Mess Equals Stress:

An article in Psychology Today suggests that the reasons a messy and cluttered house leads to stress is that clutter overstimulates our minds which causes our senses to work overtime. Clutter also draws our attention away from the things we should be focusing on making it feel like our work is never going to get done. In addition, a cluttered home can prevent us from finding important paperwork or our car keys, wallet or phone. Clutter simply makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.

Why Mess Equals Stress:

1. Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important.

2. Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on.

3. Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.

4. Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.

5. Clutter makes us anxious because we're never sure what it's going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile.

6. Clutter creates feelings of guilt ("I should be more organized") and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or workspaces.

7. Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem-solve.

8. Clutter frustrates us by preventing us from locating what we need quickly (e.g. files and paperwork lost in the "pile" or keys swallowed up by the clutter).