In our busy lives, it often feels like our minds are running at 100% capacity all the time. Whether it’s work, family, or personal projects, there’s always something demanding our attention. Mental overload occurs when our brains become saturated with responsibilities, thoughts, and decisions, leading to stress and burnout. One area that contributes to this mental overload—often overlooked—is the state of our home environment. A cluttered and messy home can add to our mental load, increasing stress and reducing productivity.

But here’s the good news: cleaning and organizing your space can alleviate some of this mental burden. Let’s explore the link between clutter and mental overload, and how cleaning can help restore a sense of calm and control in your life.

Mental Overload: Juggling Too Much at Once

We all experience mental overload when our minds are constantly trying to manage multiple tasks. This mental teeter-totter can be exacerbated by the state of our physical environment.

For example:

  • Kitchen cleaning might take up 30% of your mental capacity because it requires wiping down surfaces, cleaning under appliances, and managing the trash.
  • Living room cleaning could account for 20%, as you arrange pillows, dust surfaces, and declutter.
  • Laundry might take another 15%, between washing, folding, and putting clothes away.
  • Bathroom cleaning adds another 20%, with tasks like scrubbing the shower and cleaning mirrors.
  • Floor care, including sweeping and vacuuming, adds an additional 10%.
  • Outdoor cleaning, such as sweeping the porch or organizing outdoor furniture, takes another 5%.

Combined, these small tasks make up significant portions of our mental bandwidth, leading to cognitive overload. This phenomenon is well-supported by research, which shows that a cluttered environment can cause heightened stress and difficulty in focusing. One study even found that women in cluttered homes exhibited higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, compared to those in tidy environments.

The Impact of Clutter on the Brain

Clutter doesn’t just make our homes physically chaotic—it also affects our brain’s ability to process information. Neuroscientific research suggests that clutter competes for our brain’s attention, making it harder to concentrate on tasks.

In fact, clutter can have such a profound impact that it may:

  • Reduce focus: A cluttered space makes it more difficult for your brain to filter out unnecessary stimuli, reducing your ability to focus on important tasks.
  • Increase mental fatigue: When your brain has to constantly process the clutter in your environment, it becomes mentally draining.
  • Elevate stress levels: Living in a disorganized environment can increase stress and anxiety. This is especially true for people who are already managing stressful situations at work or home.

The Psychological Benefits of a Clean and Organized Space

Cleaning, on the other hand, can provide a much-needed mental reset. Here’s how decluttering can benefit your mental well-being:

  1. Reduces Stress: A clean home can help you feel more in control. Studies have found that cleaning and organizing can reduce stress and anxiety, allowing people to focus better on the tasks at hand .
  2. Improves Mood: There’s a reason why people say cleaning can be therapeutic. Research shows that people feel happier and more at ease in clean environments. Completing small cleaning tasks can give a sense of accomplishment, which is directly linked to improved mood and lower levels of anxiety.
  3. Boosts Focus and Productivity: A tidy environment allows your brain to focus on the task at hand without being overwhelmed by visual clutter. This helps boost your overall productivity and concentration.
  4. Enhances Cognitive Control: Cleaning and decluttering your surroundings gives you a sense of control in an otherwise chaotic world. In times of stress, people often turn to repetitive tasks like cleaning as a way to regain control.

Creating a Cleaning Checklist to Reduce Mental Overload

To help reduce mental overload, creating a simple, actionable cleaning routine can be highly beneficial. You don’t have to clean everything at once. Instead, focus on manageable tasks each day. Here’s a practical checklist you can follow:

Daily Cleaning Checklist for Mental Clarity

Task Time (min) Mental Load Reduced (%)
Kitchen    
– Wipe down counters                5                                    5%
– Take out trash                2                                    3%
Living Room    
– Arrange cushions/pillows                3                                     4%
– Dust surfaces                5                                     3%
Bathroom    
– Clean sink and mirror                5                                     7%
– Replace towels                2                                     3%
Laundry    
– Fold and put away clothes                10                                     10%
Floors    
– Vacuum or sweep                10                                     5%
Outdoors    
– Tidy up the porch                5                                     2%

Tip: Focus on one area of your home each day. For example, on Mondays, clean the kitchen, and on Tuesdays, focus on the living room.

A Clean Space, A Clear Mind

Cleaning might seem like a mundane chore, but it can have significant psychological benefits. By organizing your environment and tackling small cleaning tasks each day, you can reduce mental overload, improve focus, and enhance your mood. Whether it’s wiping down kitchen counters or tidying up the living room, the act of cleaning can give you a sense of accomplishment and control, helping you reclaim your mental space in an otherwise chaotic world.

Start small, stay consistent, and watch your mental load lighten.

By incorporating these strategies and cleaning tips, you can start reducing the mental overload caused by a cluttered home. Taking small steps to create an organized, peaceful environment will make a big difference in both your mental and emotional well-being.

References

  1. Saxbe, D. E., & Repetti, R. L. (2010). “No place like home: Home tours correlate with daily patterns of mood and cortisol.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(1), 71-81.
  2. McMains, S. A., & Kastner, S. (2011). “Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in human visual cortex.” Journal of Neuroscience, 31(2), 587-597.
  3. Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective.
  4. Bretherton, I., & Beeghly, M. (1982). “Talking about internal states: The acquisition of an explicit theory of mind.” Developmental Psychology, 18(6), 906-921.
  5. Vohs, K. D., et al. (2013). “Physical order produces healthy choices, generosity, and conventionality, whereas disorder produces creativity.” Psychological Science, 24(9), 1860-1866.
  6. NiCole R. Keith, PhD. “The Relationship Between Cleanliness and Health.” Indiana University, 2020.
  7. Morin, A. (2014). “Cleaning and mental health: How it improves your mood.” Mindfulness Journal.
  8. Saxbe, D. E. (2011). “Repetitive cleaning behaviors and stress management in households.” Cognitive Therapy Review, 22(2).