The Science Behind Clutter and Stress

A study conducted by the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that a cluttered environment overwhelms the brain and impairs its ability to process information, contributing to heightened stress levels. Think about it like having multiple browser tabs open in your mind. Research from Princeton University’s Neuroscience Institute found that a disorganized environment impairs the brain’s ability to focus and increases cognitive load.

Meanwhile, studies done at UCLA found that women who described their homes as “cluttered” had higher levels of cortisol (stress hormone) levels throughout the day compared to those who described their homes as tidy. Participants with higher cortisol levels maintained these higher levels throughout the entire day (instead of tapering off in the evening), leading to poorer sleep and increased anxiety.

The connection runs deeper than aesthetics. Clutter signals to the brain that there are unresolved tasks that need attention. Whether it’s an overflowing closet, a messy desk, or a pile of unread mail, these visual reminders create a sense of pressure, making it difficult to mentally unwind.

Your Brain on Dopamine

Here’s where it gets interesting. One way to increase the amount of dopamine in your brain is by completing a task – such as decluttering. Every decluttering task you complete ups your dopamine and boosts your happiness. It’s like giving your brain a natural reward for taking action.

Decluttering not only reduces stress but also stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation and pleasure. The act of cleaning, organizing, and creating a visually appealing space provides a sense of accomplishment, which in turn reinforces positive behavior. This explains why you feel so satisfied after cleaning out even one small space.

(Increased dopamine will also increase your motivation to tackle your next decluttering project). It creates a positive cycle where success breeds more success.

Starting Small Works Best

“I advise starting small,” says Dattilo. “It’s easy to become overwhelmed if you try to tackle an entire room or even a closet, so you can set yourself up for success by starting with a single drawer, bookshelf, or the kitchen pantry.” This approach isn’t just practical advice. It’s psychologically sound.

Small successes of decluttering will strengthen your organization skills and build your confidence and self-efficacy (seeing yourself as competent). Spend 5-10 minutes a day addressing clutter. Even tiny victories matter more than we realize.

This small step creates a powerful snowball effect. Decluttering a junk drawer can lead to tackling that pile of unread mail and eventually addressing those unopened boxes in the basement. The momentum builds naturally from that first successful drawer.

Focus and Mental Clarity Improve

Clutter creates chaos, which impacts your ability to focus. It also limits your brain’s capacity to process information. Clutter is a form of visual distraction, which increases cognitive overload and can reduce working memory. When your drawer is organized, your mind follows suit.

When your space is de-cluttered, it is much easier to obtain a sharper focus because what you see is in a specific place. The sense of organization helps your mind to be on track to complete tasks. The visual order translates directly into mental order.

Psychology Today research explains that clutter bombards our brains with excessive stimuli, making it harder to focus and process information. It’s like having ten browser tabs open in your mind at once. When our space is cluttered, our brains feel cluttered, too.

The Physical Act of Organizing Matters

The ability to complete physical activity while organizing can enhance creativity by allowing the mind to wander. The combination of the two can boost our mood because we feel less stressed about what once was clutter, and we feel accomplished after seeing the progress! The physical movement itself becomes therapeutic.

When you are decluttering you are problem solving, and therefore getting things done. You gain energy from the visual accomplishments of de-cluttering. Your gained energy can also help tackle other items on your to-do list! It’s remarkable how organizing one drawer can energize your entire day.

Housework counts toward activity goals, and physical activity is linked to reduced anxiety and better thinking/sleep – benefits that can begin soon after a session.

Creating a Sense of Control

In life, there are many things beyond our control, but decluttering is one area where you can take charge. When you declutter, you’re making decisions about what to keep and what to let go of, which can empower you and enhance your sense of control over your environment. This, in turn, can lead to greater confidence and a feeling of mastery in other areas of your life.

“It gives people a renewed sense of control over their environment,” Roster said. “When people go through the process of decluttering, they feel a sense of freedom and liberation. It’s a reclaiming of a sense of mastery and control. Sometimes we forget how empowering simple decisions can be.

Sure, there are plenty of greater issues mounting up that can disturb your peace of mind – climate change, COVID-19, escalating global violence, and more. You can feel powerless over many of these plights. Clutter may seem trivial by comparison, but it’s something you can fix. It’s also a 100-percent preventable drain on your well-being.

The Anxiety Relief Connection

When things are not organized or clean, it can often bring vast amounts of anxiety. You may feel constantly stressed, worried, or afraid of more clutter accumulating. That messy drawer becomes a source of low-level stress every time you see it.

Studies published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology have found that people who describe their homes as cluttered are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Even small areas of disorder can have outsized psychological impacts.

By removing unnecessary stuff creates an environment fostering clarity, productivity, and peace. When you clear that one troublesome drawer, you’re not just organizing items. You’re creating a small sanctuary of calm in your daily environment.

Better Sleep Quality

A study by Pamela Thacher, assistant professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., found that “People who sleep in cluttered rooms… are more likely to have sleeping problems. This includes having trouble falling asleep at night and experiencing rest disturbances.” Additionally, people who make their beds every morning experience longer, more restful sleep, especially when they use fresh, clean sheets.

Sleep-foundation polling shows bedroom conditions (darkness, temp, bedding) strongly affect sleep; reducing clutter supports a calmer, sleep-friendly space. Even organizing a bedroom drawer contributes to this restorative environment.

The visual calm of an organized space signals to your brain that it’s time to relax. When your nightstand drawer isn’t overflowing with random items, your mind can more easily shift into rest mode.

The Long-Term Habit Formation

Organization and decluttering “require decision-making, emotion regulation, prioritization, and patience,” but that the process can be learned and improved with practice. Starting with one drawer teaches these essential life skills in miniature.

Dedicate a few minutes each day to tidying up, making it a habit rather than a sporadic effort. Implement a “one in, one out” policy to prevent accumulation, where for every new item brought into your space, another is removed. That organized drawer becomes your training ground for bigger organizational victories.

When I know I need to tackle something that I feel is overwhelming I set a timer and just work on it for 10 or 15 minutes. It’s surprising how much I can get done in that time and it feels good. And usually starting the job is the hardest part but 15 minutes or even 10 minutes is a step in the right direction.

Practical Tips for Maximum Mood Impact

She also suggests making organization more enjoyable by listening to music or an audiobook while you’re at it and to “spend time in your newly organized space after to let yourself enjoy it.” The celebration matters as much as the work itself.

Declutter one space in your home (a corner of a room, a countertop). Then, commit to keeping it clutter-free (elevate the space with flowers or a meaningful photo). When you feel stressed, go to this “sanctuary like” area of the home and practice mindfulness or deep breathing. Use the way you feel in this decluttered space as motivation to declutter the rest of your home.

Begin with small, manageable areas such as a single drawer or shelf. This approach reduces the overwhelm and allows for quick wins, which can be incredibly motivating. As you experience the benefits of these small victories, you’ll feel more empowered to tackle larger areas.

Conclusion

Sometimes the smallest actions create the biggest ripples. That cluttered drawer you’ve been avoiding isn’t just holding random items. It’s holding back your mood, focus, and sense of control. Recent research has demonstrated that taking a values-based approach to decluttering helps older adults to decrease household clutter and increases their positive affect, a state of mind characterized by feelings such as joy and contentment.

The science is clear: decluttering even one small space can measurably improve your stress levels, boost dopamine, sharpen focus, and create a greater sense of personal control. Clearing away the clutter, then, is not just about physical organization – it’s a simple yet powerful way to ease our mental load and boost our overall mood. Even small steps – like decluttering one drawer or clearing off a single surface – can help you feel the mental benefits of decluttering.

What do you think about it? Which drawer will you tackle first?