Confessions of a closet hoarder: Environment and well-being

Our everyday surroundings can have a powerful impact on our mood and emotions. A dark, 'foosty', cluttered room will have a very different impact on us than a spacious, airy, fresh-smelling, light-filled space. So, whether we are aware of it or not, our physical environment impacts upon us, especially if we spend a lot of time in the same places – e.g. our workplace, our home, our cars…

Attention blindness

How our environment influences us isn’t just about how it looks or how aesthetically pleasing we find it. When we spend a lot of time somewhere, it becomes familiar, and we no longer really see what’s around us. The piles of paperwork on your desk, clothes spilling out of the laundry basket, the pile of shoes in the wardrobe, dust on top of books, bags of things for recycling (I could go on…) all magically disappear when we stop paying attention to them. This is something known as “attention blindness”, when we just don’t register something anymore.

Whilst this is not a wholly negative phenomenon, as there are times when we need to ignore some things to prioritise others, but it doesn’t stop those things in our environment that we are not taking care of, having an impact on our overall sense of wellbeing. The way a room feels, how spacious and tidy a room feels, or the sounds in the space, all have an impact on our sense of ease in our environment.

“The way a room smells, how warm or cold it feels, the colours in a room, how light or dark it is, how spacious and tidy a room feels, or the sounds in the space, all have an impact on our sense of ease in our environment.“

Creating an environment to enhance your well-being

Some tips for creating an environment which enhances our well-being

Maximise natural light: Let in as much natural light as possible to boost your mood. Natural light stimulates our bodies to release serotonin, a key ingredient which regulates mood, appetite, sleep and memory. Maximising exposure to natural light both outdoors and indoors is one of the best things we can do for our wellbeing.

Bring plants into your space: Bringing greenery into our indoor environment not only boosts our mood it also improves air quality. Low-maintenance, low-light indoor plants can thrive on minimal direct sunlight and can even survive in darker conditions during winter months, quietly cleaning the air and enhancing our mood.

Bring nature indoors: As well as having some plants and greenery in your space, you can also bring natural objects like stones, shells, or pieces of wood which remind you of places you have visited.

Natural scents: Our sense of smell is powerfully connected to emotional health. Flowers are pleasing to look at, and they also stimulate our sense of smell. Smells can influence our wellbeing more than we realise and stimulate memories. Cut flowers in your space, emit a lovely fragrance and are also aesthetically pleasing, creating a real boost to our wellbeing.

Personalise your space: select some personal items that have a positive association and meaning in your spaces, things like photographs, artwork, or keepsakes, which nurture a sense of connection and belonging.

Finally, and most importantly... Declutter!! Being in a space which is clutter-free, helps to reduce stress and improve mental clarity. It’s easy to accumulate all sorts of things we don’t really need, and it can be really hard to let things go when they no longer serve us. And as someone who has a tendency to hold onto things, because they could be useful at some point…I know all about this one!!)

When we spend a lot of time somewhere, it becomes familiar, and we no longer really see what’s around us. Here’s some simple questions to get started:

• Does this item support your current priorities?
• Does this item fit in with the vision you have for myself right now?
• Can it be used for something else?
• Could this item be useful/helpful for another person?
• Would it impact on your daily life not to have this item?
• Is this item really worth the space it's taking up in your home?
• Is this item adding value to your life right now?

Getting started

Here’s a starter for 10…. It’s a simple technique called the Blitz-Tidy. 

Set a timer for a limited period of time (I usually do 15 -20 minutes max) and tackle one single area at a time (e.g. a drawer, a shelf, a surface, a cupboard). Have a couple of bags ready to put things in. One bag is for items to be dumped, the other bag is for recycling. Do not try clothes on if you haven’t worn the item for years – let it go.

I have used this technique to tackle my wardrobe, and it works really well. I also have the bonus of knowing that the clothes I take to Oxfam or Cancer Research, which are still in good condition and very wearable, will hopefully bring some joy into another person’s life.

Give it a go…. you’ll feel better for it.