Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

The Quiet Creep of Clutter, And Why Science Says It’s Normal

Have you ever noticed how quickly things can get messy?

You come in from work and put your keys, papers, and other things on the counter or perhaps a small table by the door. If you leave them there, then others follow suit and put their stuff there. Soon, the counter or table is messy, full of a muddle of things that have been dropped there. The mail that you meant to open right away can be buried for days.

We enjoy a few magazines, and most of them arrive weekly. Of course, we cannot get to all of the articles in the time allotted before the next edition arrives. Soon, the magazines pile up and are being moved from the sofa to the chair to the ottoman until there seems to be no place to sit anymore. Of course, they are not ready to be recycled yet because we have not read them, so they must stay.

And don’t get me started about the mail. More catalogs, ads, and junk arrive every day. The recycle bin is thrilled, but the coffee table and lamp tables seem to be growing these things. I am not interested in all of them, but how do I know which ones are interesting unless I look at each one? I don’t have time right now, so they must wait.

And do not get me started on the shoe collection by the door.

What is happening? Fortunately, one of my magazines has appeared with an explanation. Quantum theory to the rescue. A rule of reality is that “things get messier over time.” Wonderful. I am scientifically correct. When I look at the piles of books, the magazines falling out of the wooden buckets, the shoes marching along the hallway, and the keys and junk piled by the door, I am scientifically correct! Things do get messier over time.

Apparently, this is a principle of thermodynamics. All things eventually thermalize. That means that all things eventually mix together to form averages — the average number of keys on the counter, the average number of shoes in the hall, the average number of magazines on the tables, the average number of flyers and pieces of mail on the table. Oh good, I am scientifically correct. I am thermalized!

So, we are not messy after all. We are scientifically correct and in line with quantum reality.

For more reflections on daily life, emotional patterns, and the psychology of everyday habits, explore articles on Psychology Today and research from Greater Good Science Center.

If you are navigating overwhelm, cluttered routines, or the emotional weight of “too much,” therapy can offer clarity and grounding. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support insight, resilience, and meaningful change.