Clutter and stress often go together. Studies have found that people who describe their homes as cluttered tend to report more stress and lower mood. But research has not proven that clutter causes stress. It may work both ways: stress can also make it harder to keep a home in order.
So the honest answer is: maybe, and it's still worth acting on. If the things around you feel heavy, that feeling is real. I'm a KonMari® consultant in Tokyo, and here is what the research says, what it doesn't, and what helps.
What does the research show?
The most quoted study comes from the US in 2010. Researchers asked 60 working couples to give a tour of their homes, and counted the words they used. Wives who talked about clutter and unfinished projects had a less healthy daily pattern of cortisol, a stress hormone. Their mood also got worse through the day. The study found no such link for husbands.
A larger 2016 survey of more than 1,300 adults in the US and Canada found a similar pattern. The more clutter people reported, the less their home felt like a place where they belonged. And that was linked to lower life satisfaction.
Both are useful studies. But both looked at people at one point in time. They show that clutter and stress appear together. They can't show which one comes first.
I looked for stronger evidence, like reviews that combine many studies. I found them only for hoarding disorder, a medical condition. For everyday clutter in an ordinary home, that kind of evidence doesn't exist yet.
Can stress cause clutter, too?
Yes, and this is often the part people miss.
Many of the people I work with are very capable at work. They make decisions all day. By the evening, there is little energy left for the drawer that won't close or the pile of papers on the table. The clutter is not a sign that they can't organize. It's a sign that their decision-making energy is going somewhere else.
So if your home is cluttered and you feel stressed, you don't need to work out which came first. You can start on either side.
Why does clutter feel worse before a move in Tokyo?
A move adds things to decide, all at once. Boxes arrive. Papers pile up. Items you haven't decided on sit in the hallway.
Tokyo adds a few more steps:
Homes are often small, so there is less space to put things out of sight.
Large items (sodai gomi) need a pickup booked with your ward. The booking is often a few weeks out.
Each type of garbage has its own collection day. You can't clear everything in one weekend.
None of this is a personal failing. It's simply a lot of decisions with deadlines.
What actually helps?
Small daily tidying can help you feel calmer for a moment. But before a move, it rarely gets the whole home done in time. What helps more is a clear plan with an end date.
Go by category, not by room. The KonMari Method® starts with clothes, then books, papers, komono (everything else) and sentimental items. You see everything you own in one category at once, so each decision is easier.
Finish in a set period. The method is meant to be done once, in a few weeks or months, not a little every day forever.
Book the pickups early. Book sodai gomi as soon as you decide, so the things you let go of actually leave your home before moving day.
For where to take things in Tokyo, see my Tokyo Resource Guide. For the first steps before a move, see I'm moving soon in Tokyo. Where do I even start decluttering?
If you'd like support through a move, I work in person across central Tokyo, in English or Japanese. See how the 120-day program works.
