The Clutter Connection: How Your Personality Type Determines Why You Organize the Way You Do (Clutterbug)

by Cassandra Aarssen

Instead of trying to replicate other people’s systems, I discovered the systems that work best for me and my personality type.

Now that I had this language to describe the four personalities, I gave each one an appropriate bug title, and thus the Clutterbug Classification System was born. The four categories are as follows: •Ladybug – Craves Visual Simplicity with Organizational Simplicity •Cricket – Craves Visual Simplicity with Organizational Abundance •Bee – Craves Visual Abundance with Organizational Abundance •Butterfly – Craves Visual Abundance with Organizational Simplicity It’s that simple: the entire human race sorted into four categories based on how they like their belongings cared for and displayed.

The Logical Conclusion You can’t judge a person’s organizing style by personality alone. While there are definitely certain traits that the majority of people in each category share, it is not always 100 percent accurate. So, how can we identify a person’s organizing personality style? The best way to discover your organizing type is to, just as I did, take a look at the systems that are working for you. Are you able to keep your files organized at work? Are you always able to find your keys when they are on a hook? Do you use your phone to track your appointments or do you prefer a daily planner or calendar hung on the wall? The answer is quite literally staring you in the face every day (or hidden in a drawer). You just need to take a look around to really see yourself in a whole new light. And remember: Not everyone organizes the same way. Just because a system has worked for one person, that does not mean that it will work for everyone. While the why is open for debate, I have mastered the how. I have testimonials from clients and my global online community who have transformed their lives and their homes just by discovering their Clutterbug organizing style. I have seen the immediate effect that identifying your style can have on, not only your space, but your self-esteem and your self-worth. You are not messy, everyone just organizes differently.

What Is Your Unique Organizing Style? You can also find this test on my website at www.clutterbug.com. You enjoy reading: 1.Magazines or blogs with lots of pictures. 2.Nonfiction books. 3.Fiction books. 4.Newspapers or how-to books. You find your biggest clutter issue is: 1.I have “stuff” everywhere. 2.Paper and important items. 3.Inside closets, cabinets, and spare rooms. 4.I hold onto too many things that may be useful in the future. Your home usually looks: 1.A bit cluttered with things I use and love on display. 2.Tidy, with occasional piles of papers or things I haven’t gotten to yet. 3.Very clean and tidy, but behind closed doors, closets and drawers can be a mess. 4.A bit cluttered with projects or items I am still using in some areas. You find it hard to get rid of: 1.Things I find beautiful or love to look at. 2.Items that were expensive or still in good condition. 3.Sentimental items. 4.Supplies, tools, and other items that are still useful. Your room usually looks: 1.Filled with my favorite things and items I use often. 2.Relatively tidy, but I sometimes have piles that I need to deal with. 3.Clutter-free for the most part, but closets, drawers, and hidden areas are a mess. 4.A bit cluttered with daily-use items that I leave out. When it comes to cleaning your home, you generally: 1.Have to spend time tidying my home before I can clean it. 2.Keep my home clean and tidy. 3.Have a pretty clean house, and I enjoy tidying it. 4.Want to have a really clean home, but ...

Indecision is a huge issue for Bees. They are afraid to make a mistake, so they don’t make any decisions at all!