Experts reveal how workplace clutter affects focus

It often starts with a single Post-it note. Then comes the spare charging cable, a half-eaten chocolate bar, a badge from a long-past conference and, before you know it, a pile of postponed decisions has taken over your desk.

The daily chaos of modern life and the ease of online shopping mean clutter accumulates faster than we realise—whether you work from home or in a traditional office. And all of it, experts say, comes at a cost to our productivity and peace of mind.

“Clutter reduces our bandwidth,” explains Marietta Van Den Berg, psychiatrist and medical director at Surrey Memorial Hospital in British Columbia. “It affects how we see our surroundings and ourselves. It can impact our decision-making, increase stress, and even affect sleep.”

Studies back this up. Research from UCLA found women living in environments with a high density of objects had elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

As the season of spring cleaning rolls in, it’s a good time to re-evaluate the mess—not just to tidy up, but to protect your mental clarity.

Why do we let clutter build up?
One of the biggest causes of clutter is simply indecision. “Clutter is just a postponed decision or action,” says Van Den Berg. “It’s the piece of paper you don’t file, the permission slip you delay signing.”

Matt Baier, owner of Matt Baier Organizing in Stamford, Connecticut, points out how easily objects enter our spaces—especially through online shopping. “Boxes come in every day. Some are opened, some aren’t. And the things we don’t deal with just sit there,” he says. Without a system for things to exit our lives, the pile only grows.

Start small, stay consistent
Renee Brown, a professional organiser in Minneapolis, stresses that decluttering doesn’t need to happen in one go. “Commit to small sessions. Find 15 or 30 minutes and block it on your calendar,” she says. Even short bursts of decluttering can create visible progress and motivation to continue.

Some companies now designate weekly or quarterly time for employees to clean up emails and digital files. Jenny Albertini, who works with corporate clients through her service Decluttered by Jenny, says having that time scheduled boosts accountability.

“You can even gather on Zoom to tackle the task together,” she adds.

The power of sorting
Start by grouping items by category: electronics, papers, keepsakes, office supplies. Seeing the full volume often sparks a realisation—you may own far more pens, chargers or notebooks than you thought.

Use a clean surface, like a folding table, for sorting. Baier recommends setting up bins labelled “trash”, “recycling”, “shred”, and “elsewhere” (for items that belong in another room). Sort first, then edit down.

Handling the paper pile
When it comes to paperwork, ask key questions: “Do I legally need this? When did I last use it? Would I be stuck without it?”

Baier suggests dividing files into four groups:

• Running files (need action)

• Sitting files (used regularly)

• Sleeping files (kept just in case)

• Dead files (no longer needed)

Once the system is in place, future decluttering will be quicker and easier.

Declutter your digital life
Apply the same logic to your computer and inbox. Sort files into folders, delete outdated drafts, and keep only the essentials. “We’re looking to reduce duplication,” says Albertini. For photos or presentations, keep a few strong examples and delete the rest.

Unsubscribing from unused newsletters and setting up inbox filters can also keep email manageable. For those with thousands of unread emails, Brown recommends archiving everything from the previous year and starting fresh.

Buy less, use what you have
Finally, avoid the trap of buying more organisers to manage the mess. “People often think they need drawer dividers or trays,” says Brown. “But you can repurpose what you already have—an old phone box or even a sturdy gift box works.”

Ultimately, taming clutter is about making conscious decisions—starting with that ChapStick you probably don’t need.