Total Health in Midlife Episode #213: Clutter & Your Health

Have you ever felt completely stuck not because you didn’t know what to do, but because everything just felt so overwhelming? Like you wanted to cook dinner, but the kitchen was a mess. Or you planned to eat healthier, but your fridge was so full of expired food that grocery shopping just felt impossible.

Here’s the truth. It’s not you. It’s your environment. And that clutter, it’s doing more than making your house messy. It’s actually standing between you and your health goals.

In today’s episode, I am diving into how your physical space affects your mental clarity, your emotional energy, and even your ability to follow through on healthy habits. I’ll share real stories from my clients, practical tips to get started, and the one small step that you can take today to clear the clutter and unlock the healthier version of yourself.

Trust me, you do not want to miss this one. It might just change the way you see your space and your health forever.

Welcome to Total Health and Midlife, the podcast for women embracing the pivotal transformation from the daily grind to the dawn of a new chapter. I’m Elizabeth, your host and fellow traveler on this journey.

As a Life and Health Coach, I am intimately familiar with the changes and challenges we face during this stage. Shifting careers, changing relationships, our new bodies, and redefining goals and needs as we start to look to the future and ask, what do I want?

In this podcast, we’ll explore physical, mental, and emotional wellness, offering insights and strategies to achieve optimal health through these transformative years.

Yes, it’s totally possible.

Join me in this amazing journey of body, mind, and spirit, where we’re not just improving our health, but transforming our entire lives.

Hey everyone, welcome back to the Total Health in Midlife podcast. I am your host Elizabeth Sherman, and I am so grateful that you are here with me today. So, thank you for taking the time to tune in because I know how busy life can get. And there are so many podcasts out there and they’re all really good.

So, today, we are going to talk about something that might not seem obvious when you think about your health, but it plays a huge role. And that is the clutter in your physical space and how it impacts your mental, emotional, and even your physical health.

Now, let me ask you. Have you ever walked into a messy kitchen or a cluttered bedroom and immediately felt overwhelmed? Maybe you needed to cook dinner, but just looking at the mess made you give up and order takeout instead. Or you’ve been too tired to deal with all of the papers piling up on your dining room table. So, you eat in front of the TV again. Only to realize that you weren’t even paying attention to your food.

Now, if this sounds familiar, be aware that you are so not alone. I’ve been there myself, and so have many of my clients. Clutter can create barriers that stop us from taking the steps that we know will help us to feel better. It’s not just about tidying up, it’s about how our space influences our habits and our mindset. By the end of this episode, you will see how small changes in your environment can make a big difference in your health.

So, let’s talk about how clutter affects your mental health. Because it’s about more than just having a messy house. Clutter can make you feel overwhelmed, anxious, and even mentally stuck. It creates a kind of noise in your brain that drains your energy and makes decision making so much harder. And sometimes, it’s not just about the clutter itself, it’s about how that clutter blocks you from the habits and routines that you want to build.

I want to share a story from one of my coaching sessions. My client Ronnie came to me feeling frustrated. She really wanted to cook more meals at home. Simple dishes with fresh vegetables and lean proteins. She had the recipes and even bought the groceries. But when it came time to cook, she just couldn’t make herself do it.

When I asked her what was going on? What was holding her back? She paused. And then, she admitted, my kitchen is always such a mess. I don’t have the energy to clean it first, so I just order takeout instead. It’s easier. And there it was. The real obstacle wasn’t her motivation or willpower, it was her environment. Her cluttered kitchen was standing in the way of her healthy habit.

Together, we decided to shift the focus. Instead of starting with cooking, we made her first goal clearing the clutter in her kitchen. She and her family worked together to clean the counters, organize the pantry, and toss old food from the fridge. They even set up a system so that everyone could help keep the space tidy.

When we met the following week, she looked lighter, almost relieved. It’s amazing, she said. I actually want to be in the kitchen now. Cooking doesn’t feel overwhelming anymore. And soon, she was cooking more meals, trying new recipes, and even getting her family involved.

It wasn’t about forcing herself to cook. It was about creating a space where cooking felt inviting and doable. This is what clutter does. It creates barriers that stop you from taking action. But when you clear the clutter, you clear the path to healthier habits.

Clutter often sneaks into our lives so quietly that we don’t even notice how much it’s holding us back. Instead, we blame ourselves. We think that we’re lazy or that we lack willpower because we can’t seem to do the things that we’re quote unquote supposed to do. Like cooking at home, eating mindfully, or getting a good night’s sleep.

But the truth is, our physical environment plays a much bigger role in our habits than we realize. My client Barbara, for example, she used to joke that her dining room table was more of a catch all than a dining space. She had mail, receipts, and an ever growing stack of magazines that covered every single inch of it.

When dinner time rolled around, she and her partner would head straight to the couch. Plates balanced on their laps. Netflix playing in the background. And it felt like a relaxing routine after a long day. But during one of our sessions, I asked her, how often do you notice when you’re full? She paused and said, Honestly, I don’t know. We just eat until the show is over or the food is gone.

That really hit a nerve because she realized that she wasn’t even tasting her food, let alone enjoying it. She’d often feel bloated and sluggish after meals and couldn’t even remember what she ate.

That’s when we talked about her dining table. It wasn’t just cluttered; it was creating a barrier to something as simple as sitting down to eat mindfully. Together, we made it her next goal, not to create a picture perfect table but to clear enough space for two plates and her husband and herself.

The next week, Barbara’s face lit up. We ate at the table this week, she said. She described how strange it felt at first, but also how much more satisfying the meals were because she was connecting with her partner instead of watching the television. Without the distraction of the TV, she noticed when she was full, and she stopped eating before she felt stuffed.

For the first time in a long time, she felt in control of her eating. So, this wasn’t about eating at a table. It was about removing the obstacle that had been silently working against her. The clutter wasn’t just physical. It was draining her motivation and disconnecting her from the healthy habits that she wanted to build. And it’s not just about dining tables.

A messy kitchen can make cooking feel impossible. A fridge full of expired food makes grocery shopping overwhelming. A cluttered bedroom can disrupt your sleep even if you’re lying in bed for 8 hours with your eyes closed. Clutter creates ripple effects. It not only blocks you physically, but it also zaps your mental energy, making healthy behaviors feel out of reach.

But here’s the good news. Small changes, like clearing a table, or cleaning a counter can start a ripple effect of their own. Clutter isn’t just physical; it carries an emotional weight that can feel downright oppressive. When your space is messy, it’s easy to feel like your life is messy too.

That pile of laundry in the corner, the unopened mail on the counter, or the cluttered desk can silently whisper, ‘you’re failing at this.’ It’s not just about the stuff, it’s about how the stuff makes you feel.

Many of my clients describe this cycle of guilt and frustration. They walk into a cluttered space, they feel overwhelmed, and then they beat themselves up for not just dealing with it. But the truth is, it’s not about laziness. It’s about how the environment around you can drain your energy and focus.

Here’s what’s really happening. Clutter creates decision fatigue. Every time you see a mess, your brain registers it as something that needs attention. Even if you don’t actively deal with it, your mind is logging it as an unfinished task.

When that happens over and over, every time you walk into the kitchen or glance at your desk, it’s exhausting. You are left feeling like there’s always something more to do, which makes it harder to focus on the things that really matter, like taking care of yourself.

One of my clients told me that she avoided her home office because it was so cluttered. It’s not just a mess, she said. It’s like it’s judging me. That judgment, whether it’s real or imagined can make even starting a simple task feel impossible.

And here’s the thing, when you’re already stretched thin by work, family, or life in general, clutter can feel like the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Instead of motivating action, it can lead to a sense of defeat before you even start.

If this sounds familiar, I need you to hear this. It’s not your fault. Your space is working against you, not the other way around. The good news is, is that this is totally fixable. By taking small steps to declutter, even one drawer or one counter, you can start to reclaim your energy and mental clarity.

Think about a space in your home that feels heavy. What would it feel like to clear just one small part of it? Not perfectly, not completely, but just enough to create a little bit of breathing room. That’s all it takes to start lightening the emotional load and creating a space for better habits.

Decluttering isn’t about making your home look nice. It’s about creating a space that supports your health and well-being. When your environment feels calm and organized, it has a ripple effect on your mind and your body. You’re less stressed, you’re more focused, and you’re better able to follow through on the habits that make you feel good.

But here’s the thing. Decluttering isn’t something that someone else can do for you. Think about those house hoarder shows. I love those, by the way. If I came into your home and cleared out all of your stuff, you might be happy at first. Or you’d be really darn ticked off that I’m throwing away your sh!z.

But without going through the process yourself, you wouldn’t learn the skills of being discerning. It’s the act of decluttering, deciding what to keep, what to let go of, and how to maintain your space that teaches you, how to create a supportive environment over time. And this analogy is so similar to health.

A diet is like having someone declutter your house for you. It might work temporarily, but it doesn’t teach you the skills to maintain your health or make thoughtful choices in the long run. Learning to eat and move in a way that supports your body and lifestyle is like learning how to declutter. You build the skill of discerning what’s worth keeping and what’s worth letting go. You don’t need perfection. You need progress and consistency.

In episode 183 of the podcast titled, ‘Using Discomfort as a Tool for Growth with Tricia Millice,’ we talked about this exact idea. Growth doesn’t come from avoiding discomfort. It comes from leaning into it, one small step at a time. Decluttering works in the same way. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s through that discomfort that you create lasting change.

So, where can you start? Pick one small area. Maybe it’s a corner of your kitchen counter, your nightstand, or even just your junk drawer. Focus on creating enough space to feel a sense of calm, not perfection, just Progress. When your space feels lighter, your mind and body will follow suit. And once you’ve started, that momentum can carry into the other areas of your life and health.

Decluttering can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to start small, so small that it almost feels too easy. And build momentum from there. You don’t need to tackle your entire house in one day. Instead, focus on manageable steps that create progress.

Here’s a simple trick that I recommend. Set a timer for 10 minutes. That’s it. Just 10 minutes. And focus on one small area. You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish in such a short time. If you feel like doing more after the timer goes off, great. Keep at it. But if not, you’ve still made progress, and that’s what matters.

The additional thing here with the 10 minutes is that 10 minutes is doable. When you look at a closet, you’re like, ‘Oh, I can’t, I don’t have time for all that.’ But you do have 10 minutes. So, here are a few specific places you can start. Pick one small area. Choose a single counter, a drawer, or a shelf.

Don’t worry about organizing everything. Just remove the things that don’t belong. Maybe it’s the stack of mail on your kitchen counter, or the collection of random odds and ends in your junk drawer. Clearing even one small area can create a sense of calm and accomplishment.

Next, remove 3 to 5 items. You don’t need to overhaul an entire space at once. Look around, pick 3 to 5 things that you no longer need. It could be expired coupons, a mismatched Tupperware lid, or a piece of clothing that you haven’t worn in years. Let them go and enjoy the space that you’ve freed up.

You could clear your dining room table. If your dining table has turned into a catch all, try reclaiming it as an intentional eating space. Clear just enough space for however many plates that you need, and maybe a candle or a small centerpiece. This small shift can turn mealtime into a more mindful and enjoyable experience.

Toss expired items from your fridge. This is a big one. A cluttered fridge can make cooking and grocery shopping feel overwhelming. Just spend 10 minutes tossing expired condiments, wilted produce, or anything else that you know that you won’t use. You’ll make room for fresh, healthy ingredients, and feel more inspired to cook.

And then, finally, create a restful bedroom. Your bedroom should be a sanctuary, not a storage space. Remove items that don’t belong anymore. Piles of laundry, random papers, or anything else that feels out of place. Even a small effort here can help create a more peaceful environment for sleep.

Remember, this isn’t about achieving a picture perfect home. It’s about making a space for yourself and removing the barriers that are standing in the way of your health and well-being. And here’s the beauty of starting small. Every small step that you take helps create a bigger shift. It’s like rolling a snowball down a hill.

The more you do, the more momentum you’ll build. So, start with just 10 minutes. Pick one area, clear a space, and see how it feels. You might be surprised at how much lighter and more focused you feel just from that small act of decluttering.

Your physical space affects your mental space. When your environment is cluttered, it can weigh you down emotionally and drain your energy. But by creating even a little bit of room in your space, you’re also creating room for healthy habits, self-care, and the mental clarity to follow through on your goals. It’s not about having a perfect home, it’s about giving yourself the space to breathe, to think, and to take care of yourself in ways that truly matter.

So, here’s my encouragement for you. Start with just one small action today. Pick a drawer, a counter, or a corner of your living room. Again, set a timer for 10 minutes and see what you can clear. It doesn’t have to be perfect or finished, it just has to be a start.

And notice, how it makes you feel. Does your space feel a little lighter? Do you feel a little more focused or inspired to tackle something else? Small steps like this add up. They’re not just about decluttering your home. They’re about opening up the possibilities for a healthier, calmer, and more intentional life that you deserve.

If this episode resonated with you and you’re ready to clear the clutter, both in your space and in your health habits, I would love to help. Schedule an ‘I Know What to Do, I’m just Not Doing It’ strategy call with me. Go to elizabethsherman.com/call, and together we’ll figure out what’s holding you back and create a plan to move forward.

That’s all I have for you today. Have an amazing week everyone. And I’ll talk to you next time. Bye-bye.

Thank you for tuning in today. Now, if you enjoy the podcast and are ready to take the next step in addressing your health concerns, I would love to invite you to schedule an I Know What To Do, I’m Just Not Doing It strategy call.

In this 60 minute session, we will explore what’s holding you back and create a personalized action plan. You will gain clarity, support, and practical steps to move you forward. Visit elizabethsherman.com/call to book your call now. You can transform your health and I would love to be there to help.