The Science Of The Messy Home

[Blumlein 88]

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.

I'm not so much defending myself or trying to say being messy is superior. It is as you say what worked for me. My parents hounded me about messiness all my life. I always looked at piles and felt a sense of falling short. Yet I could always find the things I needed, never lost things when other people periodically do. When I've tried for periods to be organized it would actually make things worse for me. As I aged I did have to adapt.

My father is exactly the opposite. Everything in its place and a place for everything. He can find and keep up with and never lose things too. His garage is one of those where every tool is in its own place and unless in his hand will be found no where else. I just am not that way. He will see my garage/shop area and with disgust tell me I can't know where half of my tools are. He has a saying, "If you cannot find a tool when you need it, it is the same as not having it". A few times I've had him ask for something to see if I could find it. I always could. That just disgusts him more as in his mind that shouldn't be so.

 

[Mnyb]

I’m full of envy since we changed office, we are using the “activity based office” ie no personal desk if someone gave me business card I would not know where to put .

I’m running a small project in our lab currently and enthusiastically clutter it with stuff

 

[maverickronin]

I'm not so much defending myself or trying to say being messy is superior. It is as you say what worked for me.

I was talking more about the kind of people who who write whole articles or try and do studies about it rather than people just discussing it here.

 

[davidc]

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...

That's hilarious