How do you feel about a cluttered home? Do you collect it or clear it out? Is your house pristine or plastered in pictures painted by your kids or grandchildren?
RSS have asked leading psychologist Dr Cynthia McVey to tell us what it all means.
People Aspiring for the Show Home Look
Dr McVey says: “There are some people who buy magazines and look at how celebrities have their house – and aspire for theirs to be the same. These homes don’t often reflect a person’s true personality but rather reflect the life they wish they had. They can often be clamouring for the biggest TV or most luxurious sofa. This is the sort of status symbols they associate with success and popularity.”
Verdict: Often generous, easily impressed but slightly insecure.
People Living in a Cluttered Home
Dr McVey says: “Often people who have lots of ‘stuff’, and by that I mean ornaments, nick-knacks or gifts from kids or grandchildren, will happily display the precious items around their house. This person will realise that this sort of clutter is not the most stylish way to furnish their home. They will sacrifice the look of a room to create a feeling of warmth, both for them and the giver of the gift. There is also the sentimental value attached to many ornaments which create a feeling of happiness for the owner.”
Verdict: Often had secure childhoods and raised in houses with lots of gifted or home-made clutter, they are trying to re-create that sense of happiness in their adult lives – as well as pass that feeling on to their own kids. Thoughtful and considerate.
Homes with Collectors’ Items
Dr McVey says: “Many people like to collect things, ranging from something as easy to get as sea glass to rare stamps, coins or comics. Bagging unusual or hard-to-get items gives them a feel-good-factor. Often collectors like cataloguing and organising, and are quite happy to display their ‘spoils’ around their homes.
Verdict: Can be highly organised and very individual people. Thy are not afraid to be open about what makes them tick.
Minimalist Homes
Dr McVey says: “In this category, it’s not so much people hankering for a life they cannot have, it’s more they have a deep understanding of the environment they need to create to relax. You will find these homes with clear surfaces, maybe a vase with a single flower, a candle. Rooms decorated in neutral colours, sofas with a few carefully chosen cushions. However, if you venture further into the house you might find a teddy knitted by a grandchild on a bed, or a children’s painting tastefully framed on a wall.
Verdict: Confident in that they know what they need to make them happy. Clutter for some people can be equated with mess and disorder. This is a way of them ordering their world.
RSS says: “When it comes to moving house, our team of professionals at RSS make sure all your belongings are carefully packed up. This could be boxes of precious collector teddies or a large family sofa with designer cushions and throws.”
Dr Cynthia McVey is a health and developmental psychologist who also a works as media ethics advisor for TV companies. This includes the makers of the popular series, Cold Feet.