Have you ever noticed how your space affects your mood? Does a messy desk or cluttered bedroom bother you? Do you like some rooms in your home better than others because of comfortable furniture? What type of lighting do you prefer? Some people like bright lighting and others prefer darker rooms. Take note of what causes and relieves stress from the spaces around you. The physical environment where we live and work can affect, as well as reflect, our emotions or mood.
There are professionals who make a study out of how our spaces affect us. Environmental psychology is a branch of psychology that studies how humans change the environment and how the environment impacts humans’ behaviors and experiences. Studies have shown that many aspects of interior design, from how you arrange your room, how much sunlight enters your room, can affect your emotional state, impact daily life and influence behavior. Since we know that lighting can make a big difference in how we function, consider brightening your room with ample light, especially for darker winter days.
Maybe it’s time to reclaim your space by de-cluttering. Clutter affects people to varying degrees, but most studies agree that clutter can negatively impact how we think, focus and function. De-cluttering can help improve your mental health. Start small by de-cluttering one junk drawer or closet. Set aside things you no longer need and consider how you might donate or recycle them. Then take these same steps with other spaces until you have sufficiently reduced the clutter in your home or office.
Refresh your space by making small, inexpensive changes that bring you joy. Simple ideas for refreshing space might include rearranging furniture for better function, getting an indoor plant or herb garden, finding a new wall hanging, or even putting on a fresh coat of paint. Brighten a couch with a throw pillow or your dining room with a table runner. Carefully consider making room for anything you add (like getting rid of something you no longer use) so you do not contribute to more clutter.
Writer: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County, carter.413@osu.edu
Reviewer: Erin Ruggiero, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Medina County, ruggiero.46@osu.edu
Sources:
Beckwith, A., Parkhurst, E. (July, 2022). The Mental Benefits of Decluttering. Utah State University; Mental Health Education Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/the-mental-benefits-of-decluttering
Innis, Gail. (November, 2015). Declutter your life and improve your health. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/declutter_your_life_and_improve_your_health
Kolakowski, Emma. (Visited October, 2022). Mess makes Stress: Declutter and the Mind. Michigan State University, MSU WorkLife Office. https://worklife.msu.edu/news/mess-makes-stress-declutter-and-mind
Zozobrado, Mia. (May, 2022). Decluttering to de-stress and improve your focus. Georgia State University, Be Well Panthers. https://bewell.gsu.edu/decluttering-tips-relieve-stress-improve-focus/