Cleanliness and home organization go beyond aesthetics - they play a measurable role in mental health and daily emotional patterns. Recent studies reveal that cluttered or poor-quality home environments are associated with higher stress, reduced focus, and even biological stress markers, while organized and pleasant spaces may foster emotional well-being and reduce depressive symptoms.

One large scoping review (Riva et al., 2022) identified five core housing factors - building type, maintenance quality, household composition, neighborhood features, and green spaces - that influence indoor environmental quality (IEQ). These factors were found to correlate with outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and general mental well-being.

Notably, IEQ influences ranged from air quality and noise levels to spatial layout and natural light availability. Homes that promote healthy environments through good design and upkeep were consistently linked with better psychological outcomes.

Research also confirms the psychological toll of clutter and mess. A study from Saxbe and Repetti (2010) used linguistic analysis to evaluate how individuals described their homes and then tracked their cortisol patterns over several days.

The findings were striking: women who used more negative, “stressful” language to describe their homes had flattened cortisol slopes - an indicator of chronic stress - while those with more “restorative” home environments experienced healthier, steeper cortisol declines throughout the day. Mood patterns followed a similar trend, with more restorative home descriptions linked to improved emotional states.

Further, insights from mental health professionals and behavior studies suggest that the act of cleaning itself - especially when done mindfully - can reduce anxiety and induce a sense of control. According to Gordon (2024), repetitive tasks like tidying or organizing may serve as grounding activities, offering psychological relief during periods of uncertainty or stress.

For individuals coping with emotional strain, small cleaning tasks have been shown to offer a sense of accomplishment and even improve sleep when the bedroom environment is prioritized.