Does Clutter Cause Depression or Does Depression Caused Clutter? 

Does Clutter Cause Depression or Does Depression Caused Clutter? This has become one of those, “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?” kind of questions for me.

I often come across articles and studies that will show that clutter can cause depression. That the clutter can overstimulate our brain, make us feel overwhelmed and unproductive as well as distracting us from what we need to be focused on at that moment. 

I do agree with a lot of this. When things get so cluttered and messy, it can feel overwhelming and I can feel like I can’t get anything done.

However, I actually see this from a different perspective. I truly feel that often our depression come first and what is causing the clutter. From there, it can simply begin to snowball. 

When my house is neat, clean and has everything in its place(which is VERY rare), you can pretty much bet I’m feeling mentally strong, physically well and zero depression going on that day. When I’m not feeling depressed, I have the energy to “put things back where they belong,” do the dishes, fold the laundry and whatever other chores need to be completed around the house. I have the mental and physical energy to stay organized and keep ahead of the clutter that can so easily pile up.

On the flip side of this, when my depression is not good, on the days I am struggling, I don’t have the energy to keep up with putting things back where they belong or doing the dishes or anything other than surviving and pushing through. Those who don’t have this problem will say things like, “it’s easier to just keep up with the dishes”, “how difficult is it to put things back where they belong”, “you just make more work for yourself when you don’t stay ahead of the clutter.”

Here’s my response to these statements: When my depression is present or my mental health is not where it needs to be, ALL of my mental and physical energy is going towards managing my depression and trying my hardest to not slip further down that hole and to just get through each day completing what needs to be done. There is no extra energy left for putting my shoes in the closet, loading the dishwasher, folding and putting away the laundry or going through the mail. I use all my energy to make sure I eat, take a shower, and go to work so I can pay my bills. Clutter will begin to pile up. Thankfully, between medication and the strategies I use to manage my depression, I usually bounce back from difficult days pretty quickly. 

Even on the days that I am feeling great, I often exert so much energy maintaining my feelings of joy and happiness, that I just don’t have the energy to keep up with the day to day activities that keep the clutter under control. For me, my mental health is a priority over almost everything else. If my mental health isn’t well, then I’m no good for anyone or anything. People who don’t live with depression or anxiety or any mental illness simply don’t understand this. I have been called lazy, passive aggressive and a slob because my space is often cluttered and messy.

Take the time to ask questions of a family member or friend that seems to be messy and you know also lives with depression. Ask them if you can straighten up for them or help do their dishes. If your child is messy, first think about what they might be dealing with on a day to day basis. For some of us, it can take a lot of energy to just get through the day and we are left with little to no energy to do anything extra. And yes, it is just easier to kick off those shoes at the door than to put them in the closet. Anything that requires and extra step can seem very daunting. 

 To be quite honest, clutter doesn’t bother me or make me depressed. I think it’s just become part of my life most days and I’m ok with that because most days my depression is very much under control. For me, and many others I’ve spoken to about this subject, it’s not the clutter that causes depression. It is the depression that causes the clutter. 

My biggest tip to prevent too much clutter if depression can be a struggle for you? Simplify!! The less stuff you have, the less clutter can accumulate. The smaller space you live in, the less stuff you can bring in that can become clutter. Plus, it is easier and quicker to clean up when you have the energy to catch up. You won’t waste so much energy that can be used towards your mental health when you have a smaller space to keep neat. Simplifying my life has been one of the greatest strategies I’ve ever implemented for my depression. The overwhelm is just so much less!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you thing it’s clutter that is causing your depression to be worse or is it your depression(and the management of it) that causes the clutter in your life?