Decluttering for Mental Health: What the Research Says and What I See in Real Life

The link between clutter and mental health is real and measurable. Here's what the evidence shows and practical steps that actually work.

Jo de Serrano OBE DUniv

6 min read

woman standing in front of kitchen sink
woman standing in front of kitchen sink

Last updated: June 2026

Decluttering for Mental Health: What the Research Says and What I See in Real Life

Key Takeaways

  • The link between clutter and stress is well documented, but it's often not the clutter itself causing stress; it's what it represents (postponed decisions, unfinished tasks).

  • Struggling with organisation is not a personal failing. For neurodivergent people, ADHD, or those experiencing perimenopause brain fog, what looks like a simple task can involve hundreds of tiny decisions.

  • Hidden storage doesn't work for everyone. For some people, out of sight genuinely means out of mind; visible systems work better.

  • Small changes create disproportionate relief. Clearing one surface or sorting one drawer can remove a significant source of daily friction.

  • Shame is often a bigger barrier than the clutter itself. Reframing clutter as a practical problem rather than a personal failure is often the turning point.

Contents

  1. The link between clutter and stress

  2. Why do some people find decluttering harder than others

  3. Sometimes the clutter is trying to solve a problem

  4. What actually helps?

  5. The role of shame

  6. Why having support can make such a difference

  7. FAQs

There is a lot of content online suggesting that if you simply declutter your home, you'll instantly feel calmer, happier and more in control of your life. Whilst there is some truth in the idea that our surroundings affect how we feel, I think the reality is usually a little more complicated than that.

Many of the people who contact me are already feeling overwhelmed before they even start thinking about decluttering. They may be juggling work, family responsibilities, caring responsibilities, health challenges, neurodivergence, perimenopause or simply the general busyness of modern life. By the time they look around and realise their home is adding to their stress, they often feel stuck because they do not know where to begin.

What I find reassuring is that both research and real-life experience point in the same direction. The way our homes function can have a significant impact on how we feel, and small practical changes can often make a bigger difference than people expect.

The link between clutter and stress

Researchers have found that people who describe their homes as cluttered or chaotic often report higher levels of stress and find it harder to relax. That probably won't come as a surprise to anyone who has ever walked into a room, looked around and immediately felt their shoulders tense.

In my experience, it is not necessarily the clutter itself that creates the stress. More often, it is what the clutter represents.

A pile of paperwork might represent a task that has been sitting on the to-do list for months, a spare room full of boxes might represent a house move that was never fully completed, or an overflowing wardrobe might be full of decisions that have been postponed because there simply wasn't enough time or energy to deal with them.

Over time, those unfinished decisions can start to feel heavy. People often tell me that they are constantly aware of the things they "should" be sorting out, even when they are trying to relax.

Why do some people find decluttering harder than others

One of the things I am particularly passionate about is helping people understand that struggling with organisation is not a personal failing. For some people, getting organised feels reasonably straightforward. For others, it can feel almost impossible to know where to start.

People who are neurodivergent, living with ADHD, managing executive dysfunction or experiencing perimenopause brain fog are often working much harder behind the scenes than anyone else realises. What looks like a simple task on the surface can actually involve hundreds of tiny decisions. What stays? What goes? Where does it belong? What if I need it later? What if I forget about it completely?

When you multiply those decisions across an entire room, it becomes easier to understand why so many people feel overwhelmed before they have even started.

Sometimes the clutter is trying to solve a problem

This is something I see regularly with neurodivergent clients...Many traditional organising systems assume that everything should be neatly hidden away behind doors, inside boxes or tucked out of sight. The problem is that for some people, out of sight really does mean out of mind. If you cannot see something, you may forget you own it. You might buy duplicates, miss appointments, overlook paperwork or forget tasks that genuinely matter.

That is why organising is never about forcing somebody into a system that works for someone else. It is about creating systems that work for the way they think, live and remember things. For one person, that might mean labelled boxes, for another it might mean open shelving, and for somebody else it might mean keeping certain items visible because that is the only way they will remember they exist. Whatever works for you is usually the right answer.

What actually helps?

The good news is that improving how a home functions does not require a complete house makeover. In fact, some of the most effective changes are surprisingly small.

Many people experience an immediate sense of relief simply by clearing one surface, sorting one drawer or creating one system that makes everyday life a little easier. It is not because the whole house has suddenly become perfect... It is because one source of friction has been removed.

I often encourage clients to focus on spaces that create daily frustration, whether that's a kitchen drawer that never closes properly, a hallway cupboard that avalanches every time it is opened or a bathroom cabinet full of products nobody uses anymore. Not only are these spaces relatively easy to tackle, but the benefits are felt almost immediately, and there is something very satisfying about opening a drawer and finding exactly what you need without having to conduct an archaeological dig to locate it.

The role of shame

This is probably the part that deserves far more attention than it gets, as many people feel embarrassed about asking for help with their homes. They worry that they should have managed it themselves, they compare themselves to other people, or they apologise before I have even walked through the door.

The reality is that homes become cluttered for all sorts of reasons, from life changes, circumstances change, health changes, to family situations change. Systems that worked perfectly well ten years ago may no longer work today. None of that says anything about somebody's worth, capability or character.

The moment people stop seeing clutter as a personal failure and start seeing it as a practical problem that can be solved is often the moment things begin to change.

Why having support can make such a difference

One of the things clients often say after a session is that they are surprised by how much easier it felt than they expected, partly because they are no longer carrying the whole process on their own. Sometimes people need practical help, sometimes they need someone to help them make decisions or other times they simply need another calm person in the room to help them stay focused and keep moving forward.

There is no judgement, no criticism and no expectation that a home should look a certain way before I arrive. My role is simply to help people create practical systems that make life feel easier.

The goal is not perfection... The goal is a home that supports you rather than drains your energy, so if your home is contributing to feelings of stress or overwhelm and you are not sure where to start, a discovery call is simply an opportunity to have a conversation about what is going on and whether I might be able to help.

No pressure, no obligation and no judgement, just a chance to explore your options.

FAQs

Is there scientific evidence linking clutter to stress? Yes, research has found that people who describe their homes as cluttered or chaotic report higher stress levels and find it harder to relax than those who describe their homes as restful.

Why do I feel ashamed about my cluttered home? Shame around clutter is extremely common and very rarely reflects reality. Homes become cluttered for all sorts of reasons, such as life changes, health changes, busy periods, and it says nothing about someone's worth or capability.

Does decluttering help with anxiety? For many people, yes, although it's rarely about achieving a perfect home. Small changes, like clearing one surface or sorting one drawer, can remove a source of daily friction and create a real sense of relief.

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