According to a story over at extremetech.com, a new book is out that argues neatness is overrated, costs money, wastes time and quashes creativity.
People who are really, really neat, between what it takes to be really neat at the office and at home, typically will spend anywhere from an hour to four hours a day just organizing and neatening.
If you walk into my office at home, you would think, ‘Oh my God, something just exploded in that room!’ But it’s an organized mess. It’s a mess I made, and I know where everything is.
See, this is why I get upset with anyone who tries to tell me to clean up my desk. You touch my desk and move something and I WILL FIND OUT and cut your hands off because I won’t be able to find it. I have my own custom filing system, and stuff at the top of the pile is my reminder. Besides, I’d rather make use of that hour or two spent tidying up with something more constructive… Like being lazy!
Oh my goodnes that is me – the organized part. I absolutly love organizing stuff. If I could afford it absolutly everything would be placed in a basket or some form of container!! Just today I (this is quite pathetic now that I think about it) organized our cards – the ones for birthdays and stuff. Wow. I think I need to start working! lol
I’m town between Matt’s organised chaos, and Linda’s tidy containers.
One day, I’ll be happy in my little chaotic world, able to find everything. Then the next, a switch gets flipped in my head and I HAVE to reorganise, tidy everything, and start a fresh GTD (Getting Things Done – David Allen) system to keep me sane.
I wish I could just find a fair balance between the two, but then it’d be too easy, wouldn’t it?
Good to hear from you btw, Matt!! I had a moment of “have we not talked in THAT long?!” when I read your About page about having 2 kids… Don’t ever scare me like that again, ok? 😛