Is there a place for everything, and is everything in its place?

This differs from cleanliness, which is a person's tolerance for dirt and grime.

Question:
Are you a tidy person?

Choices:
Yes, nearly always.
Yes, except when [a wife/child/significant other] gets in the way.
No, I try to be but life gets in the way.
No, it doesn't bother me.

 

Generally, by society's definition, no.

However, while it may look random, I actually know where everything is and the system makes sense to me, so please don't try to help by "tidying up".

It used to drive my wife crazy, and she's get overwhelming urges to straighten up my seemingly random piles of stuff, which in turn drove me crazy. But we've since compromised, with her agreeing not to try to tidy up my stuff, in exchange for me agreeing to keep the piles of stuff confined to "my" areas (namely the man cave, gear room, and garage).

I am compulsive about keeping items in their proper place. At home, at work, in my vehicles, I am a creature of habit. All of my movies, music CDs in alphabetical order. Chairs around the dining room symmetrical and straight as an arrow, the house tidy and neat. Even when I lay out my shooting bench at the range, it is always the same layout.

I am the graphic opposite of "tidy"--my desk at work, my desk at home, my entire house, are a mess. Most of the time I do know exactly where what I want is located, though, and when others attempt to "tidy up" around me it drives me wild. Fortunately (for me) I never married, so don't have a constant nag trying to "fix" things.

flashguy

I wouldn't call me tidy but if it weren't for me my wife would have be on the next episode of Hoarders.

Very type A.

Until I had kids. Now that has to be put on the back burner often.

It wouldn’t look like it if you came over to our house. It is hard to keep up with a wife and five children...

I'm the messiest sumbich on the planet. I'm convinced that the dog goes outside to shit because all of the clutter inside offends her.

Tidy? Negative.

I am not and make no excuses. I am most comfortable in a messy environment in the house. I do prefer an orderly garage, however. Despite an unbelievably messy large desk and 3'x6' table beside it, I know where my stuff is (buried).

It depends - my personal stuff? Guns, clothes, office, etc - yes, pretty tidy.

The rest of the stuff in the house that everyone else uses? No. I've tried but the family ends up using / moving / not putting it back, so I've stopped trying.

My stuff gets dusty - I'm not a clean freak. But, there's no way I want to waste time looking for things when I need them, so I have a place for everything, and everything's in its place. Sometimes covered in dust.

I am a neat freak for sure. My wife is the same way so that's good.

If I have clutter it just stresses me out and consumes all of my energy so nothing gets done.

I could never be the type of person that has ten projects going at all times that never get done. Once I start I have to finish that project before moving on to the next one.

Tide, yes great laundry detergent. Oh wait, am I tidy...uh, no.

A more apt description of me is organized. This keeps things tidy, too. But not overly obsessive about it.
I actually have had women I dated dump me because "you are more neat and organized than I am".
They lived like slobs.
Dating tip: On your first date with any woman, try to get a look into her car. If it looks like a motorized dumpster.... Run!

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
I am compulsive about keeping items in their proper place. At home, at work, in my vehicles, I am a creature of habit. All of my movies, music CDs in alphabetical order. Chairs around the dining room symmetrical and straight as an arrow, the house tidy and neat. Even when I lay out my shooting bench at the range, it is always the same layout.

Thats beyond tidy. Thats OCD. The chairs were the tip-off

As Yooper said...I'm more "organized" than "tidy". I have a place for pretty much everything and am borderline anal about stuff being put where it belongs.

If I buy a new machine or delve into a new hobby, then the tools/accessories/parts for said machine/hobby get a special home. A new toolbox, new shelves, whatever. I want to know that I can go to the red toolbox in on the shelf in the corner of the "hobby room" in the basement, and ALL my modeling tools will be in there, or on pegboard hanging on the wall above it.

None of it is spotless, and the last time my den/computer room got dusted I think Bill Clinton was in the White House. But the shelves are organized...

Interesting. With 60 votes in so far ir is fairly evenly split.

Most successful tradespeople or hobbyists have their tools, parts, and supplies very well organized. You just have to know which heap, stack, box, or duffle you're looking for.

My house was very tidy until my Wife moved in. She does not share the same view on "tidy". More so than making a mess, she is disorganized and tends to leave piles of items everywhere. We got married in our 40's and old habits are hard to break...

The garage and shop have always been well organized, but a working space tends to get dirty. Garage gets a really good cleaning about once a year. Tools, parts, and projects are always stored in an organized way when not in use.

I visited a friend (he has been a member here for several years, but I think I can count his posts on one thumb), at his house. He has shelves where his canned grocery goods are stored. I glanced at them, something sort of registered, so I went back and looked.

The cans were arranged in alphabetical order! As in asparagus, beets, corn . . . zuchini.