Good morning, Five Minute Families. Does someone in your family seem to behave badly – or, maybe, more on edge – when the house is a mess but they can control themselves better when it is neat and clean? Did you know that this inability to self-regulate due to the messiness around them might be due to an overload of visual stimulation? Some folks call this visual noise. Others call it “visual bombardment” or a “cacophony of images.”

You know, my dad and sister and I had different definitions of clean. To them, once the visual noise of the clutter of the horizontal surfaces (such as table and countertops) were clear, then the room qualified as clean and they could relax. But, it was the dirt underneath that drove me even crazier. At points in life when I had the time and energy, clearing and cleaning could happen at the same time, so that the visual noise of the dust and dirt didn’t bother me, but as more children and less good health happened in my life, I found that I would simply leave the messy to cover the dirty and then nothing got done. Of course, that just made things worse because everywhere I turned, there was more mess and more dirt to tackle.

Just like auditory sounds can become overwhelming, visual stimuli can cause a person to feel uncomfortable and distracted, which can lead to them shutting down – mentally, physically, or emotionally. Some people become hyperactive and begin running on adrenaline. Visual noise can cause people to be less productive, angrier, and less self-controlled. So, no matter if a person enters into a flight, fight, or freeze response, we must understand that visual noise can be a trigger.

So, how can a five-minute family be mindful and sensitive to the needs of those in their homes who are experiencing visual overload?

First, try check the lighting in your home. If you can’t afford a new light fixture installed, then head to the second hand store and buy a cheap lamp. Or, move certain activities into better lighting. Also, remember to adjust the lighting down as the sun goes down to mimic natural lighting responses in the body. Interestingly, as we see that light is good in Genesis 1:3-4 — “Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness,” we must remember that proper lighting can help control the visual burden someone may be experiencing.

Second, evaluate the decorations you have in your home, or at least, the most used space by the person who experiences visual noise issues. When there is too much going on with color changes, table top displays, wall paper or accent walls, curtains, you get the idea, visually noise-sensitive folks will get even less done during activities in those spaces. Interestingly, one study of an elementary classroom found that “In terms of learning and memorization, the correctness of the children’s answers to the test questions was higher in [a] low-stimulus classroom (55% correct) [when compared to a] stimulus-rich classroom (42% correct).”

For those of you out there who may struggle with getting rid of things, including gifts from loved ones, remember to value the family members more than your possessions. As Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Third, clear at least one wall in each space if you have someone in the family who overwhelms easily or often. Position his or her chair for meals toward the clear wall, or position his or her favorite reading chair toward a clear wall. This may seem “extra”, but Galatians 6:2 reminds us to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Fourth, try to define spaces with furniture if you can so that organization is easier. Now, we are not talking about practicing Feng Shui here, but know that setting up a comfortable spacious room has benefits both physically and visually as we are discussing. As Deuteronomy 28:6 encourages, “blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out,” so set up your space as a blessing.

And, fifth, get some containers… whether it is plastic tubs, banker’s boxes, covered diaper boxes – yes, covered so that the print on the box isn’t a distraction. Get the details of the organization of your home hammered out. Meditate on 1 Corinthians 14:40 “But all things should be done decently and in order.”

Remember, five-minute family, that “Visual noise divides our attention and reduces the ability to self-regulate.” We know that children are better able to learn complex skills and concepts when the environment that are in is less distracting, so give your family the best chance at reaching their God-given potential by spending time thinking about visual noise and how to control it.

Thank you for joining us and be blessed!