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  1. Certainly in our family depression is heredity and has nothing to do with clutter or lack of organisation. My son is currently suffering depression and only through the help of a psychologist, medication, moving back home and changing jobs have we started to see an improvement. Mental illness is very difficult and complex health issue with no one simple answer.

  2. Hi Jo, thanks for sharing and I totally agree that there is not one simple answer for mental illness, what I share is my experience with mental illness and the thoughts and ideas that have helped me. I too take medication, have seen multiple health professions and I still want to share my thoughts to help others even if it is just to talk about mental illness and to help others who suffer from mental illness and to explain it to those who don’t understand the complexity of the illness.

  3. elizabeth says:

    I am beginning to wonder if I am depressed, too. I am certainly lifeless on a regular basis, but inside I have many things I want to do and it is a struggle to complete even a few things on my to-do list. I do feel more able to do things after I have exercised or been for a walk, which I believe helps depression.

  4. It is important that if you feel low and depressed that you seek help, there are many things that you want to do but it isn’t always easy to do them.

  5. You make some valid points. It is hard to get motivated when you are depressed so it is easy for clutter to accumulate. If it is left too long then it becomes rather overwhelming. After a traumatic year last year, I have turned a new leaf and started to declutter and get more organised. I have found by slowly introducing a cleaning schedule (daily, then weekly…monthly next!) has really helped me to get things under control. I have also found that simply by seeing my achievements, I am more motivated to keep going with decluttering. Great post. Stopping by from Titus 2 Tuesday

  6. Thank you for your kind words. I am glad you are making progress and feeling motivated to keep going:)

  7. Very interesting. I know very little about depression, but I know in my own life, clutter makes me feel down because it makes me feel overwhelmed. I could see where that could be one of many contributing factors. Thanks for sharing this with us for Tuesday Talk! – Jess
    http://www.sweetlittleonesblog.com

  8. Thank you Jess for visiting and taking the time to read and comment much appreciated 🙂

  9. HI Sharon, so many people do not understand the link. I have two rooms in my house that are totally cluttered up. Seems there is always something for me to do and I never have a place for my stuff. My husband and daughter are both disgusted that I can’t let go of things. I love crafts and hoard stuff like that. Not trash per say, like garbage, though they feel it is. I am personally a very neat and clean person in my hygiene, but never have time to really do what needs to be done to organize those rooms. My husband is demanding and requires a lot of attention. I cook most every night as is required and work a full time job, often brining home things from the office to work on, spending an extra two or so hours doing computer work because there are so many interruptions at work, I can’t complete all my tasks. I am 5:30 and usually to bed by 11:00, yet is seems all I can get done is cooking, washing clothes. Of course, during those two or three hours I try to do the work from work, he is interrupting me wanting my attention. I feel overwhelmed most of the time. My boss at work is kind but very needy and my husband is very needy, so I get no reprieve to speak of. I seldom have anytime for myself. My daughter is grown and married so I no longer have a little one to keep up with. I don’t know how I managed to do so much in my 30’s and 40’s. I worked two jobs, raised my daughter (very little assistance from my husband), cooked, kept my house pretty clean back then, and I guess you know the rest.

  10. Bless you Jan, I know how you feel and I am sure that you do a great job. I feel for you working all those hours, have you talked through how you feel with your doctor? I want you to know you are not alone!

  11. I feel there is a clutter/depression link. AS I’m slowly purging my clutter, I find I’m feeling more and more lighter.
    Also, I’ve changed my eating habits to healthier at the same time. When I had had 2 babies, all I could do was lay on the couch, and feed them instant oatmeal. The depression and hypothyroid diagnosis bothered me. But at least then I could prove I wasn’t just lazy.
    I’m enjoying reading your articles.

  12. Thank you for your comments 🙂 I have been there too!

  13. I was in that same situation. I still struggle with depression and feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated and exhausted 99% of the time. One thing that helped me was a book called, “Boundaries” by Dr Cloud and Dr Townsend. It taught me how to love myself and allow other adults in my life to be accountable for themselves. It taught me that I’m not responsible for anyone else’s happiness or neediness going unfulfilled. I was severely psychologically and physically exhausted by the time I read that book. I do believe it saved my life. I am making progress with clutter. It’s slow. But it’s progress. Hang in there. Love yourself.

  14. Great tips, I will check out this book too! Thanks for taking the time to comment it means a lot to me! 🙂

  15. For me, depression and clutter are connected. The more depressed I get, the worse my house gets; the worse my house gets, the more depressed I become. It’s a vicious cycle. I’m trying to take out a bag of trash every day and focus on one room at a time. That way it’s not overwhelming.

  16. I know that vicious cycle you are describing! I am glad you are trying not to overwhelm yourself by doing too much! Take it one day at a time! Have a great week! 🙂

  17. Cheryl skala says:

    I hadn’t made the connection with depression and clutter before stumbling on your article today. I have lost a lot the last 10 years and now I just want t get rid of everything else and just surrender. I have been on meds for years. I feel so embarrassed about my cluttered house. THANK U 4 writing, I feel better knowing I am not alone.

  18. I am so glad you found the article! You are not alone and it isn’t an easy fight. Hang in there you can do this! If you ever need to talk or not feel alone I am here! 🙂

  19. It’s so circular! If the depression is worse, the clutter gets worse… then you feel more overwhelmed and the depression gets worse. Thank you for writing this. I’m doing very well now, but this reminds me very much of some really hard years. It’s good that there are people like you writing about this so people who are going through it know that they are not the only ones.

  20. Thank you for your kind words! I just hope to reach one person who needs to hear this message that they are not alone! It is such a difficult time!

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