Apology from a Mess Apologist

A few years ago, a series of articles and books were saying that there are good things about being messy, that we shouldn't "let the neat freaks push us around." (I wrote a little about it back then on this post called "The Mess Apologists.") One of the books was particularly snarky and unnecessarily insulting on a personal level toward several of my friends and colleagues. One of my friends, Kathy Waddill, even went on NPR to defend our industry. It was quite the controversy... which is, of course, a great way to sell books.

Fast forward to 2010-- the Boston Herald published a column last week by Darren Garnick, in which he explained that he formerly had embraced one of these books and the concept that messy was good, but now he is apologizing to our industry and repenting for his messy ways. The column has gone to paid archive status already on the Herald's site, but I have quoted it here:

"Three years ago in this space, I... ruthlessly mocked Barry Izsak, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers."

"Despite thriving in this environment for years, I am now strangely experiencing Barry's prophecy of a 'sinking, drowning feeling.'"

"After more than a week of intense clutter therapy, I profusely apologize for my past insensitivity to the National Association of Professional Organizers. There is no such thing as a 'Perfect Mess.'"

I admire Darren greatly for making this very gracious admission and for sincerely apologizing. It's very satisfying to all of us in the industry who felt so attacked years ago.

But let's talk about this idea that organizing is about being a "neat freak." The irony of these attacks was that most of us in the industry felt the same way that these books and articles did-- that being organized is not about being perfect or about being neat for neatness sake! I know that there is definitely a point of diminishing returns on any organizing endeavor-- a point at which the straightening and categorizing loses its ability to provide a return on your investment of that time. That is when you stop and declare it "Good Enough," as I so often talk about in this blog. I wrote an article for Lifehack.org called "Can You Be TOO Organized?" that expands on this point.

Professional organizers are not "neat police" out there forcing people to alphabetize their spice racks. We are agents of change, ready to help people transition from single to married, renter to homeowner, childless to parent, cubicle dweller to corner office executive, well to chronically ill, or even married to widowed. We are often called during challenging times like these to make people new systems to match their new lives. And we are here to help people make their "stuff" support and shape the lives they want to have. We change lives. Here's a quote from one of the members of our program:

As I reflect on 2009 I find the value of Clutter Diet in my life so obvious. Clearly it's one of the best investments I've ever made (and I did it as a gift to myself). The knowledge I learned here, the professional coaching and Lorie's book helped me make good choices as I set up my new home. I've had my own place for 30 years now and NEVER have I felt like I was so close to having my home and daily routines so like I want them as I am now.  As I start the new year I just want to say THANK YOU to Lorie and her team. I know I'm able to tackle many other things in my life because my home is a place I LOVE to be. I enjoy it more and more each day! - "freedom," Clutter Diet member

What do you think? Do messes help you think better? Is mess best? Some people think so, enough to write whole books about it. Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Comments

[Julie]

Self-fulfilling prophecies...if people think they'll think better or will be more creative, the anxiety over the prospect of having a more standardized system will keep them from committing to a process that could be both productivity-preserving and efficient.

Obviously, as a professional organizer, I don't think that "mess is best", but I I think we all recognize that messy and disorganized aren't always synonymous. Those people who only feel safe and secure when they are at the center of a "nest" of seemingly unrelated items *sometimes* know exactly where everything is amid what others perceive as clutter. (Experience tells me this type of person is the minority, but we all know they exist.)

The problem isn't that this presents difficulty for the person who believes (rightly or wrongly) that he or she can't be productive or creative without the "mess". The problem is that even if they can currently operate, changes in circumstances (such as faced by Darren Garnick, when his office moved) leave the individual behind the eight ball. Moreover, even those whose "messes" are organized (i.e., they can locate what they need) are stressors for family members, business partners and anyone who shares the space or needs to access the materials quickly.

It's the old "if I get hit by a bus" rubric--no man is an island, and if that person who thinks he's an island-dweller gets hit by a bus (stick with me here), the home or business can stop in its tracks, with others unable to access the stuff, indexed solely by the "mess"-creator's so-called system.

So mess isn't best, but this whole conversation is a reminder that people have to understand that professional organizers aren't trying to make clients organized cookie-cutter style. The lessons of NSGCD and the veterans in our profession show that success (on the user's terms) can be arrived at in such a way to preserve creativity, keep anxiety at bay and still be functional.

[Hellen Buttigieg]

Thanks for setting the record straight in such an eloquent way. "Professional organizers are not neat police" - love that quote!

[DebraC]

I think a reasonable amount of mess is only natural. The issue with neat freaks is that we spend a disproportionate amount of time in getting the last final bit of organization right. If we get 90% of the way organized, it is usually good enough. The remaining time getting it "perfect" would be better spent on another home organization project that is calling for our attention.

[Angela Moffatt]

I have learned that MESSES drain my emotional energy. UNCLUTTERED is most definitely better. I'm not talking "clean" I'm talking uncluttered. There is a huge difference. When things are organized for the function in my house, everyone seems to be less stressed including the kids. Everyone spends less time being frustrated and more time doing the things that they want.

Incidentally, I have 3 kids, ages 10, 8 and 3. I did a study in my own house in the family room. When the family room is cluttered with blankets on the floor, too many toys not organized, books not put away and on the floor the kids tended to "be wild". Instead of me spending my energy trying to "calm them down" I spent my energy reorganizing all the "stuff" and uncluttered toys, blankets etc. I instantly saw a change in the way they behaved in that room!!

Cluttered = extra time/wasted energy looking for something which leads to frustration. Cluttered = chaos, chaos leads to confusion, misunderstanding and frustration.

Uncluttered and organized = less frustration, everyone in the house knows what to expect and where to find something when they need it which leads to happy and self sufficient.

[Heather]

Clutter gets in the way of seeing what you really do have. It's more economically responsible to be organized so you don't go out and buy stuff already have.

[Sandi Conrad]

I'm a reforming mess-aholic and am really liking my new improved and organized office space and am slowly working my way around the house. Due to the size of my projects and the limited bits of time, there is often a bit of a storm before the calm, but I'm working through it and am loving the results. And by the way, amidst all my chaos, my spice rack has always been organized alphabetically. :-)

[Carole]

I can't operate when things are a mess. Angela, your observations are right on - clutter goes hand in hand with chaos and stress.

And my spices are not in alphabetical order, they are categorized. The ones I use most are front and center. And I don't use a spice rack, I use a double decker lazy susan.

My downfall is my desk...We're not perfect!

[All Women Stalker]

Neat freaks are weird. :) Just like my sister

[Grace Brooke]

Lorie, this is a great article. I will make sure to share it with my readers.

I personally don't know how one would think/focus/concentrate when working at a messy/cluttered desk!

Thanks,
Grace Brooke

[shared office space]

Oh, I can see myself here. Some kinda messy but once I can feel that I can't control it anymore, I'm the one who will clean out the mess.

-jed