Being healthy and happy isn’t only about eating well, exercising and surrounding yourself with people who love and support you. A healthy home environment is essential to well-being. Your home is where you sleep, eat and return to after every working day. From the decorations you use to how you organise the closet, all have an impact on your health and happiness.
Keeping things clean and organised is good for you, and science can prove it.
A clean home is better for your health
Science can prove that keeping your home clean and clutter free is good for you. A study led by research scientist and professor Nicole R. Keith at Indiana University found that people with clean houses are healthier than people with messy houses. Professor Keith and her team monitored the physical health of 998 African Americans between the ages of 49 and 65, a group known to be at an increased risk for heart disease. They found that the people who kept their homes clean and tidy were healthier and more active.
When things are tidy, there are fewer distractions
In 2011, researchers at Princeton discovered that clutter can make it difficult to focus on tasks. The part of the brain called the visual cortex becomes overwhelmed by clutter, making it extremely difficult to allocate our attention to doing any one thing. Do you ever sit at home with dishes stacked up on the sink and clothes thrown all over the floor? This is not exactly the ideal environment to study or feel motivated when all you can think about is the mess that’s waiting to be cleaned up. When things are clear and tidy, there are fewer distractions and it can help you to feel calmer, more in control of your life and at ease.
A tidy, organised home extends to other parts of your life
Marie Kondo, the internet-breaking tidying guru believes that “when you put your house in order, you put your affairs, and your past in order too” and “as a result, you can see quite clearly what you want and what you don’t, and what you should and shouldn’t do”. Marie recommends that you get rid of anything that doesn’t “spark joy” in your home and shares her KonMarie method of organising and decluttering your home in her New York Times bestseller: “the life-changing magic of tidying-up”. People all over the world swear by her method and how decluttering their homes has made them feel so much happier and in control.
Tidiness means less stress
In an article published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, women who described living in cluttered homes were more likely to be depressed and tired. These women also had higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
If we know that a clean home environment leads to better health, better concentration, greater happiness and less stress, then why are we (at least some of us) so messy?
Here are some possible reasons as to why we have a hard time organising ourselves:
- Organisation is hard and it requires work. We’re either a little lazy or the amount of clutter we face at home is too much for our brains to handle, so we become stressed and overwhelmed by the chaos and avoid the mess, leaving a bigger mess to build up.
- You don’t have time. We tell ourselves this excuse all too often. If you don’t allocate time to clean your home, you’ll work less efficiently and waste time in the long run. You’ll also be more stressed when visitors arrive, so start by dedicating 15 minutes a day to cleaning and go from there. Every little bit will make a difference in your mood and save you time in advance.
- You’re emotionally attached to items that you don’t particularly need and never use. It can be difficult to part with that dress you wore seven years ago that made you feel fabulous, but if it doesn’t fit and you know you’ll never wear it again, give it a friend or donate it to someone who’d be more than grateful to have it. Sorting out your wardrobe can be freeing and will save you time getting dressed in the morning!
What if I’m a messy person?
If you’re one of those people who works fine with a bit of mess, then you’re not alone. Some of the most insightful minds have not been very tidy people. Take Einstein, for example, who was known to be untidy, who once said that “if a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” Messiness isn’t necessarily a bad trait until it interferes negatively in your life.
Some people prioritise tidiness over others. In one study, 76% of commanders, those in leadership roles, valued a clean and tidy home, while inventors like Einstein with the personality type of a logician feel stifled when order is imposed upon them and prioritise organising their thoughts and ideas, before organising their desk. Sigmund Freud and Mark Twain were also notoriously messy.
What if mess really stresses me out?
If you absolutely can’t stand untidiness however, and it causes you stress, then here’s a few simple tips to help you get organised and prevent a build-up of clutter:
- Remind yourself about how good you will feel once your home is clean and clutter free. Organise one room at a time, don’t aim to clear out every drawer and closet in one day.
- Anytime you buy a new item of clothing, donate one old piece of clothing to charity or to a friend.
- Try the KonMarie method, which has people talking the world over.
- When you’re done with something, put it back.
- Wash up right after you eat, to avoid an insurmountable pile of dishes.
These tips might seem easy, but it’s easier said than done. To harvest good habits, requires a consistent effort over a long period of time. A study in 2009 by Phillippa Lally and her team at University College London found that it takes roughly sixty-six days to create a new “automatic” behaviour. So, if you’re a messy person and you want to break that habit, it won’t happen overnight, but every effort you make is set to make a difference.
If you’ve tried and failed to organise yourself, then don’t fret, you’re among some of the most creative geniuses that have ever lived, and untidiness doesn’t always indicate an unorganised mind.
Tell us about yourself! Does it drive you mad to have things all over the place at home or are you happy to have your wardrobe on the floor, as long as you know where everything is? Let us know in the comments below!
