The (Inconvenient) Relationship between Clutter + Anxiety
The (Inconvenient) Relationship between Clutter + Anxiety: An interview with Anna Seewald.
Messy homes leave us feeling helpless and overwhelmed; indeed, research consistently links clutter and anxiety. But despite the literature, many people rarely recognize clutter as a significant source of stress.
Clutter affects anxiety because:
– Untidiness bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile) and causes our senses to work overtime.
– Clutter contributes to distraction by taking our focus away from what we should be focusing on.
– Untidy homes are frustrating because we find ourselves unable to find items we need in a timely manner.
– Messiness leads to feelings of guilt and embarrassment, especially when guests drop over unannounced.
Anna Seewald, MEd is a parent educator, speaker, author + podcaster with backgrounds in both psychology + education. Anna helps overwhelmed parents connect to their authentic self, reduce stress, bring calm into their lives and practice non-punitive discipline.
On episode 26 of The Sustainable Minimalists podcast Anna explains the research intoclutter and anxiety; she offers 10 concrete strategies for managing both the clutter and the stress, too. Read on for her best tips and tricks.
Did you know?
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Research highlighted in the episode:
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Clutter, Anxiety + Depression: Jeanne E. Arnold, Anthony P. Graesch, Enzo Ragazzini, and Elinor Ochs
Mess + Stress: Sherrie Bourg Carter Psy.D.
Der Spielzeugfreie Kindergarten (“The Nursery without Toys”)
“It’s not about organizing the stuff you have.
It’s about simplifying.”
Strategies Anna offers to manage clutter and anxiety:
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– Simplify your life, your schedule + your children’s schedules.
– Say ‘No’ to commitments (+ don’t feel guilty about it!)
– Create opportunities for downtime.
– Your home isn’t a place to store possessions. View it instead as a sanctuary!
– Make it a priority to relax + have fun in your home.
– Get into the habit of questioning whether you really, truly need something before purchasing.
– Remember that less is always more: Resist the temptation to over-buy for your children.
– Inject fun into your days.
– Choose open-ended, manipulative toys such as blocks, art supplies, dress up, stacking items + musical instruments when purchasing for your children.
– Teach children the value of minimalism through your actions, not your words. Model your values.
Notable quotes from the episode:
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“We perceive the world through our senses (visual, olfactory, tactile, et cetera). When there is a lot of overwhelm on a sensory level, our nervous systems go into overstimulation mode.”
“We live in a chronic state of stress. I haven’t met an unstressed parent yet.”
“You don’t have to say ‘Yes’ to every birthday your child is invited to. You don’t have to commit to volunteer + bring a homemade, baked dish to a pot luck party. There’s no need put extra pressure on yourself.”
“Today’s IT item is tomorrow’s clutter.”
“Today more than ever it’s important to create home as a place for rest, relaxation + fun.”
“Forget the dishes. The dishes are always going to be there for you to do; housework is never-ending. Have fun with your family. Inject a little fun into your days instead.”
“We live in a fast-paced, high speed culture. Advertisers create this false belief that we need to look outward + acquire new things to make us happy. And we grow up in this environment from a very young age.”
