Ever wondered why some people seem unbothered by their cluttered spaces while others feel completely overwhelmed? Recent research reveals that age plays a significant role in how clutter impacts our “psychological home” – that deep sense of belonging and identity we attach to our living spaces. The study by Swanson and Ferrari (2022) examines how clutter affects this psychological connection to our environments and shows that this relationship changes dramatically as we age. Their findings give scientific backing to something many of us have intuitively felt – our physical environments profoundly affect our mental states, but this impact transforms throughout our lives.
🏠 Understanding Psychological Home
Psychological home isn’t just about having a roof over your head – it’s that deep emotional connection we have with our living spaces. It’s the feeling that your home reflects who you are, provides comfort and safety, and feels genuinely like “you.” The researchers define it as “a sense of belonging in which self-identity is tied to a particular place.”
This concept encompasses three key functions: creating a refuge from the outside world, supporting our identity through our physical surroundings, and contributing to our overall psychological wellbeing. When our psychological home is strong, we feel grounded, secure, and more satisfied with life.
📊 Age Makes a Difference in Clutter Impact
The research discovered something fascinating: younger adults (ages 24-44) experience a much stronger negative impact from clutter on their psychological home compared to older adults (65+). While clutter decreased wellbeing across all ages, younger people felt more destabilized by messy environments.
For younger adults, the relationship between clutter and psychological home was significantly more intense. When surrounded by excess possessions creating chaotic spaces, they reported feeling less connected to their homes, less like themselves, and experienced a disruption in their sense of identity and place. This stronger reaction suggests that younger people may be more vulnerable to environmental influences on their sense of self.
👵🏽 Why Older Adults Might Be More Resilient to Clutter
Researchers suggest that older adults may have developed a more solid sense of self-identity over time. Their possessions, even when cluttered, might represent meaningful memories and extensions of their personal history rather than just disorder. This established identity seems to provide a buffer against clutter’s negative effects.
The study indicates that older individuals may have already done the work of figuring out who they are, making their sense of self less dependent on external factors like their environment. Additionally, they might view their belongings differently – as artifacts of memory and continuity rather than items that need organization.
🔄 The Clutter-Wellbeing Cycle
The study confirms what many might intuitively feel – clutter and mental health form a two-way relationship. Mental health challenges can lead to accumulating clutter, while living in cluttered spaces can further impact our psychological wellbeing. This cycle can be particularly intense for younger adults still forming their sense of identity.
One interesting aspect of the research was that even after controlling for social desirability bias (our tendency to present ourselves favorably), the relationship between clutter and poor wellbeing remained strong. This suggests we’re looking at a genuine psychological phenomenon, not just social pressure to appear neat.
🧘🏾♀️ Breaking the Cycle
Understanding the connection between our environments and our mental states gives us a tangible way to support our psychological health. The research suggests that clearing clutter might be especially beneficial for younger adults, potentially strengthening their sense of home and identity.
The phrase “messy home, messy mind” is often used judgmentally, but this research helps us see it’s not about blame – it’s about understanding how our environments both reflect and reinforce our inner states. Unless this cycle is interrupted somewhere, both the physical clutter and mental overload can spiral.
This study illuminates why some of us feel so strongly about maintaining order in our spaces – it’s not just about appearances, but about creating environments that support our sense of self and wellbeing. Whether it’s one drawer, one corner, or one habit at a time, clearing physical space isn’t just about cleaning. It’s about reclaiming our sense of self and safety.
🌱 Psychological Home: Finding Balance in Your Space
What’s particularly valuable about this research is that it doesn’t shame people for their clutter – it simply acknowledges how powerfully our surroundings affect our wellbeing, especially during younger years when identity is still forming. The findings can help us approach our living spaces with more awareness and intention.
For those feeling overwhelmed by clutter, this research suggests starting small might be especially valuable. Even creating one clear, calm space can help strengthen that sense of psychological home – the feeling that your space reflects who you are and supports your wellbeing.
How does clutter affect your sense of belonging in your space? Have you noticed your relationship with possessions changing as you’ve gotten older? Understanding these personal patterns might be the first step toward creating a home that truly nurtures your sense of self.
Research Source: Age Differences in Clutter Impact (PubMed)
P.S. I’m Naya, the writer of this post. This was my take on the research, but I’m also working on a much more personal version over on my personal site. If you liked this post on The Contemporary Polymath, you can subscribe to my personal newsletter for deeper, more intimate reflections on psychology: nayamoss.com/newsletter.