Why You Need to Clear Your Clutter

I sat down at my computer today to do some writing and ended up surfing the net distractedly for over two hours.  When I checked the clock and realized how much time had passed without making a dent in my to-do list, I was horrified.  What was the trouble? I’d had my coffee, I wasn’t hungry, and I certainly wasn’t lacking things to work on, and…oh, hey, there’s that scrap of paper I’ve been looking for under those notebooks and beside the stack of books…

Forty minutes later, after cleaning out a purse that was lying next to my chair, I realized what the problem was: clutter and chaos.  It was all around me – covering the surface of my desk, bulging out of my bookshelf, and carpeting the floor around my workstation – and it was affecting my ability to concentrate and get started.

Clutter is an insidious things that can happen to even the most fastidious Uncommoner.  It sneaks around you little by little, day after day, and slowly starts to sabotage a variety of mental processes, from creativity to productivity to attention.  And if an Uncommoner needs anything, it is their powers of creativity, productivity, and attention.

Before we go further, we need to define what “clutter” actually is.  I define clutter as everything in the list below:

• loose papers (bills, letters, flyers)
• loose sticky notes
• stacks of anything (books, notebooks, CDs, plates)
• shopping bags (empty or with contents)
• anything that has a function not directly related to the purpose of the space (i.e., hair brush at your desk, computer on your kitchen table)
• empty containers (food, drink, and other)
• loose scraps of paper (receipts, notes, deposit slips)
• piles of clothing and/or blankets

This is just a starter list.  Really, if you can’t see the surface of a table, chair, or area of floor then it is cluttered.  Also, unnecessary nick-knacks like figurines, candles, picture frames, boxes, or gadgets can also be clutter, regardless of how pretty or cool they are.

I used to be a clutter fiend.  My room as a young woman was full of stuff, the walls were covered with clippings, pictures, and poems, and there were nick-knacks everywhere.  Yet over the years, I have learned that there are few things that are more important to productivity and success than having a work space that is permanent, well lit, and above all things: clean (aka clear from clutter).  If any of these things is disrupted, then the quality of work will be disrupted.

When I was in college working on my dissertation, I moved the desk in my dorm room three times within the first three months of the year to find the location that made me the most creative and productive.  The same thing happened when I moved into my apartment a few years ago, and the major conclusion I drew from both experiences is that the ideal work space doesn’t shift location, has abundant natural light (but not so much that causes glare), and is clear of clutter.  I would say the proof of these discoveries is in the pudding: I heavily attribute my 150 page honors dissertation, two (soon to be three) successful websites, and freelance success to great work space.

But you don’t just have to take my word for the importance of keeping your work space clutter free – there are a host of resources ranging from modern psychology to Eastern philosophy that correlates physical space with mental function.  That is, if this picture of the mess I was trying to work in this afternoon doesn’t convince you enough (no, I’m not proud…):

An absolute disaster zone...

Pat Heydlauff, the president of the corporate office design company Energy Design, pointed to research supporting clearing clutter in the article Reducing Office Clutter Can Help Keep Productivity and Profits High.  “Research shows there is a direct correlation between productivity and clutter. Productivity and profits decline when clutter and chaos rise.”

The research Heydlauff is referring to includes the 2004 study done at the University of Kentucky and the 2003 study from Sheffield Hallam University in England, both of which found a strong correlations between low levels of clutter in work spaces and increased productivity and creativity.  Decreasing workspace clutter was also listed at number 42 on FreelanceSwitch.com’s all-time list of 50 Ways to Improve Your Productivity.

Yet the importance of maintaining a clear space is also a cornerstone of many Eastern philosophies, most notably Feng Shui.  Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice of designing and arranging space in a way that balances ying and yang elements and influences various aspects of life such as relationships, wealth, work, and health.  While my own forays into the world of Feng Shui have been mixed and unfruitful in general, the key element about clear space and lack of clutter has always stuck with me.

Rodika Tchi from About.com’s Feng Shui channel put it best in her article Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui:

Clutter is low, stagnant, and confusing energy that drains energy from you…it can also negatively influence, or even completely block, the flow of events in specific areas of your life.  The good news, though, is that once you clear most of your clutter…have a clear system to avoid its accumulation in the future, you will start experiencing high energy levels, more clarity, and a heightened sense of well-being.

The moral of the story: clearing the clutter away from your work space will positively influence not only your ability to find what you are looking for, but also your ability to work well and keep focused throughout your work session.  I cleared my clutter, and got to spend a very productive day at my refreshingly clear desk:

Much Better!

As far as I’m concerned, clear work space means a mind that is free from distractions and ready for inspiration, synthesis, and good work to move in.

Does a clutter-free work space affect aspects of your work?

Tagged as: clutter, creativity, declutter, desk, Productivity, work space