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Tidy House, Tidy Mind: The Power of Organization for Mental Wellbeing
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Maintaining a clean and well-organized home can improve our mental wellbeing and overall health. With our busy lifestyles, it's easy for clutter to accumulate and take over our living spaces, but have you ever stopped to think about how this affects your state of mind? According to various studies and personal experiences, a tidy and organised house can improve our mood, boost productivity, and reduce stress.
Let’s explore the link between a tidy house, a clear, focused mind, and practical tips to help you maintain a clutter-free sanctuary that enhances your overall wellbeing.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Living in a cluttered environment can contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety. For example, research conducted by the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that individuals who described their homes as messy or full of unfinished projects were likelier to experience higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. On the contrary, maintaining an organised space helps create a sense of calm and control, reducing stress levels and improving mental wellbeing.1
Enhanced Productivity
An untidy home can be a constant source of distraction, hindering our ability to focus and concentrate. Studies have shown that cluttered surroundings can decrease productivity and increase cognitive overload. On the other hand, a tidy and well-organized home provides an environment conducive to better concentration, increased productivity, and improved cognitive function. You can optimise your mental capacity and accomplish tasks more efficiently by eliminating visual distractions. 2
Improved Mental Clarity
A cluttered home often mirrors a cluttered mind. When our physical space is disorganised, it usually means our thoughts are too. By tidying our surroundings, we signal to our brains that it's time to declutter our thoughts. A tidy house promotes mental clarity, allowing us to focus on essential matters and think creatively.
Boosted Emotional wellbeing
Tidying up can have positive psychological effects, contributing to overall wellbeing. For example, a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology revealed that participants who described their homes as clean and tidy reported higher levels of happiness and satisfaction than those living in cluttered environments. In addition, cleaning and organising our surroundings can provide a sense of accomplishment and pride, elevating our mood and fostering a positive mindset. 3
Practical Tips for Maintaining a Tidy House
- Start small: Begin with one area or room at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
- Declutter ruthlessly: Sort items into categories (keep, donate, discard) and let go of things that no longer serve a purpose.
- Adopt a minimalist mindset: Focus on quality over quantity and resist the temptation to accumulate unnecessary possessions.
- Create a decluttering routine: Set aside regular intervals to declutter and organise different areas of your home, focusing on one room or category at a time.
- Develop efficient storage systems: Invest in storage solutions such as baskets, shelves, and labelled containers to keep items organized and easily accessible.
- Practice the "one in, one out" rule: For every new item you bring into your home, consider donating or discarding an old item to prevent unnecessary accumulation.
- Adopt a cleaning schedule: Establish a weekly cleaning routine to maintain a clean and orderly environment, reducing the likelihood of clutter buildup.
- Create designated spaces: Assign specific areas for different activities or items to ensure everything has its place.
- Involve the whole family: Encourage household members to contribute to the tidying efforts, fostering a sense of shared responsibility.
A tidy house goes beyond mere aesthetics; it can positively impact our mental state and overall wellbeing. By creating an organised and clutter-free environment, we can reduce stress, enhance productivity, improve mental clarity, and boost emotional wellbeing. So, take the time to declutter, organise, and embrace the transformative effects of a tidy home. Your mind will thank you.
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- Saxbe DE, Repetti R. No place like home: home tours correlate with daily patterns of mood and cortisol. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2010 Jan;36(1):71-81. doi: 10.1177/0146167209352864. Epub 2009 Nov 23. PMID: 19934011.
- Vohs KD, Redden JP, Rahinel R. Physical order produces healthy choices, generosity, and conventionality, whereas disorder produces creativity. Psychol Sci. 2013 Sep;24(9):1860-7. doi: 10.1177/0956797613480186. Epub 2013 Aug 1. PMID: 23907542.
- Caroline J. Rogers, Dr Rona Hart, Home and the extended-self: Exploring associations between clutter and wellbeing, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Volume 73, 2021, 101553, ISSN 0272-4944