Comments on: Uncluttering and weight loss: Is there a connection?

By: Mónica Tisminesky

Mónica Tisminesky — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:43:25 +0000

I think there is causality. Clutter makes it harder to prepare meals and makes you more likely to eat fast food. Clutter causes anxiety which makes you eat more.

By: watchthisspace

watchthisspace — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:14:07 +0000

Definitely a relationship – at least for me.

A cluttered house makes me feel tired and overwelmed and i am less likelu to tackle anything well – including taking care of my own health.

Decluttering my house like my weight seems like an endless impossible task.

I am now taking them both on simultaneaously a little at a time. For me the main issues are not being mindful and stress and lack of sleep. I see it as all related. And yes underneath it all unmet emotional needs. And a feeling of hiding and being kept safe.

By: Ro

Ro — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:45:32 +0000

I’m there! Trying to declutter and trying to lose weight. I am sure that there is a connection – it has to do with letting things go – whether it’s the excess “stuff” or excess “stuffing”. I find it hard to let go of things, and I think that the weight is just one other of those “things”.

By: Celeste

Celeste — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:05:09 +0000

They may be related, but not for everyone and not always. I have a major clutter problem and always have, but don’t have a weight problem and have never dieted in my life.

They may both somewhat be symptoms of our current society’s state of trying to do too many things at once in less time and faster than we ever have before (having more and trying to accomplish more in a shorter period of time, without actually engaging in as much physical activity). But I don’t think one causes the other.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:00:33 +0000

Flylady’s book Body Clutter sees them as related but not causal. Check it out!

By: gypsypacker

gypsypacker — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:51:25 +0000

I don’t think all circumstances fit all cases, but I’ve grown up with a morbidly obese mother and have worked for several obese bosses, and have fought the weight battle. I’ve noticed the following:
1-Clutter breeds dust, dust breeds dust mites, these create allergies, and allergies breed stress and the nasty little cortisol metabolic syndrome.
2-I suspect that a safety issue may be present in some cases and that both the clutter and fat are layers of body armor/insulation against stress.
3-Early poverty and/or refusal to accept delayed gratification–Never quite having “enough” emotionally, subconsciously anticipating future lack of needs fulfillment create the desire to overeat and overpossess/hoard.
Refusal to accept delayed gratification creates indolence, overeating, and refusal to exercise.

I’m 20 lbs over what I like to be at this moment, and I’m working, taking 2 classes, and in the middle of rural food canning/harvest season–a cluttered life. Either I can exercise or I can read news, you’s, and surf the net.

By: Josephine

Josephine — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:37:57 +0000

The correlation is definitely there. I view uncluttering as shedding excess baggage: emotional, psychological and physical whether on my body or in my surroundings.

By: Denise

Denise — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:46:44 +0000

There seems to be a fairly high level of overlap. And the third issue seems to be debt.

Some of it may be causal (if you have little money, and you’ve gained weight, you may keep the clothes that are too small because you fear you won’t be able to afford to replace them if you lose weight), but I suspect that we all know of people who fit one or two categories without being in the third. I’m a recovering clutterer, I’m overweight, and I’ve always been good with money.

I don’t believe that fat causes debt or clutter, or clutter causes debt or fat, or debt causes fat or clutter. However, I think that they can mutually reinforce each other. If you’re overweight, it’s harder to move around and remove the clutter. If your kitchen is cluttered, it’s harder to make healthy meals. If you go out to eat, the cheapest stuff is often the stuff laden with empty calories.

At that point, getting a handle on any one of the issues may help with the others. If they’re there.

By: Monica Ricci

Monica Ricci — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:54:42 +0000

Erin, I often notice that as my clients get organized, they feel more in control and more powerful. (which is ALWAYS my goal!)

As they begin to take control and feel more powerful, they do so in several areas of their lives, not just with their time and space. So if you ask me, YES people certainly can shed excess body weight as they shed physical and emotional clutter and chaos.

~Monica

By: Elle

Elle — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:26:26 +0000

I like what Kate and mactchbookhymnal have commented.

I found an article on this relating to clutter in the kitchen and weight. I don’t think there is enough data to say if there is a correlation, but I could see why clutter in the kitchen would wreck havoc on a diet. I posted about it here a few months ago:

http://www.definingsomeday.com/?p=38

Good discussion, thanks Erin!

By: Danielle LaPorte

Danielle LaPorte — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:25:00 +0000

There are a number of threads that ground this theory. Time and space management have a lot to do with intentionality, and if that kind of “self control” is coming from a healthy place (rather than a neurotic place,) I think it carries over to how you take care of your body – intentionally. Weight problems, just like clutter, are so often rooted in old emotions. Lighten up your mental clutter, your stuff clutter, your body has a good chance of following suit.

By: Hade

Hade — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:16:57 +0000

I don ‘t think one can say that there generally is a causal relationship between decluttering and weight loss. However, as evidenced by examples given by those who commented before me, there are a variety of situations and circumstances that can contribute to both. For me, it was depression – or rather, me trying to get rid of it.

About eight months ago, I was diagnosed with an episode of severe depression for the second time in my life. I ‘m 23, and I know from past experience that most anti-depressants either don ‘t work for me, or leave me with side effects I can ‘t handle on my own, so go figure. A health care worker told me at the time that living in a cluttered environment can have an adverse effect on mood (common sense, really), and that regular exercise is considered one of the best, if not THE best way to conquer mild depression. So after a while, I took on both. I cleared out and eventually redecorated and reorganized my living space, and I went swimming three times a week. Also, hand in hand with the reorganization went a tighter daily schedule, which meant regular meals, and planning in advance for things like trips to the grocery store, hence, menus as well.

Yes, all of that helped a whole lot in shedding the ‘depressed’ label. It also made me loose a lot of weight.

By: Sheryl

Sheryl — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:18:54 +0000

I didn’t have time to read the article, but I don’t believe there’s a connection at all.

I’m a very organized, uncluttered person and I’ve been shopping in the “Big Girls” department for years.

By: Carol T

Carol T — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:48:22 +0000

I disagree with OTM. I think there IS a connection just that it isn’t necessarily present in every person every time. Also weight is not only a genetic problem. I have a medical condition that causes weight gain if I forget to take my medication. Also overeating/lack of exercise is a huge factor in a person’s weight. I know that if I starved myself I’d never be stick thin due to genetics and my medical condition. However those problems are not the reason I’m considered morbidly obese. That’s caused by not eating properly and not exercising. When I did eat properly and was exercising I weighed 100lbs less than I do now.

There are certainly people who have weight problems that don’t have clutter problems and vice versa. However there are definitely some cases where holding on to useless stuff and overeating stem from the same underlying problem (such as depression).

Problems can also come from a lack of knowledge of self-discipline or just because someone wasn’t taught how to take care of certain things. As Lynn C. said cleaning isn’t intuitive. I did learn a little about proper nutrition, cleaning, and how to balance a checkbook but these lessons were never reinforced at home. To this day I still don’t understand what people use an old toothbrush for when they save it to clean with. Not only did my parents not teach me how to clean, they did not teach me about proper nutrition.

I have found in my own life that if I tackle the clutter I certainly feel better about myself and in turn I watch what I eat and want to take better care of my body as well. When I’m depressed my clutter and my weight spiral out of control. Besides, all that clutter is blocking my treadmill and my pantry is cluttered with boxes of food I shouldn’t be eating. Imagine how much weight I’d lose if I uncluttered those two areas.

By: joe c

joe c — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:24:27 +0000

I completely agree. Once one thing starts spiraling out of your control (I’d include debt in here as well), you get that attitude about everything, unfortunately.