Personality Traits Of Someone Messy and Disorganized

People come in all different sizes and shapes

Did you ever wonder why some folks are so fastidiously tidy and organized and others are not? Personality Traits Of Someone Messy and Disorganized talks about this.

It is important to me to know my way is best for me and not necessarily for others. We are all unique and we all have negative and positive traits. My way is not right, not wrong, simply my way, the way that works best for me and my personality.

Your way is just this- your way. If you like it and your habits, keep it. If your way no longer works for you change your ways.

There should be no stigma attached to anyone’s traits. They are traits, often ingrained. Wonderful people have habits that may differ from yours and mine. It does not take away an iota the goodness of these individuals.

“My Home is too small, I’m too busy if only this or that…”

None of this is why you can’t find stuff when you need it or why you keep banging into piles of stuff, tripping over boxes of this and that including the trash that needs to go out, etc. If your home is messy and you want a tidy home you likely need to do an impressive decluttering as your first step.

Acceptance

Organization and disorganization are often a style preference. Trying to shame a spouse, family member, or housemate to change is not cool.

Some messy people don’t necessarily mind being messy and disorganized. Do you mind these traits?

Disorganization is not …

• a small house problem
• because you have no time
• due to anyone else
• because you have a chronic illness, in most instances

Disorganization is because you don’t know how to organize. People often think the most common cause of their disorganization is a lack of space. Nope, you probably have too much stuff.

Procrastination

Always top on the list it seems when talking about disorganized human beings is procrastination. Putting off tasks and delaying decision-making can lead to a buildup of clutter and disorganization over time.

Procrastination is something we all practice from time to time even though it brings only negative feelings. I try to get the things I don’t want to do first thing in the morning. Getting these dreaded tasks off the list feels great!

Letting go

Having trouble parting with possessions, even when they are no longer needed or have no practical value, can contribute to too much clutter. Sentimental objects prove the hardest to part with because we have an emotional attachment to these things.

Learning to ‘let go’ of stuff that is no longer a positive force in your life is a trait worth learning. Letting go is the gift that keeps on giving and with practice becomes more manageable.

Not being able to let go can have lots of negative effects on our daily life. We suffer icky relationships, miserable jobs, and financial issues to name a few, because we hesitate to let go of our current circumstances and not-so-great habits,

Poor time management

Some of us try to stuff ten pounds of daily activity into a five-pound bag. This does not always end well. Unless you don’t mind being constantly late, leaving things half done or done below par.

Difficulty managing time effectively can result in tasks being left unfinished or forgotten. Again, we are all different. Some people have a poor sense of time and others are never late for a thing in life. Time management skills are traits that can be changed with new habits and practice.

My friend Lindsay Kelly has a cool freebie to help you with your time management habits.

Indecisive and overwhelmed

Some folks have so much stuff and say they don’t know where to start. Others are so emotionally attached to physical possessions that they feel they have to keep everything. There are solutions to these obstacles.

The first step always has to be to get rid of what is no longer useful to you. In a practical sense having too much stuff around can be a safety hazard. We all deserve to live in a safe environment. Safety first! Safety can be achieved no matter what size your home is.

Clutter blindness

Living with a lot of stuff around for a prolonged period causes clutter blindness. We just get so used to seeing this stuff around we don’t even see it anymore. Look around your surroundings. What do you see? 

One of the reasons minimalism is so appealing to me is because I prefer to see clean empty spaces than stuff. This is me, many find comfort in being surrounded by their possessions.

Difficulty prioritizing

Struggling to determine priorities and allocate time and resources can be a real struggle for some. 

Having a plan A and a plan B is my personality. I always know what my priorities are and am good at getting the important stuff done. I have a dislike of feeling overwhelmed so I know if I can keep up with stuff I will be alright.

This fear of falling far behind seems to keep me motivated and on track. This is why at the end of each task I take a couple of minutes to tidy up my spaces so they will be ready for the next time. 

I have friends who say they can’t function without digital planners and calendars. I think it is great they know this and utilize all the stuff available today, often free or low cost!

Notion has a nice planner with a free option if you think this will help you. I use Notion too. If you upgrade to a paid Notion plan I may make a few cents.

Inefficient storage and space utilization

Failing to utilize storage spaces effectively or lacking proper storage solutions can exacerbate clutter issues. This does not mean you should run out and buy a bunch of expensive color-coordinated totes or shelving. This means taking an inventory of what you have, what you need, and what no longer serves you. 

I always suggest people hold off buying storage containers and storage solutions until they have discarded as much as they possibly can, otherwise, you are likely to store clutter.

Many people have many storage options they never even thought of. First, though get rid of the clutter. To have a well-organized room the room needs to be free of clutter.

Don’t want to be disorganized?

If you don’t like being disorganized this is something that can be changed. It is as simple, in theory, as changing habits. One not-so-great habit at a time, replace with better habits. For example:

• Instead of leaving the item where you are using it, put it away immediately. This will save you so much time and grief
• A place for everything and everything in its place is a good habit to get into.
• Get rid of as much as you can- things you haven’t used in a while, clothing that does not fit, and all the broken items you say you will ‘fix one day’ and don’t.
• Address procrastination issues if you have any.
• Before you buy anything ask yourself if you need it.

I am ridiculously organized. I seem to have been born this way.

If a disorganized person had to live with me and my organized ways, that person would be bonkers in no time! Just like if I had to live in disorganized chaos. Living with one junk drawer is about my limit!

That said disorganized folks want to become organized and are lost. If you fall in this category I am here to say you are a decision away from learning how to become organized. It may be hard at first like many things.

You can change unwelcome traits. They say it takes about 2 weeks for an action to become a habit. Find your happy place whatever your style is!

Increase self-awareness

How does being disorganized negatively affect you? Do you spend an entire week looking for things you need right now? How about when you miss deadlines? Are you always late when meeting friends?

Forgot to pay that bill? Yes, disorganization can affect finances. Banks love charging late fees! 24 billion dollars was collected by banking institutions in 2021 for late fees.

Set goals and prioritize

Setting your goal is key.

• Start wherever you are today.
• What do you want
• Describe in detail what whatever you want looks like.
• If this goal of yours is a priority take action today. You will get to your more organized and clutter-free lifestyle once you decide to do so.

You are the only thing standing in the way of your dreams.

Develop organizational skills

Get rid of everything that no longer serves you first. This needs to be the very first step. When this step is complete you will feel lighter than you have in years! Now you know what you are dealing with.

If you have a good eye and an instinct for how to organize like I do, this next part is the fun part! If not think of the friend you have that lives the way you want to live and ask this friend for help. Most people love helping other people!

Seek support

To expand on what to do if you feel you are unable to organize yourself.

Like I said engage the help of friends, family, or professional organizers who can provide guidance, support, and accountability during the organizing process. Or join our free, safe, and private Facebook group where we help each other for free!

Quite possibly, right in your circle of family and friends, there will be at least one nut like me who loves to organize! Ask for help. I get excited for the opportunity to help when people ask me for help!

It is not a crime to not know how to declutter and organize. Your strengths are elsewhere!

Accountability

You will find the process of organizing and decluttering a lot more manageable when you join a group of like-minded people. Think of Alcoholics Anonymous, this is a group of like-minded people with a singleness of purpose. These people want to abstain from alcohol.

The same thing occurs when you hook up with fellow cluttered, disorganized people. We all help each other and it is comforting to know we you are not alone.

Cultivate healthy habits

Establish consistent habits, such as daily decluttering routines or regular maintenance of organized spaces, to prevent clutter from accumulating. 

Because I choose to live minimally I find the 2-minute rule to be magical. Like I said earlier when I finish a task I leave the space tidy for the next time. It only takes about 2 minutes. I move from task to task throughout my day. If I did not follow this rule my environment would be a mess by day’s end.

Practice decision making

Work on developing decision-making skills and overcoming indecisiveness when it comes to letting go of unnecessary items. This can be a tough one for folks on a tight budget. If I have to lay out a substantial amount of money I want to get the purchase right the first time.

This requires a certain amount of research for me. What happens then, if I let it, is too much research overwhelms me, and I throw my hands up in the air and decide to do it later. This of course means procrastinating til my back is against the wall and I have to make a quick decision!

Becoming a better decision-maker takes practice. And practice takes time. Be good to yourself while you are retraining yourself.

Today the most important part of decision making for me is to simply make the decision promptly. Some decisions are easier to make than others. Ask yourself how important the decision you are faced with is.

Cultivate mindfulness

Practice being present and mindful in your spaces. Take a look around. Do you still want that which your eye has landed on? Is it still serving you? Nothing gets into my home that is not functional or breathtakingly beautiful.

A more organized, functional, and peaceful living environment is available for the asking to those who wish for it. It is simply about developing and practicing new behaviors.

Can differing personalities live in harmony?

It can be tough sharing living quarters with someone having different feelings about housekeeping in general. Sharing a home with someone who has conflicting organizational skills can indeed present challenges.

The individual differences, styles, and preferences, can lead to fair amounts of tension and frustrations, especially if each person digs in instead of discussing compromises.

Cluttered living spaces: 

The disorganized person’s tendency to accumulate clutter and leave items scattered about can create an environment that feels chaotic and visually overwhelming for the organized person.

The organized person may drive the disorganized person nutty by nitpicking. This can create tension for all. A compromise needs to be reached sooner rather than later.

Difficulty finding shared items: 

The disorganized person who never returns scissors, keys, documents, or household supplies ‘where they belong’ annoys the organized person. The organized person goes bonkers looking for things. The disorganized person doesn’t get the need for hysteria.

Good systems agreed upon by both will help. Separate private spaces could provide a needed respite from the storm, unfortunately, this option is not always available.

Communication and coordination challenges: 

Some folks like to plan every aspect of their lives down to the millisecond and some don’t like to plan anything. This can create conflict. Maybe a compromise can be reached to plan together the important things like vacations etc. and when to do laundry and mow the lawn not so much?

Differing priorities and perspectives: 

When one person needs to have a well-maintained and organized home and the other person could not care less these different perspectives can lead to stress.

To navigate these challenges, open communication, understanding, and compromise are crucial. Here are some suggestions for fostering harmony in a shared living environment.

Establish clear boundaries. 

Define shared spaces and individual spaces, because this will allow each person to have autonomy over their areas while compromising in the common, shared areas.

Communication and compromise: 

Have open and honest discussions about organization preferences, expectations, and compromises. Find a middle ground and establish some ways that not only can work for both of you but can also be easily honored. Set yourselves up for a win.

Allocate responsibilities: 

Divide household tasks based on each person’s strengths and preferences. An alternative could be hiring a house cleaner and or yard maintenance crew if this is practical for you. If the duties always fall to one person this could get ugly fast.

Everyone deserves and needs to feel peaceful in their homes.

Home is where we go to recharge, relax, and be ourselves in comfort. Like Dorothy says ‘there is no place like home.’ Living in disharmony can be a drain of energy and a disorganized cluttered environment is bad for your health.

As always seek professional help if needed. No shame. No stigma. In cases where the differences in organization styles and preferences cause significant distress or strain on relationships, it may be beneficial to seek the guidance of a counselor or professional who can provide strategies for navigating these challenges.

Compromise, empathy, and respect for each other’s differences are key to maintaining harmony at home for all of us, and just that much more challenging for folks with different organizational styles.

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutterer and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

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