Clutter can creep up on even the cleanest and tidiest of people, and before we know it, we may have accumulated many items that we don’t necessarily need or even want, but which we find hard to dispose of or tidy away. It may be that we buy items that we think we will use one day, and then we never do, or we may develop sentimental attachments to things that are really just cluttering up our homes.
What the experts say about clutter:
Experts say that after conducting research into clutter and the effects of it in our homes, their studied concluded that many of us find it hard to admit that we might have bought things mistakenly, or that we have hung onto items unnecessarily, and that it actually causes our brain to hurt when we try to come to terms with the fact.
To look at this in a little more detail, researchers discovered that when a person lets go or disposes of an item that they have some personal attachment to, there are two areas of the brain which light up; both are associated with pain and are the anterior cingulate cortex and insula. When you hurt yourself physically, this same area of the brain lights up, demonstrating that your brain perceives the loss of a valued item as being akin to suffering physical pain. Since most of us don’t like to feel pain, we tend to avoid the process of decluttering.
What direct impact can clutter have upon the brain?
Neuroscientists have recently found that having clutter in your immediate surroundings, such as in your home or workspace, can have a dramatically negative effect upon your ability to focus and successfully process information. In their research they conducted experiments to assess the performance of individuals who were placed both in an organised and disorganized, environment, and found that those who were trying to focus while in a cluttered environment, showed increase stress and anxiety levels and decreased performance compared to those who
were working in a tidy and uncluttered area.
How can you find a balance between the items you love and keeping a lid on clutter?
Every individual has a different concept of clutter, and each person will have a different tolerance for certain levels of clutter. Further research has shown that some people need a certain amount of untidiness in their immediate surroundings to help inspire them, while others may struggle to function at all if everything is not in its place.
The most important thing to remember is to focus on your own tolerance levels and keep clutter to a level that enables you to function effectively.
Why not call in the professionals to help you keep your home clutter free, clean and tidy, and see what a difference they could make to your everyday life.