One of my Secrets of Adulthood is: Outer order contributes to inner calm.
For many people (including me), this seems disproportionately true. It’s not such a big deal to have a messy coat closet or a crowded desk — yet I get a surprising rush of happiness and relief when I clear clutter.
I’ve realized, too, that it’s useful not only to get rid of clutter, but also to worry about appearances: to straighten stacks, to turn things right-side up, to make piles look more pleasing. I want to increase orderliness, and also make areas simply look more orderly.
For instance, I sized up my messy piles of t-shirts; I’ve never had the knack for folding items properly. (I’ve also never learned to tie my shoes the right way but still use the babyish “bunny ears” method, to my mother’s chagrin and my daughters’ glee.)
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Sounds borderline OCD to me. I like a tidy place myself but I wouldn’t say it causes me actual pleasure tidying up. That’s why they’re called chores.
I have to agree. It does sound mildly OCD however since I deal with chronic depression I would give almost anything to muster up the willpower to declutter.
I’m sorry to hear you’re dealing with depression. It can make everyday clutter look like Mount Everest. I am slowly crawling out from under my clutter but it has been a long process because I also deal with depression. With depression, it’s not a matter of willpower. It’s a matter of getting well so you have the energy that most people take for granted. Best of luck!
My office is a direct reflection of how I’m doing. For the past 2 years it has been a complete mess and I will agree that when things are tidy it calms the nerves. Even my kitchen – I can’t cook or bake in it until it is tidy first. If only I could tackle getting the office cleaned up – but I’m not feeling emotionally organized and so it remains.
i agree whole heartedly with this article. i get more anxious in a cluttered, messy space, and i feel more calm and happy in an ordered and organized room. also, after completing a task such as organizing a closet, i feel pleasingly productive… excellent
. now, it would be awesome if you could post some research i could pass out to hoarding/messy family and friends 
!
I feel much calmer in a messy environment. When things are clean and tidy there is no sense of a place being lived in. It becomes a neat, straight and symmetric place – an inert space. I find it a much more uncomfortable place to be when tidy.
My living space in clean and hygienic but messy and I’m comfortable with it. I’m not comfortable being bombarded with articles saying that I should be uncomfortable messiness.
Any sort of repetitive activity can be soothing, particularly if there is measurable progress in its performance.
I feel MUCH calmer in a neat organized environment, which is why I visit some of my friends! Really, it is hard for some of us, even tho’ we agree that we feel better when there is less visual static. The perfect and impossible solution would be a room for each activity!
I think I still use bunny ears, too. I read by three years, but couldn’t tie my shoes til 8!
I also feel calmer in a tidy environment and often feel stressed when there is clutter all around me.
As an advocate for OCD awareness, I want to point out that there is nothing in this article that relates to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Those with OCD who need things neat and orderly do not enjoy cleaning or having this compulsion; they do it because they feel they have no choice and something bad will happen if they don’t. It is a potentially devastating disorder that is often misrepresented.
There is something in between OCD and chaos. I tend yowards the latte, and totally agree that when things are too messy, it interferes with being able to concetrate on more interesting things – cooking, artwork, home projects what ever. parly it’s the visual interference, I think – and partly the bottom line – it’s incredibly frustrating if you have to waste time looking for things. On the other hand, I have been messy without losing things, too. And do feel a little intimidated in the homes of dear friends w/o no discernible “mess:” I find myself compulsively emptying trash bins to conform. Something in between — neat, with places for things,but with the things you like within reach.