Now I thought I already knew mine, but I typed “How to find your organizing type” in the search box anyway. First, I found the quizzes. Numerous sites assured me that I could take their quiz and by understanding my own organizing style get my house in order and it could stay that way! I couldn’t wait, so I dove right in.
The questions on the first quiz seemed a little odd. It asked me about adapting to new people, if I like to give speeches, etc. It labeled me as a “group builder.” OK, maybe that wasn’t the kind of organizing I was looking for. It turns out that that quiz wanted to tell me how I’d work in a business setting. Although I appreciated the positive reinforcement of my people skills, I moved on to another quiz, and another . . .and another.
The next quiz told me that with some guidance and support I could master the art of organizing and thrive on my own. Really? That was great news! How much would that guidance and support cost? I looked, and I passed out. When I came to, I decided to pass on the professional organizers for right now, and moved on to the quizzes that were in the self-help category.
One quiz put me in one of four categories. Another into six. Then there was the article with 12 organizing categories I could fit into! Did I like to see my belongings? I was visual. Did I need to have many categories for, shall we say, office supplies? Then I was a micro organizer. Did I want to see a few things artistically placed, but everything else I own should be behind closed doors? Then I was a micro hidden something or other. Was I a saver or a minimalist? Yes and no, definitely no. Was I a straightener, a no rules type, the everything out or nothing out type? You can mix and match or put them all together. My head was spinning.
Another quiz asked me if I was a “hide and seeker.” In other words, did I keep almost everything but hide it in places that made it hard to find later? Could I be Martha Stewart’s apprentice with nothing out of place? Oh no, that wasn’t me. Did I have to be in the right mood or frame of mind to organize? What? Doesn’t everyone? This quiz ended with the ultimate indignity—it had a category called “hoarder.” Didn’t the makers of this questionnaire know that the proper term is “collector”? Unless it’s a fire hazard or there are television crews at your door, of course.
My favorite quiz characterized organizers by bugs: ladybug, cricket, butterfly, or bee. The ladybugs need big bins and baskets to keep things out of sight. Butterflies like to see their treasures and use big groupings. Crickets, on the other hand, like really detailed systems with everything out of sight. Bees have a detailed organizing system with lots of bins and baskets out in the open. When I examined my answers, I found I was . . . a butter-bee. I kid you not. No wonder the place looks like this—it’s half of one style and half of the other!
There was one organizing type that was left out of all the online resources I looked at: the “organizes by piles” category. I’m sure it’s a type that many people fall into (or over). Who doesn’t have piles of laundry? And what about those piles of paper on desks everywhere? You know piles of books are a sign of high intelligence, right?
Knowing your organizing type can be helpful. So while you’re avoiding the cold winter weather, you can organize your house to fit your type. The only drawback is that everybody you live with might have a different type! Have fun with that.
Now that I’ve thoroughly explored organizing types for you, I’m going to avoid the internet altogether and grab a cup of hot chocolate while I start on this pile of books at my elbow.
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