The Emotional Benefits of De-Cluttering

We all have it. Paperwork we will never look at again, memorabilia that really isn’t that memorable, books and magazines we will never read. Why are they hanging around? If you can’t answer that, they shouldn’t be. Not just because they are taking up physical space, but according to research, they may be occupying emotional space as well. Yet one person’s clutter is another’s treasure, so archive with care. Research explains.

Source: Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay

Home as Our Castle and Clutter as Character

Caroline J. Rogers and Rona Hart (2021) explored the impact of clutter on wellbeing in a piece entitled “Home and the Extended-Self.”[i] Using a sample of 1,111 adults who were mostly women, they explored the link between well-being and home self-extension variables, such as subjective and objective clutter, home self-expression, and the impact of regular decluttering. They found that subjective clutter and psychological home explained a substantial variance of well-being. They define psychological home as the link between home and self-identity, as part of a dynamic process where an individual structures, modifies, or preserves a home environment reflective of a sense of self.

Cleaning the House, Clearing the Mind

Rogers and Hart concluded that home self-extension, particularly clutter, are significant well-being predictors. They also found that people who feel they are acceptably managing clutter experience positive emotions and a sense of accomplishment more than other feelings of well-being. Apparently, they note that a tidy and orderly home frees the mind to focus on more important things, such as performance, self-regulation, and achievement.

In addition, Rogers and Hart recognize that decluttering can elicit “hedonic feelings of joy, release and happiness” (citing Lee, 2017), and things being “in place” boosts mood and better feelings (citing Dion et al., 2014). They describe a surprising result of their own research as finding that a higher volume of clutter positively predicted engagement beyond subjective clutter. They suggest this might be due to the feelings experienced when managing possessions by sorting, arranging, or cleaning, indicating that not all clutter is maladaptive.

However, Rogers and Hart found the frequency of decluttering did not predict well-being, suggesting the process of frequent decluttering results in less clutter to begin with, creating a stronger sense of home and higher well-being.

Trash Versus Treasure

Many of us have sentimental pieces in our homes that hold special value to us, although others wouldn’t view them that way. Sure enough, Rogers and Hart recognize that home possessions have meaning to their owners, with value that changes and transforms over time. They suggest clutter within the home as personal expression impacts well-being through recognizing the difference between subjective and objective clutter, which means owners should be sensitive to the point where possessions are transformed from treasure to clutter—and ready to be cleared.

Creating Home Sweet Home

Because home is where the heart is, creating a happy home through selective decluttering is time well spent. Rogers and Hart remind us that when items are in their place, wherever that may be, well-being is likely the result of a home environment that is an expression of self-identity. Cultivating a peaceful, safe space for self and family can thereby inspire individuals to maintain an atmosphere of peace, happiness, and emotional health.