Do you feel like clutter runs your household? Does the mess stress you out? You’re not alone.
We’re going to share some pretty eye-opening home organizing statistics and facts. Whether you’re wondering about clutter information, tips from professionals, or how mess affects mood — we’ve got you covered.
Keep reading for 20 facts about clutter, stress, and mess.
Top 10 Home Organizing Statistics and Facts
- Twenty-seven percent of people rank clutter as the most annoying mess to have in a home.
- Eighty-eight percent of people have at least one junk drawer.
- Professional organization is a career. These organizers will help you tidy, declutter and clean your home.
- A professional organizer costs 55 dollars per hour on average.
- Too much clutter in your house can lead to a lack of focus.
- Clutter decreases productivity and can lead to lazy habits like snacking and watching TV.
- Clutter can cause you to sleep poorly at night. People with messy rooms have trouble falling asleep.
- If you declutter, you can cut out up to 40 percent of your housework.
- Twenty-three percent of people can’t even fit their car in the garage due to clutter.
- Organization can lead to better eating habits due to clean dishes, an organized fridge, and meal prepping.
Clutter Statistics in the US
Clutter is a big problem in many places, but we’ll focus on the US. Below are five facts about the relationship between American households and clutter.
- Clutter is the biggest pet peeve of homeowners: A study found that 27 percent of participants ranked clutter as the most annoying mess to have in a home (1). It ranked higher than hair, dirt, and sand. Seventy-six percent of women claimed they felt anxious or nervous in a cluttered home.
- The cleaning black hole: In a survey of over 2,000 people, 80 percent said they have a cleaning black hole in their house (2). This refers to a space that is never clean.
Instead, it’s a dumping ground where people keep their clutter. This doesn’t just refer to a junk drawer; we’re talking whole rooms that are always messy. - Junk drawer drama: You might be surprised to hear that 88 percent of people have at least one junk drawer. Usually, this drawer is located in the kitchen and is packed with random clutter.
- The laundry chair: We’re guilty of this, and so are 49 percent of people. It’s the dreaded laundry chair: a chair or piece of furniture that becomes a laundry dumping ground. When you’re a busy student or professional, it’s easy to look at a pile of laundry and think, “I’ll deal with that later.”
- Americans are overwhelmed: Fifty-four percent of Americans are overwhelmed by their clutter. Seventy-eight percent don’t know how to deal with it, which leads to even more clutter.
Professional Organizer Facts
While our findings concluded that clutter is a real issue for most people, you’re probably wondering what you can do about it. With our professional home organization statistics and facts, you might find a solid starting place. Here are some facts and tips from professionals:
- Professional organizing as a career: If you’re skilled at home organization, you might be able to make a living from it. On the other hand, if you’re overwhelmed by your clutter and messy home, you could hire help.
A professional organizer builds solid relationships with their clients. They help you tidy, declutter and clean your home. But they also discuss the psychology of clutter to help people manage the mess on their own. - What to expect from a professional: If you hire a professional, the first thing to note is that they are non-judgemental. So don’t be embarrassed, even if your clutter does bring you some shame.
The organizer won’t mind; they’re here to help. Their primary job is to work with you to create an analysis of why you keep clutter, what you want your space to look like and how to discard useless objects.
They will support you lovingly as you navigate your clutter, making your home a more functional and clean space. - Price of a professional organizer: Let’s talk money. What can you expect to pay a professional to help you organize your home?
It really depends on the person and the location, but it ranges from $30 to $130 an hour. The average cost is $55 per hour (3). - About 3,500 professional organizers: One of the most prominent associations for professional organizers is the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals™ (NAPO®). It started in 1985 with 16 members, and now they have around 3,500. You can use their website to find a professional organizer near you.
- Advice from a professional: If you can’t afford a professional, you can still utilize their tips.
One tip is to start small. Choose a manageable area like a junk drawer or small closet. Focus on that for the week before working your way to someplace bigger.
Another tip is to take time to congratulate yourself and acknowledge the progress you have made.
One final tip is to donate your declutter immediately. Don’t leave it lying around for weeks before you find time to get to the charity store. This will lead to more clutter and, therefore, more stress.
Clutter and Stress Statistics
Our household organization statistics and facts have highlighted how damaging clutter can be. Not just to a home but also to mental health.
A messy, overwhelming environment can lead to stress. Let’s look at it in more detail.
- Clutter can lead to a lack of focus: A study found that when your space is messy, your brain is overloaded (4). It struggles to process your surroundings which can lead to distraction. When your space is cluttered and disorganized, your stress levels will rise.
- Clutter decreases productivity: When your space is cluttered, you’re less likely to be productive (5). This demotivation can lead to lazy habits such as snacking and watching TV. If you have lots to do at work, spending 10 minutes each morning clearing your desk can set you up for a productive day.
- Clutter can lead to poor physical health: This one might shock you, but clutter can trigger brain changes that affect how we fight off germs and digest food. This can make us ill and increase our risk of type two diabetes and heart disease.
- Clutter can cause you to sleep poorly: Do you find that you sleep poorly at night, even after your nighttime routine and cutting out caffeine? It could be the clutter’s fault. Studies found that people sleeping in messy rooms will have more trouble falling and staying asleep.
- Clutter makes mothers stressed: A 2009 study found that clutter increases the stress hormone cortisol in stay-at-home wives and mothers (6). If your cortisol levels remain elevated over a long period, this can lead to depression and anxiety.
Interesting Facts About Organization
Most of our facts so far have been a bit doom and gloom. To counteract that, let’s sprinkle in some interesting and fun facts about home organization and house cleaning.
- We only use about 20 percent of our stuff: Experts say that we don’t use around 80 percent of our belongings. When you think about it, you probably do stick to the same 20 percent of stuff day in, day out.
For instance, do you tend to wear the same clothes each week because they’re comfy? What about kitchen utensils? You could probably get rid of about half your belongings since you don’t use them all that often. - Cut out almost half your housework: The National Soap and Detergent Association found in a 2019 study that decluttering your house can help with housework (7). In fact, it can cut 40 percent of housework in most homes. If that isn’t motivation to declutter, we don’t know what is.
- The garage is a clutter problem: Many people have an issue with their home garage and clutter. Seventy-four percent of people wish their garages were better organized, and 34 percent don’t even know what’s in there (8)! A shocking 23 percent can’t even fit their car in the garage.
- Organization betters eating habits: If you want to make changes to your diet, organization might be the first step. Meal prepping, staying on top of dishes, and keeping your fridge organized can lead to healthier diets.
- Less clutter, more ‘me-time’: Do you find that you spend all your free time clearing up and putting things away? Decluttering can lead to more me-time.
If you spend your child’s precious nap time tidying up, you can minimize that by removing some clutter. When you do have to clean up after your kids, it won’t take as long because there’s not as much stuff.
FAQs
Stay Organized
While it might seem like a daunting task to declutter and organize your home, the benefits are endless. You can always hire a professional if you don’t think you have great organizational skills.
In the end, you will feel less stressed and more productive, and your house will be so much more hygienic. What are you waiting for? Start with a small corner of your home — like the junk drawer — today.