There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who accumulate clutter and those who get irritated by other people’s junk. The ones who collect lots of possessions are often judged for being messy, unkempt, untidy, inconsiderate or materialistic. While there may be an element of truth in some of this harsh critique, it’s not all bad news for the disorganised among us, and it’s not always a matter of fault. In this article, we share with you five facts about clutter and what it means for the collector.
Fact 1: People with messy desks can still be efficient workers
People with messy desks often have some kind of organised chaos at play. Like the browser tabs on your work computer, they have an open filing system going on so they can dip in and out of tasks. Those who put things away in an orderly fashion can end up forgetting what they were supposed to be working on, which confuses things.
It’s been shown that people forget finished tasks to free up extra brain “RAM” for incomplete tasks. Therefore, having some clutter on your desk acts as a visual reminder that you have ongoing work. You don’t have to search high and low in your memory banks to recall the work currently in progress.
Fact 2: Clutter can be associated with low self-esteem
People are inclined to take on different hobbies and buy more stuff if they are suffering from low self-esteem. Buying all sorts of self-improvement books and taking up new pastimes means you are trying to make yourself more interesting. You can’t complete all the tasks you set yourself, so you become annoyed, buy another book and perpetuate the cycle of self-loathing.
Fact 3: Clutter is symptomatic of what is going on inside your head
If you have a chaotic home, you almost certainly have a lot going on inside your head too. This is a chicken-egg scenario because your brain is frazzled due to the sheer amount of stuff in the vicinity. Yet, your clutter problem may be caused by your complex headspace. Alternatively, your inability to put anything back in its rightful home could be a sign of things in your life being up in the air. Perhaps you have too much happening and you have run out of time in the week to get on top of everything. In any case, clutter in your home is a sign that something in your life needs addressing. It could also mean you may need a cleaner to help you out.
Fact 4: People with too much clutter often have difficulty finishing things off
With too many possessions hanging around, you lack the space to get things done properly. Not only that, but the items remind you of all the things you haven’t done yet. That pressure is overwhelming.
If you could see your surroundings clearly, you would be less distracted and able to complete things more easily.
Fact 5: Creatives sometimes prefer a messier space
In some studies, a messy workspace has been shown to encourage more creative thinking.
If you have a few objects or books spread out on your desk, your thoughts can reach interesting places. In a white, pared down environment, you are limited.
Being an artist, you may like to have your inspiration images around, as well as paints and brushes within easy reach. Does a messy space liven up your creative process? If so, don’t be afraid to harness it.