Does clutter stress women out more than men? Yes! (but that doesn't mean the men aren't stressed)
According to the book, The Blue Zones of Happiness, clutter causes "high levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in women. Men didn't seem to get as stressed out by a messy house, which also annoyed the women even, further upping their stress levels."
While seeing clutter may make most men less emotionally stressed, that doesn't mean it doesn't impact their overall happiness negatively. Excessive clutter is likely to decrease physical well being due to more dust, less sunlight, and less space to walk and do exercise. It also negatively impacts financial well being due to more lost and broken items and more over spending.
And while men may have less increase in cortisol when looking at their own messy house they share with a responsible wife (or bachelor pad they don't have to tidy up), that doesn't mean looking at clutter they HAVE to deal with or CAN'T deal with doesn't make them stressed. Give a man a short deadline to move across the country or empty their parent's house by themselves and watch them stress the heck out (maybe even more than women as they are not used to having to deal with this sort of clutter stress). Or ask the husband of an over shopper or collectionista about her clutter and just wait for his exasperated rant that is sure to follow.
The point is, clutter negatively affects both men and women but it does so in slightly different ways.
If you are the exasperated wife of a cluttered husband, realize that it physically bothers him less. Find a time to sit down with him and explain how clutter impacts you differently. Or if you are the simple husband with a collectionista wife, remember that it probably stresses her out EVEN MORE than it stresses you out. Sit down with her and make a plan to tackle the mess together.
Need help? Let's get you decluttered together.
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To learn about how to optimize your home to reduce stress and increase happiness, read 15 Ways to Optimize Your Home for Happiness.
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