You’re standing in the center of a kitchen in disarray… Crumbs on the counters, dishes in the sink, a phone piercingly ringing on the wall behind you.

Feeling tense?

Now, you’re in the center of a naturally lit, glisteningly clean, and soundless kitchen.

Calming down?

You probably already feel the cleanliness of your kitchen affecting your mental state, but it could also be influencing what you put into your mouth. According to a recent study published in Environment and Behavior, a chaotic kitchen may lead to over-snacking and less healthy food choices—if you’re already stressed.

Researchers at the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab asked 101 female college students to wait in a kitchen. Some waited in a chaotic, messy kitchen and others in a clean and orderly kitchen.

Prior to waiting, participants were asked to write about a time they felt in control or a time they felt out of control. They were then given cookies, crackers, and carrots to taste and rate.

Next, they were told to eat as many leftovers as they’d like while they waited in the kitchen.

The women in the chaotic kitchen who wrote about feeling out of control ate twice as many cookies as the women who waited in the clean kitchen. Women who wrote about a time they were in control were less affected by the messy kitchen, consuming about 50 percent less than the ones who wrote about being out of control. Unlike cookie consumption, the amount of carrots and crackers the women ate was not significantly influenced by kitchen cleanliness or the feeling of control.

“Being in a chaotic environment and feeling out of control is bad for diets. It seems to lead people to think, ‘Everything else is out of control, so why shouldn’t I be?’” explained Lenny Vartanian, lead author of the study and professor at the University of New South Wales.

The researchers believe if you’re in a chaotic environment, recalling a less stressful time can help control the urge to overindulge.

Or, you may find it easier to keep your kitchen tidy. These decluttering tips from Marie Diamond, creator of Diamond Feng Shui, can help:

• In any room or area, donate, sell, or get rid of everything you do not need or do not love.
• Discard old food, expired products, and old spices or baking ingredients.
• Carefully wash all of your kitchen surfaces. Use cleaning products with lavender essential oil.
• Reorganize everything that is left, from food in the fridge to the stuff in your cupboards and drawers and on your countertops.
• Always clean up immediately after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• After a meal, place fresh flowers or a bowl of fruit on your dining table.

Decluttering frees up the energy of any space and can change the way you think, feel, and act. Take these small steps each day to keep your kitchen clear of chaos—and your mind clear of cookie cravings.

www.LearningStrategies.com/FengShui/H...