How to Get Rid of Clutter & Why Decluttering Matters

If you’ve ever been overwhelmed trying to figure out how to get rid of clutter, don’t give up. Once you see how much decluttering matters, you’ll be motivated to take on the challenge. But don’t worry…we’ll show you how with tips from expert Heather Aardema from the School of Living Lighter. The answer is so much more life-changing than just more storage bins.

If you’re overwhelmed by stacks of paper, closets bursting with clothes, or an overflowing email inbox, you’re not alone. Clutter builds up in every area of life, and it impacts much more than just your home. It affects your health, peace of mind, and ability to make wise decisions.

In this post, we’ll walk through the hidden health risks of clutter, the surprising science behind cortisol and decision fatigue, and how to declutter in a way that brings lasting relief beyond useless decluttering checklists. You’ll learn why decluttering matters, how to make it manageable, and why kicking the clutter habit can be one of the most sacred steps toward living a life that feels light, joyful, and aligned with your values.

What Is Clutter? More Than Just Unwanted Items

Clutter isn’t just physical mess. It’s anything that gets in the way of who God designed you to be. According to functional clutter coach Heather Aardema, clutter can show up in your home, your digital life, your mind, and your emotions.

“I like to think of clutter as anything that gets between where we are and where we want to be.” – Heather Aardema

Clutter can also look like regret from purchases you wish you hadn’t made, or things that remind you of an identity you’ve outgrown. Unprocessed grief, emotional attachments, and even comparison-driven consumption patterns create a fog that clutters our spirit.

Sometimes we carry false identities and old versions of ourselves in the form of items we no longer need.

Clutter isn’t just visual; it’s deeply relational, emotional, and spiritual. When something feels heavy we can ask ourselves, “what’s the story here?” There may be a spiritual source, some emotional baggage, or unresolved source of stress. Sometimes a pack rat personality just needs help unpacking the mental barrier with decluttering.

The Social Impact of Clutter

Clutter doesn’t just affect you. It changes how you relate to others. Research and real-life stories alike show that many people avoid inviting friends or family over because they’re embarrassed about how their home looks. This self-isolation can lead to loneliness, shame, and a breakdown in community.

Arguments between spouses or roommates often arise from different clutter tolerances, creating emotional distance in the home. And even when others don’t mind the mess, you might find yourself apologizing for it, casting a shadow over what could have been a joyful moment.

When we remove the clutter, we create room for hospitality, peace, and fellowship which are the very heart of what a home is meant to offer. If I had to battle overcoming clutter before hosting a party or gathering, it would be much harder to practice hospitality.

5 Surprising Ways Clutter Impacts Health

Decluttering is about more than a clean house. When you learn how to get rid of clutter, you may actually be reclaiming your health. The impact of clutter extends to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

1. Clutter Spikes Cortisol: Especially in Women

Cluttered homes don’t just look chaotic but can physically elevate stress hormones. A 2010 study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that women who described their homes as cluttered or unfinished had flatter diurnal cortisol slopes (a biological marker of chronic stress).

This hormonal disruption is associated with fatigue, immune dysfunction, weight gain, and heart problems. The study’s authors emphasized that the link between clutter and cortisol remained significant even after controlling for marital satisfaction and personality traits.

In simpler terms, visual clutter sends your brain the message that your work is never done. For women especially, this constant reminder triggers a low-grade, ongoing stress response that exhausts the body’s systems. Over time, living in clutter can shift your body into a state of chronic fight-or-flight, leaving you depleted, anxious, and hormonally imbalanced.

2. Clutter Impacts Daily Decision-Making

Clutter steals your focus. Research from Princeton and The Journal of Neuroscience shows that clutter competes for your brain’s attention, overloading your visual cortex and making it harder to concentrate. This cognitive overload leads to what experts call “decision fatigue,” a state where your mental energy is depleted before the important choices of the day even arrive.

As Heather shared in the interview, clutter can create a “mental buzz” that wears you down and clouds your clarity. You’re less likely to make a wise decision about your health when surrounded by clutter.

A study in Current Psychology also found that clutter contributes to procrastination and undermines self-control. So if you’ve ever felt like you couldn’t stick to good habits in a messy space, science backs you up. Clutter literally short-circuits your ability to choose well.

3. Decluttering Reduces Emotional Shame

Heather describes the “net negative effect” that clutter can have. A study published in Current Psychology found that clutter is significantly associated with negative emotions, including shame, embarrassment, and avoidance behaviors.

“I didn’t even want to see it clearly… but once I did, I was able to start decluttering for good.” – Heather Aardema

Shame, regret, and avoidance build up over time, leaving us stuck and blind to what’s really there. When we let go of what no longer serves us, we see ourselves and our surroundings more clearly. That clarity breaks the cycle of shame and gives us back our peace.

4. Allergies, Asthma & Infections

Clutter creates ideal conditions for dust mites, mold, and pet dander to accumulate—all common triggers for asthma and allergies. These irritants often hide in areas that are tough to clean, like under furniture or in overfilled corners. According to the American Lung Association, reducing clutter is a critical part of controlling allergy and asthma symptoms, especially in children. When allergens pile up, they inflame the airways and disrupt breathing.

But it’s not just allergens we need to worry about. Cluttered environments are harder to disinfect, which allows bacteria to thrive. Research shows that household dust can harbor bacteria and endotoxins that increase the risk of respiratory infections. Surfaces you can’t reach become breeding grounds for microbes that weaken your immune defenses.

5. Fatigue vs Better Sleep

Your bedroom should be a sanctuary. But when it’s filled with piles of laundry, stacks of books, or overflowing drawers, it can have the opposite effect. Visual clutter signals the brain that there’s still work to be done, delaying melatonin production and increasing cortisol, the stress hormone that disrupts sleep cycles. Elevated evening cortisol can lead to trouble falling asleep and less restorative rest.

Sleep experts, including the National Sleep Foundation, consistently recommend keeping the bedroom tidy to support relaxation and better sleep quality. Decluttering removes both visual distractions and allergenic triggers like dust mites, creating a peaceful environment that welcomes rest.

When you clear the clutter from your bedroom, you’re not just tidying up. In fact, you’re setting the stage for deeper, more restorative sleep that leaves you feeling refreshed and energized the next day. A chaotic space delays melatonin production, elevates nighttime cortisol, and keeps your mind buzzing long after you shut off the lights.

Decluttering creates a calm, restful environment where deep sleep can thrive. Plus it gives you a quick win to help motivate you to continue to the rest of the house!

How to Declutter: Checklists, Categories, or Room-by- Room?

Not all decluttering methods are created equal. What works on Pinterest might overwhelm your nervous system in real life. That’s why it’s important to choose a strategy that honors your mental capacity and emotional bandwidth. Sometimes it’s not just about increasing your storage space. It’s about understanding how you got here in the first place.

The Root Cause of Clutter

Clutter often represents more than disorganization. It can be a form of emotional armor or a link to a past version of yourself.

“This identity, it’s like I can’t let go of this version of myself, even if she’s long gone.ˮ – Heather Aardema

Touching things too much can deepen the emotional attachment, making it harder to let go. That’s why Heather recommends wearing gloves when sorting through sentimental items.

Heather also recommends an exercise where you write a letter to clutter and find out why it has a hold on you. “Dear Heather, My name is Clutter and I_________”

Lastly, when we name our things and give them emotional energy over us, it can lead us away from the healthy habits we need to develop to let go. Words have power right? So stop saying “all my junk” and claiming what is holding you back.

Category-by-Category & Nervous System Overwhelm

While some decluttering experts suggest pulling out everything in one category (like all your clothes), this approach can backfire. In the interview with Dr Z, Heather warns that it overwhelms the nervous system and can cause shutdown.

Especially if you’re already flooded with cortisol and stress hormones in the first place. She said she’s seen people sleep on the couch because their bed was piled with all their clothes for days and days.

A better strategy? Room-by-room, easiest to hardest, starting with the most lived-in spaces first. Research suggests you might start with the bedroom, to help yourself get better sleep each night! Pick a new area each day and move through your house racking up win after win.

Small Wins Matter: The Progress Principle

You don’t need to overhaul your house overnight. Small victories, like clearing a drawer or a nightstand, build momentum. This is known as the “progress principle,” and it works because each win gives your brain a dopamine boost and motivates you to keep going.

Digital Decluttering Tips

Clutter doesn’t stop at your front door. Inboxes, notifications, and digital files create their own kind of chaos. Tame your technology by turning off nonessential alerts, setting email boundaries, and clearing your digital workspace regularly.

“Do I want to run my technology—or do I want my technology to run me?ˮ – Heather Aardema

Dr. Z has talked about the impact of social media on mental health before. And inboxes can be just as bad.The key is to stop using your inbox as a storage unit, and use it as a to-do list.

Things that are done, are filed away. Things you don’t need? Unsubscribe and delete.

How Do You Decide What to Keep When Decluttering?

This is essentially the same mindset to incorporate when you’re learning how to get rid of clutter in the physical world too. Do you want your home to be a storage unit for things other people bought or your impulse buys? No. So how do we decide?

Light vs Heavy & Peace vs No Peace

Heather recommends tuning into your body: “If it feels light, it’s right.ˮ It shouldn’t be about trying to find what you want to get rid of, but rather only keeping what is light. What is a ‘heck yes’.

“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” – Psalm 34:14 (KJV)

For us there’s a spiritual component to it and I tend to think of it as peace vs anxiety instead. If there’s no peace, let it go. Together, these principles help you filter your possessions based on alignment with God’s peace, not fear of regret. You might find these bible verses about stress and anxiety to help you overcome a mindset that lacks peace.

Treasure Hunt Mindset

Instead of asking, “What should I get rid of?” Heather flips the script: “What do I want to keep?” Start with your top 10, 20, or 100 favorite items.

Once those are secure, it becomes easier to release what no longer brings you joy or purpose. Your home becomes a place of peace, joy, and truly reflects that is most important to you.

Our Mindset About Stuff & Emotional Connections

Naming objects or holding them too long creates emotional bonds that can cloud judgment. We often hang onto items because they belonged to someone special, but that doesn’t mean they belong in your life today. Letting go is not dishonoring their memory. It’s choosing space to live fully in the present.

Moving Forward With Clutter-Free Living

So as we free ourselves from clutter room by room, we need to examine our mindsets. How do we move forward with life in a way that doesn’t create a ton of clutter down the road. We don’t want to spend time and energy decluttering, only to be right back in the same boat next year right? Here are some thoughts for how to get rid of clutter permanently.

Keep Clutter Temporary

Bills, dishes, and laundry aren’t the problem—leaving them out is. Deal with tasks and put them away. When clutter is temporary by design, your space becomes a sanctuary again. Now these items aren’t a permanent fixture in your home but rather a to-do list for you. A visual reminder to pay the bill, file away the receipt, and clear the space.

Intentional Shopping vs “Buy Now” Culture

Online shopping delivers an instant dopamine hit, but the thrill fades fast. Many of us use the “Buy Now” button as a buffer to avoid discomfort, but the result is clutter, guilt, and more stress.

Before buying, ask yourself:

• Do I truly need this?
• Am I avoiding an emotion?
• Does this align with my values and vision for my home?

We need to change how we relate to our things, and how much energy we give them. And when we do we’ll be more free to bless others, show hospitality at a moment’s notice, and feel at peace in our own home.

Creative Personalities & “The Clutter Corner”

Some people do their best thinking in a little bit of mess and honestly that’s okay. If you’re a creative type, consider designating one space for creative chaos. Heather’s mom has a “clutter corner” for her art supplies which is a single area where she lets her projects pile up guilt-free.

Research supports this: mild disorder can boost innovation, but only when it’s intentional and contained. One desk, one cabinet, one art space. This is intentional creative space, not an excuse for never dealing with clutter. One space, not your whole house!

Decluttering is more than a productivity hack. It’s the ultimate act of self care and can be a spiritual practice of releasing what no longer serves you and making space for the peace of God to dwell.

“Decluttering absolutely can be sacred. When you’re in the act, you’re in the now. You’re present. It’s an ordinary thing that becomes tremendously meaningful.ˮ – Heather Aardema

So go ahead. Start small. Tune into what feels light and what brings peace. And remember, you’re not just cleaning your house in the physical sense. You’re clearing the way for healing, peace, and clarity to come in.

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