A pair of shoes left on the living room floor. A growing collection of mugs on your bedside table. A pile of worn-but-not-quite-dirty clothes on the chair in the corner of your bedroom. It doesn’t take long for clutter to build up – especially at this time of year, when we’re all extra busy with festive plans. 

But unlike the curated chaos of cluttercore, this kind of mess is not only unpleasant to look at: it can also have a knock-on effect on our mental and physical health. Having a tidy-up may not be as trendy a form of self-care as attending a sound bath or booking a massage, but according to the experts, it could make a real difference.

Of course, there’s a difference between letting your clutter get out of hand and a hoarding disorder, and it’s important not to underestimate the impact hoarding can have on those affected. Living with depression can also make it hard to keep your space clutter-free. This article is aimed at people who are simply struggling with a bit of clutter right now, but if you’re worried about the amount of stuff you’re living with or are struggling to care for yourself and your surroundings, you should speak to your GP about the different forms of help available.

Below, we asked a GP and psychotherapist to talk us through all the ways living in a cluttered space can impact your health. And it’s a reminder of why taking care of ourselves includes the space we live in. 

If you’ve ever felt your stress levels rise when you step into a cluttered room, you’ll know that the state of the space around us can impact our mental health.

“A cluttered space often induces feelings of overwhelm, stress and anxiety,” explains Dr Grace Hula, a GP and founder of G&M Healthcare. “The constant visual stimuli from a chaotic environment can contribute to a sense of being mentally burdened, making it challenging to focus and concentrate.”

She continues: “Studies have suggested a correlation between a cluttered environment and increased levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Chronic exposure to stress can have long-term consequences on mental wellbeing, potentially contributing to anxiety disorders and conditions like depression.”

Jade Thomas, a psychotherapist and founder of Luxe Psychology Practice, also mentions that a cluttered space can increase levels of stress, anxiety and depression. “Clutter can not only make you feel out of control, but it puts your mind into overdrive, reducing productivity and causing your senses to be overstimulated. It can also make us feel guilty and neglected, and clutter in the bedroom can impact our sleep as a messy environment can make it hard to relax physically and mentally.”

And that’s not all. Living in a cluttered space can have a knock-on effect on other areas of our lives, Dr Hula adds. “The disorganisation associated with clutter can hinder cognitive processes, and may lead to difficulty in decision-making and problem-solving, as the mind is constantly distracted by the visual chaos. This mental clutter can spill over into other aspects of life, affecting work performance, relationships and overall quality of life.” 

While the impact your clutter has on your health will depend on its severity, you might not be surprised to learn that the physical health risks associated with a cluttered space are to do with the hazards clutter can create.

“One immediate concern is the increased risk of accidents and injuries,” Dr Hula says. “Tripping over objects or navigating through a cluttered environment can lead to falls, bruises and other injuries, especially in older adults. Additionally, clutter can create breeding grounds for dust, allergens and even pests, which can exacerbate respiratory issues and allergies.”

Being unable to clean certain areas due to clutter – for example, not being able to hoover the carpet under and around that pile of clothes waiting to be put away – can also lead to issues, she adds.

“Accumulated dust and dirt can contribute to poor indoor air quality, potentially leading to respiratory problems such as asthma or exacerbating existing conditions,” Dr Hula explains. “The inability to clean effectively may also result in the growth of mould or mildew, posing further health risks.” 

Images: Getty