Featured In Time Magazine: Why Clutter Feels So Overwhelming & Trauma Recovery
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
By: Angela Haupt
Published: March 28, 2026
I was recently honored to be quoted in a Time Magazine article discussing something many people experience but rarely understand: why clutter can feel so overwhelming.
Many people assume clutter is simply a matter of organization, motivation, or discipline. However, from a mental health perspective, clutter often has much more to do with how our nervous system responds to stress, overwhelm, trauma, anxiety, and burnout.
In the article, I shared that our brains tend to overestimate how difficult a task will be while underestimating how relieved we will feel once it is completed. This creates a cycle where we avoid tasks that seem overwhelming, even when we know completing them would help us feel better.
Why Clutter Can Feel So Overwhelming to the Nervous System
When life becomes stressful, our brains naturally prioritize safety and conservation of energy.
For individuals experiencing anxiety, trauma, depression, chronic stress, or burnout, even simple household tasks can begin to feel overwhelming. A pile of laundry, unopened mail, or a cluttered room can trigger feelings of shame, frustration, or paralysis.
This is not laziness.
Often, it is a nervous system response.
When our environment feels chaotic, our brain may interpret that chaos as another demand competing for our limited emotional resources. As a result, we avoid the task, which temporarily reduces stress but often increases it later.
The “Five Things” Approach
One strategy discussed in the Time article is what I often call lowering the activation threshold.
Instead of trying to clean an entire room, focus on putting away just five items.
That’s it.
The goal is not perfection. The goal is creating enough momentum for your nervous system to realize the task is manageable.
Small actions create safety.
Safety creates momentum.
Momentum creates change.
For some people, even one item is enough to begin shifting out of a freeze response.
A Question I Often Ask Clients
Before beginning a task, try asking yourself:
How difficult do I expect this task to be?
How relieved do I think I will feel afterward?
Then complete a very small portion of the task and ask yourself the same questions again.
Many people discover that the task was easier than expected and the sense of accomplishment was greater than anticipated.
Over time, this helps retrain the brain to approach rather than avoid difficult tasks.
Trauma Recovery, Anxiety, and Emotional Overwhelm
One of the most important lessons I teach clients is that healing rarely happens through force or self-criticism.
Healing happens when we create experiences of safety.
Whether you are working through trauma recovery, anxiety, perfectionism, or chronic stress, lasting change often begins with very small, compassionate steps.
You do not have to clean the entire house.
You do not have to solve every problem today.
You only need to take the next manageable step.
For many people, emotional overwhelm is not simply a productivity issue—it is a nervous system issue. Understanding how trauma, anxiety, and chronic stress affect the brain can be an important step toward healing.
Read the Full Time Magazine Article
I was honored to contribute to Time Magazine’s discussion on the connection between clutter, overwhelm, and mental health.
You can read the full article here:
Therapy for Anxiety, Trauma, and Nervous System Regulation
If you find yourself feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in cycles of anxiety, trauma responses, perfectionism, or self-doubt, therapy can help you better understand your nervous system and develop tools that create lasting change.
I provide virtual trauma therapy, anxiety therapy, EMDR therapy, and clinical hypnosis for adults throughout Florida, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Together, we can explore the underlying patterns contributing to emotional overwhelm and work toward greater confidence, resilience, and nervous system regulation.
Michelle Smith, LPC, LMHC, LCMHC
Virtual Therapy in Florida, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Oregon
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