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verywellmind.com
article
https://www.verywellmind.com/decluttering-our-house-to-cleanse-our-minds-5101511
Verywell / Laura Porter
### Key Takeaways
Clutter can significantly impact mental health by increasing stress and making it difficult to relax. While some may find a cluttered environment creatively inspiring, for others, excess items contribute to feelings of being overwhelmed and unfocused. By recognizing these effects, it becomes possible to manage clutter and improve overall well-being.
## What Is the Impact of Clutter on Mental Health? [...] You might tell yourself, I'll declutter eventually. But time keeps passing, and your home, office, or car is still filled to the brim with stuff. If any of this resonates with you, you're not alone. But many people don't realize the connection between clutter and mental health.
Accumulating a few extra possessions may not seem like a big deal, but clutter can negatively impact your mental health. It can increase stress levels, make it hard to focus, strain relationships, and more. [...] In other words, the research suggests that it can be more difficult to control your impulses when your mental health and your environment are stressful or "chaotic."
### Lower Quality of Life
Clutter can easily lead to a nearly constant feeling of frustration as you struggle to complete daily tasks. The time you spend looking for objects you need or attempting to organize your items could be time spent with loved ones, doing some self-care, or even just relaxing.
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reachlink.com
article
https://www.reachlink.com/advice/anxiety/clutter-and-anxiety
When examining clutter and mental health statistics across multiple studies, a consistent pattern emerges. Research published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and related investigations suggest that cluttered environments correlate with cortisol elevations ranging from 18 to 25 percent compared to organized spaces. This aggregated data represents findings across diverse populations and measurement methods. [...] The relationship between clutter and mental health rarely moves in just one direction. Research on clutter and mental health outcomes reveals a bidirectional pattern: clutter can worsen symptoms of existing conditions, and those same conditions can make clutter harder to manage. Understanding these clinical connections helps explain why decluttering advice often misses the mark for people navigating specific mental health challenges.
Curious about something here? [...] Clutter affects people through multiple psychological pathways. For some, it creates a constant low-grade stress response as their brain struggles to filter out irrelevant visual information. Others experience shame, overwhelm, or a sense of losing control over their environment. The effects can include difficulty concentrating, increased irritability, sleep disruption, and avoidance of having guests over. These impacts vary dramatically based on individual sensitivity levels and underlying
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nuvancehealth.org
news
https://www.nuvancehealth.org/health-tips-and-news/how-clutter-affects-your-b…
Studies have found people living in cluttered homes are more likely to experience insomnia and poor sleep quality. Stress and mental stimulation from clutter can keep the brain alert and uneasy, even at night. It’s hard for your mind to power down when it’s bombarded by signs of chaos or by racing thoughts about things you haven't done yet. [...] If you’re constantly multitasking or exhausted, you might not have the energy or focus to clean up regularly. Mental health challenges, like depression, can also cause a lack of motivation to organize, leading to messy spaces. In short, a cluttered mind can create a cluttered environment. [...] Research confirms people think more clearly, and even become less irritable and more productive, in an organized setting than in a cluttered one. By decluttering, you free up mental bandwidth. Decisions — even simple ones like what to have for dinner or which task to do first — come a bit easier when your brain isn’t constantly managing the excess stimuli and mental load that clutter creates.
Related content: How to achieve physical, mental and emotional wellness for better overall health
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apa.org
news
https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/clutter
years, psychologist research has begun to find that living and working in cluttered spaces causes stress and anxiety and can harm both our mental health and our productivity. [...] My guest today is Dr. Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology and distinguished professor at DePaul University in Chicago. Dr. Ferrari studies the psychology of clutter, including why we accumulate it, how it affects our mental health, and the link between clutter and procrastination. He’s also well known for his research on the causes and consequences of procrastination, and is the author of several books on that subject for researchers, clinicians, and the general public. He has published [...] Deacon Joseph Ferrari, PhD, is a professor of psychology and Saint Vincent DePaul Distinguished Professor at DePaul University in Chicago. He is a leading expert on the study of chronic procrastination and, more recently, of clutter. Ferrari studies the psychology of clutter, including why we accumulate it, how it affects our mental health, and the link between clutter and procrastination. He has published more than 400 scholarly articles and 35 books and book chapters, and is a fellow in six
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stilwellmemorial.com
article
https://stilwellmemorial.com/healthy-living/the-impact-of-clutter-on-physical…
Our emotions and mental health can be impacted by clutter in various ways, including: [...] Increased cortisol levels, especially in women. Cortisol is a hormone associated with chronic stress.
Feeling less satisfaction with life overall.
Inability to focus, which is especially significant if you have ADHD.
Being embarrassed by the clutter, causing you to feel an increased sense of isolation and fear, especially of inviting anyone over. This is one way hoarding contributes to depression and anxiety.
Sensory overload, triggered by a messy space, which may result in memory issues. [...] Fall risks, if items or piles of papers or books are lying about.
Allergies may be exacerbated due to a buildup of dust minutes, dander, mold, etc.
Furniture or objects are more likely to fall if overloaded with items. This can cause damage to property as well as to your person.
Paper, books, and magazines in excess can increase the risk of fire both by providing fuel for flames as well as by blocking exit pathways.
## How Clutter Affects Our Emotional Health
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www1.racgp.org.au
news
https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-does-clutter-do-to-your-brain-…
Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Research from the United States in 2009, for instance, found the levels of the stress hormone cortisol were higher in mothers whose home environment was cluttered.
A chronically cluttered home environment can lead to a constant low-grade fight or flight response, taxing our resources designed for survival. [...] This response can trigger physical and psychological changes that affect how we fight bugs and digest food, as well as leaving us at greater risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Clutter might also have implications for our relationships with those around us. A 2016 US study, for instance, found background clutter resulted in participants being less able to correctly interpret the emotional expressions on the faces of characters in a movie. [...] In 2011, neuroscience researchers using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and other physiological measurements found clearing clutter from the home and work environment resulted in a better ability to focus and process information, as well as increased productivity.
And your physical and mental health
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sciencedirect.com
article
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494425001550
by F Quinn · 2025 · Cited by 2 — The main findings were that clutter significantly predicted more undesirable affect, mental well-being and life satisfaction.
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webmd.com
article
https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-clutter-affects-health
Jun 23, 2025 — Researchers have found that being around disorganization makes it harder for your brain to focus. It can be especially tough for people with ADHD.Read more