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According to a new Australian study out today, clutter can cause feelings of anxiety and depression, and is causing “considerable anxiety” in 4/10 respondents. The 15-page report, released by The Australian Institute and titled “Stuff Happens: Unused Things Cluttering up our Homes“, polled 1002 people in December 2007, and can be downloaded here. [links directly to .pdf file!] |
 Photo by Ryan Taylor |
Researchers found that 88 per cent of homes polled contained at least one cluttered room – typically the spare room. Participants reported stashing clutter in their cupboards, garages and bedrooms.
While the findings of the study are no shock to me, I was surprised at how high the numbers actually were. 88 percent of homes have at least one cluttered room! 40% of people report their clutter is causing them considerable anxiety! Those number are huge! While the study only includes 1002 people, it’s not unreasonable to say that this study shows a higher number of people suffering from clutter than many of us might have guessed.
The report breaks down clutter into 4 categories:
- Emotional clutter – things with sentimental meaning but little financial value – including children’s toys or drawings, (unused or unwanted) gifts, school or university notes, and personal possessions of absent loved ones;
- Just-in-case clutter – things with little or no sentimental value but that ‘might come in handy one day’ and that are therefore kept for some time, such as old bills or bank statements, tools and stationery;
- Bought clutter – impulse purchases, often acquired recently, that end up never being used, commonly including clothes, fashion accessories and books;
- Bargain clutter – free or very cheap things acquired at sales, from friends or family or ‘by the side of the road’ which are discarded only reluctantly because they were so cheap.
The study suggests a shift in attitudes toward thinking of shopping itself as a hobby is partially to blame for such high numbers of clutter. While this is probably true, if 88% of us feel that we have a clutter problem, the solution is not as simple as just “stop buying more stuff” (but then, if you’re reading this blog, you already knew that, didn’t you?)
Perhaps the study will spark more research into the clutter and hoarding problem(s) so many of us face.
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Twitter Updates
I have crap from all 4 categories! This just motivated me to start pitching stuff this weekend. Clutter completely stresses me out and I have way too much of it!
Wow, that’s amazing! I’ve been dying to unclutter my spare room. Interesting that so many people have that problem. Have you seen the hoarding episodes on Oprah. Amazing!
@ Robyn – Good for you! Let us know how much you accomplish!
@ Emilie – Yes, I’ve seen the ones on Oprah, and on Discovery Channel. Of course, they pick the worst cases to put on TV (it’s more dramatic that way), but at least it’s getting some attention in the media, and at least from what I’ve seen, they try to get help for the person.
I work with people who have clutter and hoarding issues. The majority of people do tend to have other issues from the past which create the person they are today.
It is a very serious problem with no short term answers (for the extreme hoarder). Counselling, therapy over a long period of time would be one way to attempt to delve into the root cause of problem. Emotional distress needs to be addressed by a person who is caring empathetic non-judgemental and who has PATIENCE. TIME is the crucial factor. Healing, understanding, commitment.After saying all that, there still is no magical cure. Commitment by person and dedicated worker, at least it is a start.
Clutter has effected my self esteem for mnay years and I felt ashamed most of the time to open the front door to people. I found it hard to get help such as a cleaner because i was so embarrassed. It was overwelming to me.
Then about a month ago I decided to approach it in a totally new way. Each day I look at one drawer, one shelf etc. But I don’t need to finish it that day. The only rule is that I need to throw out ONE thing. But I find that one thing easily becomes 5. 4 weeks later and I estimate I am 20% done. And I am getting more and more excited by the results. For the first time in my life it is possible and I plan for it to be a lifelong habit. I have matching socks that are easy to find (all the unmateched ones are now gone!), have saved myself buying stuff because I discovered I already had it stashed away in the back of a cupboard. The exciting side effects are that I am eating more healthily, feeling less stressed, and papering myself more becauase I have found lots of product that i was saving for some special moment. I have decided that moment is now! And my husband is happy becuase yesterday I found some lovely massage cream. :o)
It is lovely feeling so much lighter. I hope this can be an inspiration to others.
Top Tips On Decluttering & Helping Your Anxiety.
5 Tips For Anxiety Attack Self Help
Perhaps one of the most frightening things you can experience is an anxiety attack. You will face a number of different symptoms that can be quite worrisome. Fortunately, there are some anxiety attack self help tips that will allow you to get over these chronic attacks. Here are five tips to help you handle the situation on your own.
1. Change your lifestyle
Many times panic attacks and anxiety attacks are do to a specific lifestyle or personality of yours. If you tend to surround yourself in a stressful environment such as a high-pressured job, you are bound to have built-up stress. If you tend to worry about a lot and have a great deal of pressure loaded on your shoulders, you may want to consider changing the life you are living. Even taking a few extra hours each week for some fun can have a tremendous effect.
2. It’s in your head
One of the last things people want to hear is that the attack is in their head. Unfortunately, this is something that many doctors do agree with. It can be directly related to a chemical imbalance or something similar, but keep in mind that a majority of the time anxiety attacks are mental. Therefore, the greatest anxiety attack self help tip is to learn to control your emotions and calm yourself from any worries you may have.
3. Research
The next self help tip is to take the time to learn what happens during an attack and how you can deal with it during the actual attack. Even if you are on medication to prevent attacks, you can still experience one from time to time. For this reason, you want to know what to do to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
4. Breathing exercises
As you have probably heard before, a great way to release stress is to practice some breathing exercises. Locking yourself in a calm room with little to no noise whatsoever will eliminate the constant stresses that surround you. It gives you time to clear your head and truly relax. Meditation is recommended with breathing exercises as well.
5. Exercise
The last anxiety attack self help tip is to get out and exercise. Sometimes anxiety can be caused by what you believe people think about you and your image. Exercising can help you create the image you desire. As with breathing exercises, this will also allow you to clear your head and feel good about yourself. By the time you are finished with your workout, you will feel relaxed and calm.
There is no simple way to eliminate the anxiety one experiences. Stress and anxiety are different, or the same, in many cases. You have to know what the root of the problem is to alleviate it.
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