In a study from the University of Minnesota , students working in disorderly spaces came up with more creative ideas than their counterparts in clean areas. Clearly, clutter causes more stress for some people than it does for others. And while the fix for folks who are perturbed—cleaning up messes—might seem easy to some, many people live in environments that they cannot change, so coping becomes a necessity.
Sabine Kastner, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Princeton University, started researching the science of attention in Curious how the human brain reacts to randomness and variation in our environments, Kastner created a study in which she showed images of street scenes to participants undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI scans, which show blood rushing to the active parts of the brain.
In multiple experiments spanning several years, Kastner asked subjects to focus on an item in the images, such as a person or a car. In every case, the frontal cortex, which plays a key role in cognitive control, working memory, attention, and emotional reactions, came alive on the fMRI screen.
When you take away this strain on our brains from competing objects, focusing becomes much easier. In , Kastner found that people who cleaned up their homes or workspaces were able to focus better, and their productivity increased. Other research teams have confirmed that decreasing visual distractions can reduce cognitive load and free up working memory. Our environments influence more than just our attention. They can influence our hormones as well as our mood.
Clutter can cause our bodies to release cortisol, the stress hormone associated with the fight-or-flight response. Long-term exposure to clutter can induce chronic stress , and clutter seems to stress out mothers even more, according to a study. Another study in showed that wives stress over clutter far more than husbands. Regardless of gender, clutter seems to cause some people to procrastinate in response to stress. Although schools might never be the same in our post-pandemic world, before COVID, smart teachers harnessed the power of neuroscience to declutter and create learning-focused spaces.
Jared Smith, a high school exceptional education English teacher in Tampa, Florida, understands that organized, comfortable classrooms make better learning environments than chaotic, messy ones. So, he made his classroom an inviting space, decorating the walls with art and replacing the traditional desks with moveable tables and rolling chairs.
He emphasized cleanliness, open space, and flexible seating. Look critically at your environment and take inventory. Consider the things you can control, such as:. Sometimes, living with anxiety , depression , or stress brings on clutter. Or, you might use shopping or accumulating things to manage your feelings. For some people, clutter goes far beyond a messy or crowded space. People with hoarding disorder obsessively save things.
They tend to accumulate items regardless of perceived value. An expert in organisational behaviour examines the effects disorganisation. Many of us have started the year determined to be more organised: no more drawers full of plastic containers with missing lids, or lone socks. Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus.
It can also make us less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies that make us more likely to snack on junk and watch TV shows including ones about other people decluttering their lives.
My own research shows our physical environments significantly influence our cognition, emotions and subsequent behaviours, including our relationships with others. Why clutter is bad for your brain Bursting cupboards and piles of paper stacked around the house may seem harmless enough. But research shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains.
Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus. The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.
In , neuroscience researchers using fMRI functional magnetic resonance imaging and other physiological measurements found clearing clutter from the home and work environment resulted in a better ability to focus and process information, as well as increased productivity. And your physical and mental health Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus. It can also make us less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies that make us more likely to snack on junk and watch TV shows including ones about other people decluttering their lives.
My own research shows our physical environments significantly influence our cognition, emotions and subsequent behaviors, including our relationships with others. Bursting cupboards and piles of paper stacked around the house may seem harmless enough. But research shows disorganization and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains.
Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus. The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory. In , neuroscience researchers using fMRI functional magnetic resonance imaging and other physiological measurements found clearing clutter from the home and work environment resulted in a better ability to focus and process information, as well as increased productivity.
Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious and depressed.
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