The Science Of The Messy Home

[Wombat]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-05-23/why-house-messy-thermodynamics-maths/12248914

Many years ago our office manager went on a tidy desk campaign because most of the engineers used the 'any horizontal surface' system of filing. Coincidentally, I was reading a New Scientist article that reported a study that found 'tidy deskers' wives/mothers buy their shirts and ties. I mentioned this to the manager and he said his wife does that for him.
Not long after, he realised the initiative was doomed to fail and dropped it. If he wanted to know something he had to ask as he couldn't always find the appropriate file.

I have also read that untidy deskers are more creative. Sounded good to me, an untidy desker. I always worked on the FETH(falls easily to hand) principle for active files.

 

[RayDunzl]

Firmware Engineering

NEC Abiko Plant, 1998

Product:

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Switch, 40Gbit/s switching matrix, headed for a node on Sprint's Network.

 

[Wombat]

I wonder if the pics of members systems show the normal tidy state of the room(boy, some are display house neat) or the result of a hurried clean-up before the snap is taken.

 

[RayDunzl]

Mine's always a mess.

 

[Wombat]

Firmware Engineering

NEC Abiko Plant, 1998

View attachment 65283

Product:

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Switch, 40Gbit/s switching matrix, headed for Sprint's Network.

View attachment 65284

Wolfinger(W.C. Fields in his movie, The Flying Trapeze) would like that workstation.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Well I'm the messy sort. I had a good spatial memory. In a workshop or office, I somehow just knew where something was (as long as no one came and cleaned it up for me). It might look like a heap, but anything asked for or needed I could walk right over and pull it out of the various heaps. If I put it down I knew where. If I moved it I knew where.

As I began to reach 50 years old, my spatial memory would sometimes fail me. I had to make conscious efforts to have some organization and tidiness. Not easy for someone who never needed to have the slightest care about that and never had trouble finding something. So if I'm not careful things are untidy, but I try to be otherwise. Often things get pulled out for a given project in the untidy way. When done with a project I re-impose the tidiness of where things get put away to or stored.

 

[Wombat]

Well I'm the messy sort. I had a good spatial memory. In a workshop or office, I somehow just knew where something was (as long as no one came and cleaned it up for me). It might look like a heap, but anything asked for or needed I could walk right over and pull it out of the various heaps. If I put it down I knew where. If I moved it I knew where.

As I began to reach 50 years old, my spatial memory would sometimes fail me. I had to make conscious efforts to have some organization and tidiness. Not easy for someone who never needed to have the slightest care about that and never had trouble finding something. So if I'm not careful things are untidy, but I try to be otherwise. Often things get pulled out for a given project in the untidy way. When done with a project I re-impose the tidiness of where things get put away to or stored.

Pretty much describes my experience except my storage 'runneth over' A clear-out is imminent, but then as soon as something is gone one needs it.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Pretty much describes my experience except my storage 'runneth over' A clear-out is imminent, but then as soon as something is gone one needs it.

It is amazing. I've kept things for 10 or 20 years thinking I'd need them one day. Decide if I've not needed it or been able to use it by now never will. Get rid of it and it seems somehow within 2 weeks it will become an item I sure wish I had back or need back.

 

[RayDunzl]

Cleaned out the inherited cabinet in the garage last year.

There was some old Quaker State Oil (unopened) from about 1980 on the bottom shelf.

Opened it with the can opener to recycle it.

I was surprised to find it had jelled.

I'm too old now to see what happens to a bottle of Mobil 1 (synthetic) after 40 years.

 

[SIY]

Wolfinger(W.C. Fields in his movie, The Flying Trapeze) would like that workstation.

That was exactly the video clip I was going to look for when I saw the OP.

 

[Vini darko]

Life crust is fine so long as your floordrobe is floorganised.

 

[Wes]

This guy was an engineer who became a leading environmental lawyer. That is his law office around the turn of the century in SFO.

They later moved to Bezerkely or Oakland. To move his desk, they slid a sheet of plywood under everything, then shrink wrapped it in situ. And reversed the process in its new home.

He could find anything instantly. I tested him...

 

[Wes]

No photo but a colleague of mine had her office desk built as an octagon with a small area open for her to enter into the center. She would swivel around to get at different stuff. She was a biologist.

 

[scott wurcer]

I've seen plenty in my day, Jim Williams home and work, Bob Dobkin's computer desktop had several pages solidly filled with icons. The best was a friend at ADI that had an OCD VP make facilities declare his office a fire hazard.

 

[Jimbob54]

I wonder if the pics of members systems show the normal tidy state of the room(boy, some are display house neat) or the result of a hurried clean-up before the snap is taken.

Cat hair, dust, junk, kids toys, stray beard hairs.

And thats just my work desk.

I'm a messy desker through and through.

 

[ernestcarl]

Heavy-handed attempts at “decluttering” a naturally messy universe can sometimes lead to insanity:

 

[Blumlein 88]

View attachment 67710

This guy was an engineer who became a leading environmental lawyer. That is his law office around the turn of the century in SFO.

They later moved to Bezerkely or Oakland. To move his desk, they slid a sheet of plywood under everything, then shrink wrapped it in situ. And reversed the process in its new home.

He could find anything instantly. I tested him...

I had an office looking much like that at one time. I was known for finding things pronto, never losing anything, and being done with projects on time. It wasn't a comforting visual to others however. An upper level manager complemented me on being organized in meetings and suggested others could learn from me. A couple people just guffawed because they'd seen my office, and the manager had not.

 

[Asylum Seeker]

Or it could be that Clutter and disorderliness is also sign of poor habits, bad time management and lack of discipline. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-05-23/why-house-messy-thermodynamics-maths/12248914

Many years ago our office manager went on a tidy desk campaign because most of the engineers used the 'any horizontal surface' system of filing. Coincidentally, I was reading a New Scientist article that reported a study that found 'tidy deskers' wives/mothers buy their shirts and ties. I mentioned this to the manager and he said his wife does that for him.
Not long after, he realised the initiative was doomed to fail and dropped it. If he wanted to know something he had to ask as he couldn't always find the appropriate file.

I have also read that untidy deskers are more creative. Sounded good to me, an untidy desker. I always worked on the FETH(falls easily to hand) principle for active files.

 

[Wes]

I had an office looking much like that at one time. I was known for finding things pronto, never losing anything, and being done with projects on time. It wasn't a comforting visual to others however. An upper level manager complemented me on being organized in meetings and suggested others could learn from me. A couple people just guffawed because they'd seen my office, and the manager had not.

I think different people organize in different ways. Cognitive issues such as spatial memory are surely involved, but psychological ones as well. I know a young woman, a victim of a childhood tragedy of losing both parents ate age 7, who is super well organized. Decluttering, and exerting some control over the environment can be important.

 

[maverickronin]

My gut feeling is that both sides of this are people either looking to confirm the superiority of their own habits of defend themselves from others who attack them.

I'm pretty sure the only thing that matters is what works for you personally.