Well, I found yet another reason to continue purging 1,000 things! A recent article on NPR suggests that a cluttered kitchen can lead to over-eating. I’ll admit, I can’t stand having a cluttered kitchen. I like my counters to be clear of crap. Sure, when I am in the middle of cooking, it’s going to get a little messy, but I don’t like to store a ton of stuff on my counters.
The article suggested that clutter makes people feel out of control {I can totally attest to that!}. In response to feeling out of control, peeps seek to control other aspect of life–what they put in their mouth instead. In a recent study, participants {all women} were placed in a cluttered kitchen and were given free reign to eat whatever they liked {cookies, crackers, carrots, etc. were readily accessible}. Another group {all women} was placed in a tidy kitchen, again with the same access to food. They were asked to complete a writing assignment about a time they felt out of control. The group in the messy kitchen ate twice as many calories while they wrote as the women in the tidy kitchen.
Being a minimalist in the kitchen, this was kind of nice to read. It made me realize that I like to feel in control of my environment {when possible, of course}. Crazy how the little stuff we don’t think about affects our day to day decisions.
How about you, do you think you feel more in control in other aspect of your life when your environment is in order?
~Mavis
RebeccaW says
I also hate kitchen clutter. My husband and I are complete opposites in this regard. He will put everything on top of the counters (cell phone, IPad, chargers, mail, RX, etc.). It.drives.me.crazy! I prefer to have nothing on the counters. How to keep the peace? I tried giving him a basket to put all his stuff in, but that system didn’t work for him because he would forget to take RX, would forget to pay a bill, etc……………
Brianna says
You husband has a twin….my husband! I am still on a hunt for the best solution to corral his stuff. He thinks the windowsill above the sink is his space for his personal pharmacy, leaves his knife, keys, coffee cup, water bottle, oversized cooler, wallet, cell phone, change, paper clutter, kindle, hat, etc. on the counter. My kitchen is similar to Mavis’, but smaller and the peninsula is his clutter catch all. Did I mention the counter stools house his coat, jacket, boots, and sometimes his trousers and belt (like he can’t wait to strip out of his uniform and hang out in his boxers and t-shirt). So annoying!
Patty P says
I really like how an uncluttered kitchen looks, but I have yet to get there and stay there. I did just finish reading Zero Waste Home though, and The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up is next on my list. Lots to think about. It’s already changing how I am viewing what I keep and what I put in the yard sale pile…
HollyG says
I’ll preface my comment by saying, I love a cluttered kitchen – my copper pots and pans, lovely antique wooden bowls and utensils, pottery plates with fresh lemons and limes. It makes me feel homey and inspires my to cook at home. That being said, I’m curious about the original study and whether they are over-reaching with their statistical analysis, finding causation where only a correlation exists.
Lisa says
Don’t underestimate correlation since that may be the closest you can get. Doesn’t mean that something isn’t true, it just means it may be true in certain circumstances. It’s the likeliness of something occurring. We all know that smoking isn’t good for us, but it doesn’t ALWAYS cause cancer or emphysema, but your chances increase. If you have unprotected sex, you may not get pregnant, but the chances are greatly increased. As they say, the only sure thing is death and taxes.
KC says
Both links you noted are causal, with known mechanisms. Correlation is two things tending to co-occur, but do not directly influence each other; there may be a third factor that causes both (such as eating more vegetables than average and doing yoga both being influenced by a greater desire to live a “healthy” lifestyle), but one doesn’t cause the other.
I’d be curious about the variation/standard deviation to know whether there are some people out there whose eating is *not* influenced by clutter/bareness, or is reduced by clutter, but when their results are averaged in, they disappear in the mix.
I’d also be curious whether it was a comfort thing – I know that in a more formal, photo-spread-y, less comfortable environment, I’m more likely to just barely nibble if offered food; don’t want to drop crumbs, don’t want to get caught in conversation with my mouth full, don’t want anything stuck in my teeth, etc. – whereas in a place which has the “this is a place to *live* in” vibe, I expect that the host won’t mind if I actually enjoy the food they’ve prepared.
Jeanie says
I love the look of a cluttered kitchen. Like HollyG mentions above, bowls of lemons and limes, crocks of cooking utensils, piles of cookbooks all appeal to me. However, while I love the look…if I have it in my home it makes me feel claustrophobic. I feel better in an environment like yours, Mabel.
Amy says
I am really inspired by your “getting rid of 1000 things.” I am so overwhelmed AND over-weight from the clutter that is my entire home. YUCK!!! But I am working on it little by little.
Love your blog, Mavis. Thank you. 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
You can do it Amy!