A few years ago, Marie Kondo broke the internet by teaching them a new way of organising their homes. If it doesn’t give you joy, get rid of it. Many people took issue with the idea of having to declutter their homes on the say-so of a viral expert who went on to score a Netflix show. Then, in early 2023, Marie Kondo admitted that her life is a bit messy.
This created a hilarious wave of responses that bordered on backlash, as though people were being organised to impress her. But many people felt relieved or seen. Kondo stated that having three children has changed her lifestyle. Organisation is no longer a priority. Spending time with her family is.
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Normal life will always be chaotic and messy, especially for families with young children. Toddlers will keep the most ardent neat freak humble. Keeping your house insta-perfect can be too demanding. While you shouldn’t let dirt accumulate in your house for your health, having your paraphernalia around is okay.
Take heart if you’re the kind of person who can leave a coffee mug on your bedside table and the book you’re currently reading in the toilet. Having everything in its place can be stressful. Accepting the lack of order in your life can be liberating. As the saying goes, if a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what, then, is an empty desk a sign?
Benefits of being messy
1. Creativity
Being messy doesn’t make you creative. But it’s common to see creative individuals surrounded by their tools of the trade. Writers have notebooks, pens, sticky notes, and stationery they bought years ago. Instead of being stressed by the mess, they just let the creative juices flow. Organising their workspaces seems to remove the impulsivity that comes with being creative. It’s generally believed that living in an environment that isn’t entirely organised helps you think unconventionally.
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2. Organised chaos
Many messy people already have a system. It just doesn’t involve perfectly folded laundry. They have a messy system where they know where everything is. There’s a designated spot for dirty clothes, a pile of books on the floor, and a drawer full of spices just shoved in. This is their way of dealing with clutter, and it can be easier on the mind than having a rigid and strict organisation routine.
3. It’s calming
Constantly fighting with your children to clean up after themselves can get exhausting. Accepting the mess makes home life more peaceful. You can even rope in your kids to help clean up as a game. Let them tear up the bread and drip the jam but don’t leave it out because that’s how you get ants. Making a game of cleaning up after themselves can create a better sense of responsibility and bonding rather than forcing the kids to keep the house clean when they eat or play.
4. Flexibility
Being a messy person makes you more likely to be flexible. Because you’ve learned to embrace or work with the chaos around you, it’s easier to be flexible in unexpected situations. This is not to say that organised people aren’t adaptable, but chances are they’re less likely to feel calm when situations go awry.
Check out:
Lifestyle: Things To Get Rid Of When Moving
Why You Need To Get Rid Of Digital Clutter
Lifestyle: 15 Easy Habits To Help Keep Your Life Free From Clutter
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