11 hidden strengths of being a messy person

People have always related being neat and organized to success and progress.

As kids, we were always nagged to keep our desks and bedroom clean because we were taught that a messy room equals a messy mind.

However, we shouldn’t be quick to judge anyone who has a messier space – especially if they still manage to be productive and creative.

Messy people have special traits and hidden strengths that make them stand out from the rest, such as:

1) Having a Unique Way of Organizing Stuff

It might not seem like messy people organize their stuff with all the cluttered piles of random things at their desks, but they actually have a unique system of keeping things on track.

Other people wouldn’t know where things are placed, but messy people know exactly where everything is found in their space so they can reach it in record time.

Though they look messy to others, there’s a certain system to a messy person’s organization method.

In fact, most clutters created by them are actually hyper-organized spaces that make everything reachable.

Just think of chefs who thrive in kitchens where ingredients are all out in the open (but still clean) and ready to mix.

Most painters, scientists, inventors, and writers worked in disarray, but it didn’t mean they were slobs – they just have their own way of dealing with cluttered stuff.

2) Being Known as Creative Geniuses

Spontaneity and innovation rarely come to clean spaces, which is why lots of creative geniuses work in chaotic laboratories, disorganized offices, and cluttered studios.

For them, they see more than just the mess – they also see different possibilities that lead to great inventions or works of art.

If you ever know someone who leaves paints in odd places and books everywhere but their bookshelves, then they’re probably creative geniuses who thrive on mess and disorder.

All that chaos allows them to create connections between things, eventually leading them to their next great idea.

Messy people need different things in their environment to clash because chaos gives them new ways to view the world.

So if you’re living with a messy but creative person, don’t worry too much about them being disorganized because it might just spark their inspiration.

3) Avoiding Sweating Trivial Things

When work takes up a lot of your time, it gets difficult to find the energy and chance to clean up after things.

Dedicating a separate schedule to tidy your space can be exhausting and frustrating so messy people choose to ignore the mess instead of stressing over it.

Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. You can always declutter your things later when you have more time on your hands.

Messy people don’t fight the chaos they’re in — they simply embrace it and give in, which is most likely also why they’re more relaxed than the rest.

4) Being Brave, Flexible, and Spontaneous

Since messy people thrive better in chaos and disorder, they also respond better to whatever life throws at them.

Unlike people who throw a fit when their to-do list or itinerary gets messed up, messy people don’t easily panic because of some changes.

Messy people are already used to the commotion around them so they can navigate chaotic situations better.

Being spontaneous, brave, and flexible allows them to untangle the knots in their personal life.

These traits also make them extremely valuable assets in their workplace.

Businesses need organized people to keep their company afloat, but they also need someone who does best under pressure and can lead in the midst of turmoil.

Organized people may feel overwhelmed when things don’t go their way, but pandemonium is just business as usual for messy people.

5) Having Better Ideas Than Most

Since messy people make odd connections between things in their chaotic environment, they also come up with better ideas than other people.

For example, a study by the University of Minnesota asked people in messy and clean spaces a question about alternative uses for ping-pong balls.

The researchers were more impressed with the ideas of messy people.

The theory behind this logic is that a disorderly environment helps people break free of tradition, allowing them to think of things that are out of the box.

Messy places usually work as a factory of good ideas for them, so they should be left alone if they prefer it that way.

6) Being Highly Optimistic

Messy people also tend to have a more positive outlook when it comes to their life and future.

They believe that they can achieve anything they put their mind to so they focus on the bigger picture – they tend to be more busy reaching for their dreams so they stop paying attention to the chaos in their close environment.

But it’s okay because these kinds of people thrive in messy environments anyway.

When people accept the chaos around them, then they focus better on more important things in their work or personal life.

They don’t sweat the small stuff so they always feel happier and more peaceful than most people.

Messy people are also happy in what they do, so they don’t focus much on the kind of environment they thrive in.

They’re already motivated by their purpose, so they’re undeterred by trivial things like a messy room or cluttered desk.

7) Having a Good Memory

Organized people follow a certain system and put things where they should be so they don’t have to memorize where everything is.

But since messy people have a unique way of storing their things, they tend to have a good memory of where every important thing is placed – whether it’s at home or at work.

The most important thing when working or living with a messy person is to never declutter their space on your own.

It can disrupt their train of thought or scramble their memory of where everything is.

If you’re bothered by the clutter that’s piling up, let them know gently so they can reorganize their things based on their own system.

Personally, I don’t think of myself as a messy person.

Organizing things now and then calms me down sometimes but when things get busy, I can’t help but let clutter build up in my workspace.

My parents used to nag me about tidying up more frequently, but I only tell them that cleaning up only makes me lose my momentum.

8) Not Being Affected by the Status Quo

There’s a certain beauty that comes with being neat and organized, but people should also learn to embrace chaos because nothing stays tidy all the time – everything is always in the constant progression to disarray, so it’s better to let things happen as they are.

Messy people aren’t ruled by conventional thoughts, so they barely care about the status quo. They know how to embrace the mess because they thrive in it.

Instead of focusing on the bad things, they actually see the light and hope shining brighter even in the most chaotic places and situations.

9) Easily Finding Inspiration in the Mess

Orderly environments encourage tradition and convention, allowing people to play it safe when it comes to their ideas.

But on the flip side, disorderly environments allow people to break free from different traditions so they also tend to produce fresh insights about the world.

While cluttered spaces seem to lack organization, they’re actually highly productive workspaces for people that use them.

For them, cluttered desks can increase their creativity and become a source of divine inspiration.

The most creative and innovative people often have the messiest desks – think of Albert Einstein and Mark Twain who are always photographed sitting in desks filled with books and papers.

10) Being Quick Decision Makers

One generalization about messy people is that they’re indecisive because their minds are also a mess, but that’s not true at all.

Messier individuals are actually quicker than most people when it comes to decision-making.

They also deal with stressful situations better than organized people who easily panic when things are out of place.

When faced with various tense situations, messy people are more likely to step up instead of backing down and quitting.

This might be because they’re not concerned with the micro details – they instead focus on the bigger picture before making informed decisions.

Messy people are more quick-paced and adventurous than organized people.

Some examples of such people are Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs, big dreamers who are also known for their unconventional and slightly chaotic workspaces.

11) Devoting Time and Energy to Important Things

One of the biggest benefits of being a messy person and getting used to chaos is that it can save you a lot of time and mental energy.

Messy people don’t stress themselves because they ignore clutter-related problems in favor of more enjoyable or important things.

They understand how important some opportunities can be so they chase them instead of getting caught up in routine distractions like cleaning.

While tidying the workspace can be calming for some people, they also tend to treat it as a form of procrastination that prevents them from getting more things done.

For anyone fully focused on achieving their dreams, keeping a tidy workspace isn’t one of the top priorities.

They’re channeling all their creative energy into realizing their ideas so they almost always end up with cluttered desks and messy rooms.