Why Are More than 95% of My Clients Women?

Surprise! It's not because they have more clutter or need more help with organization

Most of my clients are women, but not for the reasons you might think. Women don't have more stuff than men do and women don't need more help with organizing.

Women reach out to me more for four main reasons:

1. Women are more physiologically affected by clutter.

2. Women are more self-critical.

3. Women feel the burden of keeping the home organized.

4. Women are more comfortable asking for help.

Women Are More Affected by Clutter

At a professional organizing conference, I was fascinated by a study (Saxbe, 2010) that followed couples around their homes. Researchers found that when women described their homes using words like cluttered or messy, their cortisol levels spiked and stayed high throughout the day. The men? No physiological change.

It’s not just in our heads—clutter actually stresses us in ways it doesn’t affect men. And yet, we often feel guilty over the feeling, and responsible for fixing the problem.

(It is interesting to note that besides being aware of societal pressure, some women are not bothered by clutter in their homes, as long as the home is safe and clean and has underlying systems (Davis, NYTimes, 2025)).

Women Are More Self-Critical

Women are incredibly hard on themselves. Research shows that we naturally focus more on what we’re not doing well rather than what we are (Neff, 2003). Studies on negativity bias and self-evaluation suggest that women dwell on mistakes, imperfections, and areas of weakness far more than we celebrate our successes (Baumeister et al., 2001). Even if 90% of what a woman does is great, we’re more likely to fixate on the 10% that isn’t.

In my encounters with clients, I have found that this tendency affects how women see their own roles—if we’re not excelling as mothers, spouses, daughters, friends, volunteers, professionals, and laundry-doers, healthy-home-cooked-meal preparers, and home organizers, we feel like we’re failing. There is no room for imperfection.

Women Feel the Burden

Women are also self-critical even if the responsibility for the clutter lies on others as well. This is one reason why clutter and household organization weigh so heavily on women, even when the space belongs to the entire family.

The women I work with don’t just talk about their own closets or desks—they’re seeking help with shared spaces like the living room, garage, attic, playroom, and kids' rooms. These areas belong to everyone in the home, yet women feel a greater sense of personal responsibility for keeping them in order.

Women Are More Comfortable Asking for Help

We teach our kids to ask for help in school when they don’t understand something. We hire professionals for tasks we might be able to do alone. So why do we hesitate when it comes to lightening the mental load of our home? Asking for help takes vulnerability, and women are more likely to be vulnerable. When clients call Clutter Kicker, they are admitting they need help, which I believe is a sign of strength.

Be Kinder to Yourself

To all the women out there—give yourself some grace. Clutter may affect you more than those around you, and that’s okay. Asking for help isn’t a weakness—it’s a power move. Invest in yourself, lean on support, and enjoy the relief and host of other benefits that come with an organized space.

And to the men who reach out to Clutter Kicker—I love when you do. I also love when you support your partner in doing so.

Because in the end, getting organized isn’t just about tidying up. It’s about taking care of yourself—mentally, emotionally, and physically. And you deserve that.