiction, substance abuse, and eating disorders. [...] Nakao T, Kanba S. Pathophysiology and treatment of hoarding disorder. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2019;73(7):370-375. doi:10.1111/pcn.12853
American Psychiatric Association (APA). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022. [...] A therapist can teach you healthy coping mechanisms to deal with the anxiety, stress, or guilt that may arise from getting rid of clutter.
McMains S, Kastner S. Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in human visual cortex. Journal of Neuroscience. 2011;31(2):587-597. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3766-10.2011
Saxbe DE, Repetti R. No place like home: Home tours correlate with daily patterns of mood and cortisol. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2009;36(1):71-81. doi:10.1177/0146167209352864
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www1.racgp.org.au
news
https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-does-clutter-do-to-your-brain-…
Buying more and more things we think we need, and then not getting rid of them, is an actual disorder in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM–V). According to DSM–V, those with hoarding disorder compulsively acquire possessions on an ongoing basis and experience anxiety and mental anguish when they are thrown away. [...] And surprisingly, it doesn’t go away when we finally get to bed. People who sleep in cluttered rooms are more likely to have sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep and being disturbed during the night.
Clutter-hero.jpg
People have been found to produce more stress hormones when they are surrounded by clutter.
Could clutter really make us overweight?
Multiple studies have found a link between clutter and poor eating choices. [...] Advertising
Libby
Sander
# What does clutter do to your brain and body?
Libby Sander
An expert in organisational behaviour examines the effects disorganisation.
Disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains, which like order.
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webmd.com
article
https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-clutter-affects-health
A neat, tidy house feels inviting, both for the people who live there as well as guests. A cluttered home may feel the opposite. But shutting people out can take a toll on relationships and make you feel sad and lonely. That could be one reason a hoarding disorder tends to overlap with depression and anxiety disorders.
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# How Clutter Can Affect Your Health
Written by Barbara Brody
Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on June 23, 2025
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## Too Much Stuff
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namiqn.org
article
https://namiqn.org/depression-rooms-and-doom-piles-why-clearing-the-clutter-c…
A messy home can also contribute to feelings of overwhelm, stressand shame, making you feel worse than you already do. And while decluttering will not cure your depression, it can give you a mood boost. If you are struggling and it feels impossible to keep your surroundings tidy, here are a few tips on how to clean strategically to optimize your energy and your space.
## Focus on function, not aesthetics [...] Much of Ms. Brooks’s work revolves around helping her clients deal with seemingly endless clutter; they feel like they’re constantly cleaning, but the clutter is always there. People with A.D.H.D. especially struggle with this because, she said, “it’s almost like decision fatigue all the time. ‘I can’t decide what to do with it, so I’m just not going to do anything with it.’” [...] NYS Crisis Line 1-844-863-9314
# ‘Depression Rooms’ and ‘Doom Piles’: Why Clearing the Clutter Can Feel Impossible
‘Depression Rooms’ and ‘Doom Piles’: Why Clearing the Clutter Can Feel Impossible
## The link between messiness and mental health is real. These low-lift tips for keeping a clean-enough home will help.
NYTimes, By Dana G. Smith
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nuvancehealth.org
news
https://www.nuvancehealth.org/health-tips-and-news/how-clutter-affects-your-b…
Research has shown cluttered homes can chip away at your mood and self-esteem, contributing to feelings of shame or inadequacy about not being “on top of things.” You might wonder if something is wrong with you because you can’t seem to get organized, which can hurt your confidence and create a negative self-image. This emotional exhaustion can further decrease your motivation to tidy up, reinforcing the clutter/stress cycle we discussed earlier. [...] A disorganized environment and a cluttered mind can overwhelm your brain, impair your focus, increase anxiety and stress, disturb your sleep and even dampen your mood and memory. The good news is, there are ways to manage your environment and thoughts to help reverse these effects.
Related content: Stressed out? Discover the effect of stress on the brain and ways to manage it.
## The neuroscience of clutter: why mess affects the brain [...] Search
Neurology and Neurosurgery
# How clutter affects your brain health
Image 5: A young woman organizing a bookshelf in her house, so her brain is healthy and free of clutter.
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apn.com
article
https://apn.com/resources/the-connection-between-depression-and-clutter
clutter can actually mess with your mind and make your depression worse. Living in a cluttered environment can add to your stress and anxiety,