Let's be real for a sec: cultivating the ideal atmosphere for intimacy is no easy feat. Chances are, you've tried some of the most classic tricks in the book, such as setting the stage with dim, moody lights; bathing a room in candlelight, creating a sexy playlist, carving out a date night with your significant other once a week, or investing in sex toys or lingerie.
But there's another simple step you could be taking to inject a spark into your sex life: believe it or not, decluttering your home could make all the difference.
Surprised? Us too. But when you take a step back and think about it, the link between a clean home and an healthier sex life actually makes perfect sense.
In one survey, nearly 50 per cent of Brits admitted that clutter in their homes induces feelings of stress. It's well-documented by the NHS that stress can have a trickle-down effect and start impacting your sex drive (stress is one of the main causes of erectile dysfunction, FYI).
Research also showed that over 60 per cent of Brits refuse to have sex in a messy home, especially in the bedroom or living room. Bottom line? Messy homes and making love do not mix.
Why are messy homes such a turn-off?
There's nothing less sexy than a bedroom brimming with clutter. A bedroom scattered with takeaway boxes, strewn dirty laundry and unmade bedsheets is hardly a sensuous sanctuary, after all.
Sex therapist Gemma Nice, who is working with Sliding Door Wardrobe Company to unravel the survey results, explains exactly why something as seemingly unimportant as an unmade bed could have a detrimental impact on your sex life.
'The ambience of the room is all out,' Nice explains. 'You don't want to get into a bed with crumpled sheets, pillows everywhere. It's all about setting the scene. A calm bed, equals a calm mind and the more calm there is, the easier it’ll be to get in the mood.'
There's no one right place in the home to have sex (though some may be more practical than others), but the bedroom in particular should be a calming oasis, one that invites feelings of relaxation and intimacy. 'You want to be setting the scene for romance, not trying to find a spark in a room full of clutter,' Nice says.
Beyond the bedroom, there are small yet mighty changes you can make to harness a feeling of calmness. 'It's a huge passion killer when you have dirty dishes or laundry scattered over the house,' Nice adds. But it's not just because of the mess itself — it's what that mess represents. 'A messy home also reminds you that there are chores to be done rather than be intimate,' Nice says. ' You can’t lose yourself in the moment – a cluttered room equals a cluttered mind.'
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