A messy house is really just a house that is a bit too cluttered, which might be as simple as a collection of washing that’s been left out. You might catch yourself staring at toys and papers sprawled across your living room, exhausted at what seems like never-ending mess. Is this the normal mess that others deal with even if you don’t see it?
Having a messy house is very normal and common, even if it doesn’t seem so. Mess can be found in every house. Sometimes clutter becomes a bit overwhelming, but there’s no need to panic because all houses become messy at times. If the space is still sanitary there shouldn’t be serious long-term harm.
Not quite convinced yet? Don’t worry, keep reading to relieve your messy house concerns.
Is it wrong to have a messy house?
If having a messy house doesn’t bother you, stress you out, or disrupt your focus, then it isn’t wrong to have a messy house. Everyone has different preferences. Some people prefer to dedicate several hours per week ensuring that they have a home with minimal clutter. Others use their time at home for various other tasks and prefer to deep clean every few weeks or so. This preference can be influenced by your schedule and lifestyle, the amount of clutter in your home and many other aspects.
There is pressure that we have put on ourselves to have a spotless house and not convey signs of disorganization to others. It’s like if there are traces of mess in our house then everyone will be disgusted. Where this expectation has come from is unclear, but everyone experiences these pressures. But it’s important to understand that there is nothing purely right or wrong about having a messy house. It all comes down to your preference, lifestyle, cleaning management and home. If your house isn’t dirty and isn’t posing risks to your, or a visitor’s, health, then a bit of mess isn’t wrong. When your house is considered a dirty house, then you should re-evaluate the mess.
Is a messy house bad?
A messy house is bad when it actually prevents you from cleaning properly. When you plan on sweeping, vacuuming, mopping or any other chore like this, you need to clean clutter first. You will have to move the mess out of the way and organize it. This way you can start fresh with a clean space that allowed you to reach every spot with the vacuum and other appliances.
Clutter can impact your stress levels, sleep quality and focus. If your stress increases at the thought of the mess and you lose sleep over it, then you need to dedicate time to having a big clean. A few scattered books or paper on the coffee table probably won’t disrupt your sleep, but a bed covered in clothes and stuff will. If you get to this point, you could consider a spring cleanout. It’s a good idea to even organise hiring a general waste skip bin so that you can go right through your house and declutter it. With a skip bin, you save yourself multiple rubbish trips and can address the whole house at once. You are guaranteed to feel relieved after a big clean and your house should stay cleaner for longer.
How messy is an average house?
Everyone’s home is messy at one point or another, and one room in the house is usually a little messier than others. There aren’t many studies or statistics out there that give us a definitive answer. But, based on most of our experiences from visiting friend’s houses and scanning messaging boards, this seems to be a general consensus.
Clutter can be seen in the average house. Many people will keep rooms like their bedrooms more organized since that is the space they use to relax and rest. But rooms that are used frequently, like the kitchen, will be messy or cluttered almost daily.
It can seem like the average person’s home isn’t messy, which adds to the bad feelings about our own mess. But you need to remember that most people clean up as much as possible before having a visitor over. If you do a mad cleaning rush before someone visits your house, you can be sure your friends are doing the same before your visit.
What’s considered messy?
A messy house refers to disorganized clutter that isn’t damaging to someone’s health. For example, if you have empty water cups, papers scattered, toys out and laundry in the lounge then it’s a bit of a mess. But, if there are stains, mould, or bad odours in the house then it is dirty.
An unmade bed, messy bookshelves with no decorations or organization can be contributors to your home appearing messy. The good news is that it’s a lot easier to fix a messy house with quick cleaning and organization!
Whenever you have free time on weekends or days off, check out quick cluttered house cleaning methods and organization strategies to help with your cleaning. You can find motivating ways to clean up a messy house, making it neater after being driven crazy by clutter. This way you feel encouraged to decrease what is considered a mess in your house. It will make you feel less stressed about what others might think of the clutter in your home.
Do people mind if your house is messy?
There aren’t really any studies that give a definitive answer to this, but for the most part, people don’t care if your house is a bit messy. We can all relate to mess because we’re not perfect creatures. A bonus about humans is our ability to be understanding of each other. We all know how busy life can get, the last thing we would completely criticise someone for is some clutter.
If your house is dirty, people mind more. But a little mess here and there is nothing to pay much attention to.
Most people, especially friends and family, will be mindful of your schedule (especially if you’re a parent). They understand that life becomes hectic and you can’t always spend your days cleaning to keep your home constantly organized. If you have a regular cleaning system in place stopping your house from becoming unsanitary, you won’t be judged by most people.
Does a messy house indicate mental illness?
A messy house can be an indication of mental illness at times, but this varies from each person and their habits. For example, let’s say a person who typically has a very organized room suddenly has a very messy room that they avoid cleaning. This could be a sign of a depressive episode.
Depression can make a person feel fatigued, drained, and unmotivated to complete tasks like cleaning. But you shouldn’t immediately conclude that this is the problem.
There is such a range of mental illnesses that can cause a person to live in a house with mess that keeps building up. But not every person with a messy house has a mental illness. Sometimes life just gets a bit busy, and our cleaning schedules get put on the backburner for a week. Sometimes we just need a rest.
So, while mess can be a sign of a mental illness, you shouldn’t draw this conclusion yourself. If you are concerned about your mental health, consult a professional and seek the correct help. But don’t panic if this is just an off week that has led to a bit of a messy house.
It’s completely normal to have a messy house. If it isn’t impacting your sleep, stress, or focus, and isn’t unsanitary, then there is no need to panic. You don’t need to pressure yourself into cleaning for hours on end, trying to make your home seem completely organized all the time. Everyone deals with mess and is understanding of one another.
One way to help your cleaning schedule and relieve some stress is to get your family to clean up after themselves. When it comes time, you can all band together to do a major house cleanout to declutter. Capital Hire Skips in Canberra has both general waste and green waste skip bins to help with your spring clean. Not sure what you can put in a skip bin? We have the answer!
