Living amongst clutter in your home or your space affects you in many ways.  The hard part of acknowledging this truth is that clutter builds gradually.  It’s not as if a truck pulled up to your home and dumped all the clutter.  It got put there little by little.

It’s like a pot of water that gradually comes to a boil.  If you dropped something into the cold water and turned up the heat, it would gradually get used to the heat.  When it got so hot that you couldn’t stand it, it might be too late to get out of the pot.

So, living among your clutter can be affecting your health and you might not even know it.

What are those ways?

1. High Cortisol/Abnormal Hormone Levels – If you are stressed about your clutter, your cortisol levels could be elevated. Being that the clutter is still there, your stress is still there, hence you might have continual elevated cortisol levels.  Our cortisol levels do fluctuate throughout the day but there needs to be a time during the day that they level off.  If they don’t, you could be opening yourself up to metabolic diseases, heart disease or cancers.
2. Allergies/Asthma/Respiratory Issues – Clutter collects dust and, in some situations, mold depending on where the clutter is located. I’ve had jobs where I’ve gone in the basement and the clutter was full of mold.  Dust will grow because people don’t usually dust clutter … especially if the clutter is on a surface.  It’s hard to dust those surfaces without removing the clutter.  Hence, dusting is at a minimum.
3. Brain Fog – How does clutter create brain fog? Our brains need to have organization, clarity and space.  When we have clutter in our space, it’s hard for our brains to navigate life and focus.  It literally drains our brains.
4. Sleep Issues – Clutter = stress = sleep issues. When we are stressed, it’s hard for our body to relax and calm down.  We are always living in our sympathetic system when we are stressed.  Always on that fight or flight mode … this is not healthy.
5. Isolation – Sometimes the clutter is so encumbering and massive, that it brings shame. Individuals hate the clutter but cannot handle what needs to be done to remove it, so they just accept the clutter, live in shame and isolation.
6. Unhealthy Eating – Clutter = stress = eating unhealthy foods. We tend to gravitate to carbs, sugar and processed foods; which is a very unhealthy way to eat.  Unhealthy carbs turn to sugar.  Sugar wreaks havoc on our body as it can cause cancer and other diseases.  Sugar also affects our brains at the same level as cocaine.  Not a good staple to our diet.
7. Physical Accidents – At times clutter can be so bad that there is not enough space to move around safely. And this does not have to be a “hoarding” situation.  I’ve been in homes where garages or basements were so full of clutter that you could walk around in.  Don’t allow these dangerous places.
8. Relationship Issues – Many times clutter is the cause of one family member and the other is not happy. Arguments ensue and there is a constant struggle and continual fighting.  You don’t need to live that way any longer.  Value your family and tackle those clutter issues.

How do you rid it?  Well, one of the ways is to never create it or let it happen.  But if it has, sign up for my Newsletter and receive 52 Weeks of “Monday Email of Organizing Tips.”  Go to Yes I Want To Learn More to sign up.  Oh, and BTW you will get my FREE eBook on How to Unclutter Your Life!

Your Health, Wellness & Organizational Coach … believing in you!