Clutter and mess in the home has a direct impact on our mood, reveals a new study.
Is your home clean and tidy or cluttered and disorganised? And do you feel stressed about maintaining a clean home? Cleaning and laundry expert, Dr. Beckmann, has put the psychology of cleaning under the microscope to uncover how mess subconsciously impacts mood, productivity and mental wellbeing.
Here are some key findings:
1. The survey by Dr. Beckmann indicated that the levels of mess and clutter around the home is a key dictator of our mood. Some 90 per cent of Brits feel it mess makes them unproductive, or worse still, unhappy.
2. In contrast, only one in 10 Brits are oblivious to their surroundings and don't feel the link between mess and mood.
3. An untidy house impedes our willingness to socialise, which in turn can cause loneliness. In the poll, more than half (54 per cent) said they have, at some point, cancelled plans to host because their home wasn't pristine.
4. A cluttered home causes arguments, as seven in 10 Brits 'frequently' argue with a person they cohabit with about household chores. Of this, more than half said the kitchen is where most arguments occur.
6. The physical act of cleaning can provide great mental health benefits because of the endorphins that are released by working up a sweat. Individual cleaning tasks such as vacuuming, ironing and gardening can burn between 150 and 300 calories – equivalent to a Zumba class! So if you're looking to do a big clean in one day you could be burning over 2000 calories. Core tasks for burning the most calories include washing up, cleaning windows and mopping and sweeping.
7. According to some scientific studies, the way we keep our environment reflects our state of mind, which impacts our productivity. Those surrounded by tidy spaces tend to get more done, whereas clutter and disorganisation in the home act as visual distractions, meaning we are less productive. To make matters worse, mess breeds mess, as we are less likely to find the motivation to clean up when surrounded by clutter.