[hart]

A Perfect Mess
It may seem counterintuitive that disorder can lead to efficiency and success. But in A Perfect Mess, management professor Eric Abrahamson argues that messy systems can lead to better solutions and greater cost effectiveness than highly organized ones.

here's an interview: WNYC - The Leonard Lopate Show: The Power of Disorder (January 19, 2007)

here's the book: Amazon.com: A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--How Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-Fly Planning Make the World a Better Place: Books: Eric Abrahamson,David H. Freedman

The main point I came away with from this guy was that the effort to create neatness should not exceed the benefit from achieving it. He also interestingly enough used Microsoft and Apple as examples. Microsoft=messy office and the first iteration of it's software comes out flawed but after 2 or 3 tries they have "the best possible product". Apple is freaky neat and by his conclusions producing second-rate results in the end.

The other thing was the difference between mess and disorder. You can cram everything in a closet out of site and consider yourself neat but not be able to find anything. You can have a house like the Container Store catalogue. You can be a piler with meaningful piles or random piles. My place is a mess but everything has a place, a container and if you ask me for the 2005 tax returns or some cardomom I can tell you where it is. Which brings another example to mind. I used to have a housekeeper who was in school of thought in which things should LOOK neat so she'd take all my alphabetized spices and my pantry and make them look neat, while completely destroying the organization, ie cans together, pasta together etc.

So from the "crib" and "setup" threads I'd say more MacNN are neatniks than not. But let's get scientific with a poll. And please explain.

As for myself most people would consider me totally messy. But it always seems like I have more stuff, more activities REQUIRING stuff than I have space. Maybe cause I live in a 17' wide Brooklyn brownstone with 3 kids, 7 computers, some kayaks, some cats. Not to mention bikes and skates and strollers and scooters and legos and summer clothes and winter clothes and notices in multiplicate from schools for three kids and all the other crapolla that comes in with life. Not to mention gazillion books for all age groups.

I used to have a friend whose apartment was a miracle of neatness but the only things she read were Us magazine and TV Guide, had no hobbies, just work and watch TV and go out drinking.

So, besides the scorched earth method (see CodyDawg http://forums.macnn.com/89/macnn-lou...u-save-things/) how do all you neat freaks do it? I really want to know.

[andi*pandi]

sort of messy here. Piles accumulate. Clean laundry is not always sorted straight off, but dirty laundry is always in the hamper. Dishes may stay in the sink a day or three, but are not scattered about the house. Like you, I always know where things are though. My cupboards and closets are organized. I find that I need to clean/organize before any other major project, as it helps me find things and not be distracted by clutter. If my desk is cluttered I can only work on the things on the top level, thus the top level things are top priority and I'm usually so stressed out by those things I can't think about the items below. Once a month I need to clear off my desk, file the bills, etc, so I have a clean slate and can think about (remember) those other things.

[hart]

hey andi*pandi how come you're not up there in the Women of MacNN declaring yourself. You are female right? If I remember correctly. You, me, monica and Codi can't be it. (actually I know there's a few others but I haven't had enough coffee yet to remember)

OO OO! I want to see your house! Maybe I won't feel so all alone amongst the perfect order crowd. Of course, my block is covered with women who have housekeepers and babysitters giving them a hand so I feel like the duck among swans.

On the other hand I think there was a debate here long ago on whether you could be creative with a mess or not. I've been looking with interest at the desks of CGI crews and creature shops on DVD special features to see how their workshops look. Assuming they've been touched up a bit for public consumption they're still pretty chaotic.

[centerchannel68]

I think better when everything is neat and picked up. That said, it always just gets messy to the point of me going nuts, and picking everything up. It's a constant battle, but such is life.

[hart]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

I think better when everything is neat and picked up. That said, it always just gets messy to the point of me going nuts, and picking everything up. It's a constant battle, but such is life.

that is life.

what about your car? In a way one's car and one's backpack/purse probably say even more than the house. My car is a mess cause I share it with kids and I use it for lots of outdoor stuff but my bag/pockets are pretty anal. I repack it every time I go out.

[Uncle Skeleton]

Originally Posted by hart 

So from the "crib" and "setup" threads I'd say more MacNN are neatniks than not.

Heh, I've been afraid to post in there until I clean up my mess.

[lpkmckenna]

I find the only way to maintain any standard of order is to minimize the number of horizontal surfaces around me. An empty shelf is an easy target for keys, gloves, receipts, loose change, etc.

[flyordiedays]

I love for things to be organized, but my car unfortunately gets to a level of hazmat warnings usually only seen around semi wrecks on the interstate. Having a five-year-old and traveling a lot seems to defeat me.

Otherwise, few things make me happier than a clean desk. I've found this easier at home than work, by far.

[SSharon]

Even during finals I kept my room clean. It can get a bit cluttered at times, but generally everything is very neat. The only book on my desk is a dictionary and (as a study partner pointed out) the plants on my window sill are all exactly 6.5" apart.