Psychological Implications of Clutter

INTJs need organization and structure to function optimaly. Our cousins INTP are quite all right and at ease with a little clutter, but it sharply hinders our productivity and bothers us immensely.

I can only truly focus when my desk is absolutely clear, and my home is organized. I am a very visual person and being an INTJ, disorder drives me crazy and is quite distracting and draining. I am very strict about cleaning my house weekly, and I never fail on sweeping and mopping as I have major dust allergies. However, sometimes when I am not not feeling well for a week or two or if I fall behind on organizing and cleaning surfaces, the house can get a bit cluttered. As I am very perfectionist about organization (very INTJ), I don't like to do it unless I have the time to make it as best to my standards. I don't always have the time, so I have gotten overwhelmed at times or just put it off, and it then becomes a vicious cycle of clutter and lack of productivity. I have reorganized every week or two, but reorganizing is not enough because the clutter returns. At first, I thought it is because I don’t have enough time to clean as before and that I don’t put things in their rightful places because I am sometimes in a rush. One solution I have realized from looking back on my life is to try to de-clutter and lessen my possessions as it is impossible to organize and clean too many items.

Many times we keep items because it gives us a sense of security. A guest on Oprah noted that many people keep things and develop clutter because they fear the future, or for other psychological reasons. I am a not a compulsive hoarder, it would be advisable that readers take a look at this link if they have a problem with clutter and hoarding.

We can all relate to some of these items in some manner, but the most important thing is to not let yourself slip too much if you do slip. I notice that I always buy stuff or keep stuff to alleviate boredom and take my mind off stress or insecurity about the future. I started  buying items after I got a job because I was not able to without feeling guilty to when I was not working,  and I indulged now that I got a job.

I watched a movie called Mongul about the life of Ghengis Khan, and the rusticness and nomadicness of life back then really appealed to me, though not the violence. It always makes me appreciate my life, and make me feel happiess when I live as simply and with as few items as possible. Having too many items lures us into a false sense of security especially when you may feel you do not have control in your life in some areas, or are unsatisfied in some areas. However, it actually does not alleviate those feelings, but adds  more fuel to it because many possessions make you loose your control of what is important to you as you are bombarded with so many items. It also takes away from your time as you have to care for, clean and some even subconciously worry about loosing stuff. Make sure that security is in yourself and your life, not in your possessions.