It’s not surprising that the quality and condition of your home environment can have profound impacts on your mood, stress levels, and general well-being, as a study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health argues. It’s the place where you’re likely spending most of your time, and if it’s not promoting healthy habits, a consistent routine, or peacefulness, you’re going to feel drained.
From hurting sleep quality, to sabotaging connection, heightening stress, and even negatively impacting physical well-being, the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy are significant, yet difficult to notice in the grand scheme of things. Many may be overspending on objects or allowing certain things into their space without even realizing they’re negatively impacting their own mental health.
Here are 11 little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy
1. Too many streaming services
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Too many streaming services or screens are some of the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy — not just because they negatively affect mood, productivity, and mental health, but because they’re expensive and draining in the face of uncertainty.
According to a Deloitte report, the average person spends nearly $70 a month on streaming services alone, even though they often don’t use all of them on a regular basis. Not only can this add up substantially, especially for people in an already uncertain financial situation, but indulging these subscriptions and services on a daily basis out of guilt for spending on them can negatively impact mental health.
Not only does mindless entertainment and passive activities like watching TV tend to damper our mood and well-being, trying to cope with insecurity, discomfort, or emotional turmoil with distractions like turning on the TV or doomscrolling on our phones can be incredibly harmful.
2. Unhelpful sentimental items
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Whether it’s old photos of their toxic ex, sentimental items from a rough childhood, or “goal clothes” they can’t help but get rid of, unhelpful items that spark unproductive nostalgia are some of the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy or keep.
According to licensed social worker Joslyn Jelinek, “nostalgic depression” is a real thing that’s keeping people stuck in their past and reliving unsatisfactory memories and experiences. While nostalgia can provoke positive emotions, like a 2022 study suggests, many people regularly experiencing it are more prone to depression and ruminating on negative memories.
They keep holding onto objects, photos, and items that no longer serve them, keeping them stuck in the past and reliving moments, memories, and experiences that don’t add value to their lives today.
3. Clothes they’ll never wear
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Whether it’s “goal clothes” they bought under the misguided belief that they need to change to be able to enjoy them, or a closet full of outfits they overspent on to cope with emotional turmoil, these are some of the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy.
A study from The Counseling Psychologist argues that many people spend money to feign a misguided sense of control or to cope with their complex feelings of anger, sadness, loneliness, or anxiety. They may feed into trend cycles and adopt toxic consumerist habits to feel like they belong — like buying clothes from social media — even if it adds more financial strain and isolation to their lives.
4. Dead plants
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Not only are dead plants a bad source of energy at home, according to feng shui experts, they also tend to serve as a reminder of neglect that can further exacerbate mental health concerns and unhappiness.
Thriving plants and greenery in someone’s home can spark peacefulness and a sense of calm, but dead plants do the opposite, which is why they tend to little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy.
5. Processed foods
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According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, regularly consuming processed foods and artificial sweeteners can heighten a person’s risk for depression, which is why they’re one of the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy consistently. Not only do they lack the nutrition their bodies and minds need to thrive, they tend to financially strain people amid rising costs.
Nutrition and a healthy diet is more important for mental health, brain cognition, and general well-being than many people realize. When you’re only eating processed foods and artificial things, your brain cognition can negatively shift, promoting a negative mood, worsened energy, and fatigue.
6. Harsh overhead lighting
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Even if it seems subtle, having harsh overhead lighting and LED lights at home can heighten cortisol levels and stress, leaving people struggling with depression or other mental health concerns stuck in a cycle of constant stimulation and overwhelm.
Compared to warm lighting, that’s generally more comforting, subtle, and beneficial to mood and mental health, this harsh lighting is one of the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy.
7. Too many screens
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In addition to streaming services and a cellphone constantly available, people with too many screens and distractions in their home may be more likely to adopt mental health struggles or a negative mood. According to a study from Preventive Medicine Reports, people who have high rates of screen time are twice as likely to have an anxiety or depression diagnosis than their low counterparts.
On top of having negative impacts on mood, productivity, and general psychological well-being, people who regularly indulge too much screen time also are less creative, curious, and emotionally stable.
8. Unused exercise equipment
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Despite being incredibly productive for combating sadness, depression, and stress, like a Translational Psychiatry study explains, having exercise equipment in your house that you never actually use can be more harmful than it seems. Not only is it a constant reminder of a habit you’re struggling to keep up with, sparking shame and guilt in your everyday life, it’s expensive and financially draining, especially for people already struggling with money.
Even though it may be one of the last things an unhappy person wants to indulge, it can be the difference-maker for breaking bad habits and disrupting the cycle of depression they’ve fallen victim to. Like a 2024 study suggests, even the most basic habits — like walking or stretching before bed — can be realistic treatments for people struggling with their mental health.
9. Sugar
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Outside of fast food and other processed meals that unhappy people tend to overspend on in their daily lives, people experiencing depression often crave sugar more than the average person. It’s one of the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes that anyone else would never buy on the same scale.
Like a Frontiers in Psychology study suggests, many people struggling with their mental health, and more specifically depression, may adopt emotional eating patterns where they cope with discomfort by overeating or overspending on unhealthy comfort foods. So, they’ll always have these comfort foods on hand for when they’re struggling, or worse yet, overspend on delivering it to their doorsteps in times of crisis.
10. Unopened packages and mail
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Despite overspending in many cases to cope with discomfort and emotional turmoil, it’s also common for people struggling with anxiety or depression to let their mail pile up in their homes without opening it. They’re not avoiding opening all those impulse purchases because they’re “lazy,” but rather because their brain cognition is struggling, like experts from Harvard Health say.
Even the most mundane and seemingly simple tasks can feel like a huge mountain to climb — from opening mail, to keeping up with their hygiene, and even getting out of bed in the morning.
11. Blackout curtains
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While blackout curtains might be a regular purchase for someone in a city with light pollution or working an overnight schedule, they also happen to be one of the little things deeply unhappy people have in their homes.
Sleep and depression are inherently interconnected, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine experts, which is why curtains like these that disrupt the body’s natural sleep cycle and rhythm can exacerbate an unhappy person’s struggle. Not only will it further amplify their struggles getting out of bed, it can contribute to more fatigue and exhaustion than they’re already experiencing once they get up.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
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