What’s the point of tidying up? It’s just moving stuff from one place to another. But does it offer cognitive and health benefits, and if so why?

Image: My Bed by Tracey Emin. Photo: Karen Bryan via Flickr

Things mentioned in this podcast

Tidiness guru Marie Kondo https://konmari.com/

McMains and Kastner (2011): clutter makes concentration harder https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21228167

Sitton (1984): we are more positive about people whose desks are messy https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1985-25433-001

Report about a study showing correlation between tidiness and health outcomes http://healthland.time.com/2010/06/02/what-does-a-clean-house-have-to-do-with-health/

Saxbi and Repetti (2010): correlation between perceived clutter at home and mental health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19934011

Report of a survey showing relationship between tidiness behaviour and sleep https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20110126/want-sleep-better-make-your-bed#1

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