Get Organized: What's Your Organizing Personality?

Organizing systems are not one-size-fits-all. Your organizing personality — or what I like to call your logic type — is truly the most important aspect to consider when organizing any room or project.

If you try to organize something that runs against your system of reasoning, then it will never, ever stick!

That’s why, in my work as a professional organizer, I have identified four logic types: Geometrical, Positional, Chronological, and Categorical.

• Geometrical or "How"

If you have geometrical logic, then you like clean lines, right angles, and symmetry. You feel most organized if...

- Your papers are stacked in a straight row on your desk.

- All the book spines are lined up perfectly with the edge of a bookshelf.

• Positional or "Where"

If you have positional logic, then you like things to be where they will prove most useful. You feel most organized if...

- Your keys are always by the front door so they are nearby when you leave.

- Your clothes hamper is situated in your closet because that is where you always change clothes.

• Chronological or "When" or "How Often"

If you have chronological logic, then you relate everything to a point in time. Your life is strictly based on a calendar of events or time of day, month, or year. You feel most organized if...

- Your records are filed according to date.

- Your weekly routine accomplishes the same tasks on the same day of each week.

• Categorical or "What" or "Who"

If you have categorical logic, then you sort everything into a group. You feel most organized if...

- Your kitchen cabinets are arranged by type of food.

- Your music library is displayed by genre.

Most of your habits and patterns should be obvious to you, and hopefully you relate strongly to one logic type or another.

In some cases, you could be a combination of the 4 logic types. For example, you could organize geometrically by shape — like pants, skirts, shirts — and then categorically by color within each geometric — like white pants, brown pants, jeans and pink shirts, red shirts, black shirts.

These logic types are not designed to make organizing seem difficult, nor should you spend a lot of time agonizing over what logic type you may be. They are just considerations to make you think about what you like and dislike, so that you can create the best organizing systems to support you and your lifestyle.

© 2010 Clutterbugs, LLC

Would you like to use this article in your e-zine or on your website or blog? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Carmen Coker is a professional organizer who helps individuals find the motivation and know-how to get organized and stay organized. To learn how to save money, create more space, and manage your time through organization, claim your "FREE Tip Kit: 10+ Pages of Tips and Tools to Help You Get Organized — Finally!" at www.OrganizeClutterbugs.com