does anyone else get clutter / mess anxiety?

[stiltonontoast]

I've noticed that my anxiety is far worse when I am in a cluttered or messy environment.

We live in a tiny 2 bed with our 9mo son and a dog and a cat and the whole house is designed ridiculously so we basically have no storage. The house is always full of clutter even though I am ruthless about getting rid of things (DH not so much) and I feel like I spend my entire life cleaning up, putting things back in their place etc.

I just feel fed up and stressed and hate my home!

Yes, big time. Can't sleep if the bedside tables are a state, clothes haven't been put away etc. Gets worse when I'm tired or run down.

I think mine gets worse when I'm tired, on my period or if I've been stuck in the house too long - I always get it around Christmas/New year.

I hate it. I feel like I'm losing control. I spend my whole life tidying up after others.

Yes definitely, I’ve only fairly recently noticed the effect that clutter has on me. I get so stressed and can’t relax. We are currently doing up our house so I’m really struggling with it as we’ve had to have stuff everywhere. Before we moved we had a major clear out but things gradually creep in again!

Yes I feel far happier and more relaxed when my house is clean and tidy.

But for me it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation. When I'm down I don't necessarily have the energy/inclination to tidy which then makes me feel more down and it becomes a bit of a vicious circle. Conversely when the house is spotless I'm far happier - but am I happier because my environment isn't cluttered or is it that I'm feeling more upbeat and then spend that energy cleaning which gives me a clean house I can be relaxed in?

Yes I get huge stress around clutter and cannot relax.

Is yours a temporary clutter or a huge ongoing issue?

Do you own your house - if not could you rent something else?

If yes, could you reorganise - maybe get advice from an architect as to how to sort storage if you are not creative?

Built in floor to ceiling in every free space is the only answer in a small house.

Hi @Annasgirl we rent. We moved here when it was just us, now its us + baby + dog + cat and its really a bit too small. Unfortunately, everything else is too expensive for us.

There is hope however, DH is set to inherit some money and we may be able to look at buying a place.

I think at the moment all my time is taken up with household chores / work / caring for my baby. I could really do with a whole day to just de-clutter the entire house. I know that would make me feel a bit better.

Definitely. My DH always knows when I’m struggling with anxiety/depression because I get very fretful about the state of the house. I am naturally tidy anyway but it goes into overdrive if I’m feeling down, I suppose because it’s something I can control.

OP I felt similar re the decluttering mountain. It’s overwhelming. I was pregnant, working full time and knackered so I realised I was trying to do too much at once so I broke it down into little bits and I mean little! Some days my target was literally to declutter just one shelf of a kitchen cupboard or one drawer in the bedroom. It really worked as slowly but surely I got through the whole house and it felt very satisfying!