Why Mess Causes Stress: The Cost of Clutter in Your Life
Are you stressed out? Take a second to look around you. Is your home cluttered and disorganized? If so, you may be looking at a source of that stress.
Clutter can seriously impact the way we feel about our environment and ourselves. A messy space can cause a range of negative emotions, from frustration with the amount of work needed to resolve it to embarrassment when people stop by unexpectedly. Clutter can also have surprising effects on your wallet.
Luckily, a cluttered home is one of the easiest forms of stress to fix – if we know how!
If you’ve ever wondered whether your messy home is adding to the stress and anxiety in your life and what you can do to resolve the clutter in your life, then read on.
In this article, we will dive into:
- Why does mess cause anxiety and stress?
- What are the costs of clutter?
- Why is it so difficult to declutter our homes?
- How can you solve the clutter problem in your life?
- How does a home organizer help alleviate the stress of mess?
Let’s get started!
1. Why does mess cause stress?
A messy and cluttered home causes us stress because it’s impossible to avoid. We have to look at it constantly!
What should be our personal sanctuary instead becomes a reminder of our endless to-do list: we have to fold the laundry, sort through our piles of paperwork, put our shoes away. The tasks pile up and we may become so overwhelmed that we feel paralyzed or stuck.
The mess ends up spilling over into other areas of our lives. It affects how we eat, how we sleep, and how we spend our days.
A cluttered and disorganized home can also bring up emotions that are difficult to deal with. We may feel shame that we just can’t keep our house clean. We may feel embarrassed or judged if we have an unexpected visitor. We may feel panic if we cannot locate an important item, such as our passport. All of these negative emotions take a huge toll on our mental health.
Clutter can also stall creativity and work productivity if our mess is distracting. How can we work when we can’t find anything or are being bombarded with shame and guilt?
It’s tough to truly relax when your disorganized home is reminding you of all that still needs to be done.
2. What are the costs of clutter?
Think your wallet is safe from your cluttered home? Think again! There are actually many hidden costs of a disorganized space. Have you ever rushed out to repurchase something you already own, simply because you can’t find it? If so, you’re not alone, but you’re also wasting a lot of your hard-earned money. You already have batteries and hair spray – there’s no need to buy more!
Or perhaps, you have so much stuff that you’ve had to rent a storage unit so that you have somewhere to put it all. This may be a needless expense. The average storage unit costs between $100 and $300 a month.
Clutter can also have a negative impact on the environment. Buying repeat items makes it more likely that items go to overflowing landfills or to waste. Or we may not realize that all of our stuff is blocking vents and windows, which forces our heating and cooling systems to work into overdrive. harming our wallets and our planet. The costs of clutter can add up without you even realizing it.
3. Why is it so difficult to declutter our homes?
For a lot of people, organizational skills do not come naturally. Many of us simply do not know how to reduce the clutter in our own homes. We feel a burst of inspiration and run out to Target, where we spend hundreds of dollars on bins, boxes, and cleaning supplies, but when the time comes to actually start organizing, we shut down. The magnitude of the task we want to accomplish is totally overwhelming.
If we do get started, we often become side-tracked by what we find. We may come across an item that triggers a memory, distracting us from the task at hand. We may also have trouble parting with items which hold sentimental value.
Sometimes we need outside help to get our house in order.
4. How can you solve the clutter problem in your life?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed by the clutter in your home, one of the best ways to get a handle on the mess is to hire a home organizer.
A home organizer is a professional who finds joy in organizing and decluttering homes. They know all the secrets to perfecting your space and transforming it into a clutter-free zone. They can even handle the junk drawer in your kitchen – you know what I’m talking about!
A home organizer is not just a cleaner, they are also a teacher. A home organizer is trained to coach you through the de-cluttering process and walk alongside you as you learn to create systems to keep your home organized on your own.
Plus, home organizers have seen it all so don’t worry about them judging you for your mess!
5. How does a home organizer help you alleviate the cost of your stress?
After working with a home organizer, most clients report a physical release in tension, as if a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. When you can see the results of your work, you feel an enormous sense of satisfaction.
Most clients also find that by decluttering their space, they declutter their mind. They feel a noticeable reduction in stress, as they are not constantly triggered by the shame, guilt, and embarrassment a messy space evokes. Plus, they know where to find everything in their home, as it now has a place!
Many clients also get “bitten by the organizational bug” after working with a home organizer, and maintain the squeaky-clean results. By creating organizational systems and being taught how to declutter their space, they realize just how empowering organizing can be!
By hiring a home organizer, you are investing in yourself- and you’re worth it!
If you’re ready to banish the stress of mess from your life, Imagine Organizing is here to help! The first step is scheduling a complimentary consultation. During this initial meeting, we will look at your space and discuss your goals, timeline, and budget for the project. We will also snap a few “before” pictures for our own reference and measure your space.
Since our services are tailored to you and your unique situation, we want to get a good feel for you and your space, and what is working and not working for you so we can make personalized recommendations and create a plan together. This consultation lasts about an hour, and you do not need to do anything to prepare. To schedule this consultation, simply fill out our request form, and we will contact you to arrange a suitable time.
Want to learn more about Imagine Organizing and what to expect when hiring us for your professional home organizing services in Atlanta? Visit our FAQs page!
