1.14.2013

What's Your Clutter Style?

The other day I came across an Oprah quiz on her website about clutter style, aka lack of some major organization.  I thought it'd be interesting to see what exactly I lack when it comes to organization, especially because I try to stay organized.

According to the article, there are 5 types of clutter styles:

(1) The Behind-Closed-Doors Clutterer - This type of person appears to be organized on the outside and has what appears to be a very clean house, but tends to hide things behind closed doors where others cannot see it.

(2) The Knowledge Clutterer - This type of person will collect lots of books, magazines, articles etc in order to "remember" the knowledge.

(3) The Techie Clutterer - This person collects or keeps old gadgets, cords, cell phones etc.

(4) The Sentimental Clutterer/Family Historian - This person hoards old papers, drawings, clothing because of the sentimental value attached to it.

(5) The Bargain Shopper/Coupon Clipper - This person stocks up unnecessarily on items because they are on sale and can be purchased at a great price.  
  
So after reading through the five types of clutterers, I realized I don't fit exactly into one of the categories, but rather am part of a couple of them.  I'm partially a Knowledge Clutterer and partially a Techie Clutterer.

I'm a Knowledge Clutterer because I love to collect books and magazine clippings.  I've always loved a good book... the touch, the smell.  There's nothing like it.  I'm not sure how all these people read on those electronic readers.  They're just so... boring.  I'm not sure I'll ever be able to transition over to that.  I also love my magazines.  Now, don't get me wrong, I do read a lot of blogs and have a ton of online subscriptions to stuff, but there is nothing like the feel of flipping through a book or magazine.  Am I right, or am I right? :)  I will say though, I've drastically improved with the magazines since I have Pinterest now.  I pin things like crazy because it's so convenient and saves all my stuff in one place, and of course it saves lots of paper.  

I'm also a Techie Clutter because we have more old electronics than I'd like to admit.  I mean, c'mon, I still have my old ORIGINAL Game Boy, "just in case" it's ever worth money someday.  Sometimes I find it ridiculous that I've kept it, because it probably doesn't even work, and really, when will I ever play it again.  But it's just so...cool.  And it was mine as a kid (oh boy, I must also be a bit on the sentimental side, too).  

My husband and I have a ton of old electronics cords still just in case we ever need them for another gadget.  I will say though, I've downsized a lot of it, and I've organized my clutter too.  It's all neatly in a box and each cord is bound with a ziptie.  That helps, right?  Ok ok, maybe I'm just trying to convince myself.

I guess when it comes down to it, it seems we have a little bit of each style.  I'm sure I buy too many cans of black beans when I go to the store, but why go to the store for such a simple thing every week when I can easily stock up on just a couple cans.  And aren't we all behind closed doors clutterers?  I never want my stuff just laying out, even as minimal as it seems.

If you'd like to read the full article, or learn how to manage your clutter style, go to Oprah's website directly for the full posting.  

So... What type of clutterer are you, and how do you manage it? 

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