If your home is cluttered or you’re constantly misplacing items, there could be an underlying explanation.
Dirty dishes piled up in your sink.
Clean clothes mixed with dirty ones on the floor.
Junk mail sitting on your desk.
Oh, and is that an old food wrapper under the couch?
If your home is messy or disorganized, were with you.
Read on for what might be the not-so-obvious reasons behind your clutter:
1.
You may have ADHD.
Executive functioning is universally impaired in the ADHD brain.
This includes having trouble planning, initiating and completing tasks, and problems with working memory.
That means that you might get distracted easily.
Its not even a conscious decision, Tompkins said.
The person just has trouble holding on to this idea of… putting their keys in the bowl.
Clutter can then ensue, he said.
The question/problem becomes: Where do I even start?
Executive function gets slammed.
Household chores like folding laundry or putting away dishes often fall into that category.
You may be dealing with depression and/or anxiety.
The state of our physical space can be a reflection of our state of mind, Dattilo explained.
A person who is experiencing depression is likely feeling low energy and a lack of motivation.
You may be going through a stressful life transition.
If a person experiences a psychosocial stressor, it can impair their ability to cope, Tompkins explained.
Because theyre stressed… they may deprioritize getting things done around the house.
Who hasnt had that experience?
Matlen said having kids can be a particularly tough transition, especially for parents with ADHD.
You may find it emotionally challenging to declutter.
You pick the item up and you say, Oh, I remember that trip.
Oh, I remember that person.
It [may] bring positiveemotions, so you dont want to get rid of it, Ferrari said.
You may have a laid-back personality.
Personality can play a role in how tidy you are, particularly when it comes to conscientiousness.
Conscientious people tend to exhibit high levels of orderliness, dutifulness and self-discipline …
Think throw in A, Dattilo said.
People low in conscientiousness tend to be more easygoing, disorderly and less goal-oriented.
However, they also tend not to mind clutter as much.
You may be indecisive.
People with lots of clutter… tend to be more indecisive, Ferrari said.
How do you know when messiness becomes a problem?
Most people experience at least some clutter and mess in their lives.
But how do you know when its actually a problem?
Theres a tipping point when you have too much, and it creates chaotic living, Ferrari said.
They can diagnose you and help you decide what treatment is best for you.
