# The joys and pains of organizing your belongings ...



## lww23 (Mar 7, 2021)

All types are welcome. 

The stereotype of SJs is that SJs tend to be highly organized, attentive to neatness and order in their surroundings, and intolerant of clutter. How much of it is true? Do you think that you fit into the stereotype in this respect?

How often do you organize your personal belongings? Do you make a plan or just do it spontaneously?
- As a Ti type, if I have to do chores on a large scale, such as cleaning every room in my house, I will have to make a plan and ideally, leave an entire weekend for the tasks. Otherwise, I would rather act spontaneously, with or without clutter. One of the things I have the least tolerance for is the bugs, like ants and spiders. They can secretly hide somewhere and build a home there. If I see multiple bugs, it will be a reminder to do some cleaning.

Do you enjoy it? Do you like organizing things for fun?
- As for me, I enjoy the outcome of labor, which is a cleaner environment. Generally, I don't organize things for fun. However, it can be seen as a good way to do some exercise, so I don't have to sit for too long. Good for health.

Have you had any surprising findings during organizing?
- Like, you find something you thought lost a while ago; you find something you need for now (so you don't have to buy), or you find something that has been collecting dust but can be utilized, etc.

I sometimes do, other times, I might ask myself, 'how come you bought this, what for?' Chance 50/50.

Do you tend to keep old stuff, thinking that it might be useful later?
- From what I've read, this is another stereotypical view of SJs and it's been said that SJs tend to have nostalgia and prefer to retain items to invoke good old memories. Is it true in your case?

Or, do you tend to enjoy throwing stuff away?
- As a Ti type, I tend to be cautious and will think about how stuff might become useful/needed later. This especially applies to the old documents, e.g., the paperwork I filled out in the past, or the old tools, like screwdrivers. If I find that an item can be expected to be put to use in the future, I will keep it. Otherwise, I just throw it away. I can get a sense of satisfaction by throwing out junk. Somehow, filling up my trash can with junk gives me a feeling of a new start.

I live by myself, so I do all these alone. I guess people with family might have to do chores far more frequently and cannot really have an option to get things done whenever.

The biggest headache about organizing, or chores in general, is that there is no end. There is no 'last time'. You must do it repeatedly, from time to time. It's time-consuming. If I clear the mess on my desk today, as time goes on, the mess returns, and there could be a bigger mess to take care of.

If there is an affordable droid that can serve as a housekeeper in the near future, I'll definitely consider getting one.


----------



## eeo (Aug 25, 2020)

*How often do you organize your personal belongings? Do you make a plan or just do it spontaneously?*

Not often. I put all of my things in their proper places and then try to never change that so I wouldn't have to constantly search for something or organize everything. And then life happens, of I feel like organizing my stuff equals to having better control over my entire life, and I plan to do it. But that plan can stretch out to several months, causing me unnecessary stress, anxiety, and willful procrastination only to do it in one sitting whenever the inspiration hits.

*Do you enjoy it? Do you like organizing things for fun?* I do when I do it happily, not when I have to, or put pressure on myself to do it.

*Have you had any surprising findings during organizing? *Nothing gross, luckily.

*Do you tend to keep old stuff, thinking that it might be useful later? *I did more so in the past, but moving and having a small home is good for not keeping stuff I haven't touched in years.

*Or, do you tend to enjoy throwing stuff away? *Oh yeah, the purge is so cathartic. Feels like getting rid of everything weighing me down in life (not really, unfortunately).


----------



## lww23 (Mar 7, 2021)

eeo said:


> Not often. I put all of my things in their proper places and then try to never change that so I wouldn't have to constantly search for something or organize everything.


It's a good idea to put things in the proper places so that next time when they are needed, they can be found immediately. I have tried to form such a habit and need to constantly remind myself, otherwise, I tend to leave something at a random place, and have to look for it next time. Another issue I've encountered is, for the stuff that has only been used occasionally, even if I've put them somewhere, in a designated place, I tend to forget where exactly. So I still have to look for it.  



eeo said:


> I did more so in the past, but moving and having a small home is good for not keeping stuff I haven't touched in years.


I used to live in apartments and had moved often. Every time I moved, I would reorganize everything and ended up throwing away stuff that was rarely used. For durable items, like clothes, books, etc., if they were still good enough, I would donate them. Frequent moves prompted me to be organized, also I didn't have large pieces of furniture back then, for convenience. Having a small home means it is necessary to make efficient use of space.


----------



## tarmonk (Nov 21, 2017)

Haha, good questions! Not really like me, and that's one reason why I didn't consider my type as any SJ at all for long time after I got into typologies - can't relate to that part of stereotypes. But probably those do apply for someone, otherwise there'd be no reason to write such stereotypes. But another option is possible too - maybe it's vice versa and it's not a type related trait at all, meaning that someone grouped together a group of neat and tidy people and defined it as SJ-ness? This way that type group may have people of various types who just behave like that regardless of their actual type.



lww23 said:


> The stereotype of SJs is that SJs tend to be highly organized, attentive to neatness and order in their surroundings, and intolerant of clutter. How much of it is true? Do you think that you fit into the stereotype in this respect?


Not really - it's more like what I live in, might be called an organized chaos  I consider myself STJ and my partner is some NTJ. Neither of us pays too much attention to cleanup and neatness - we both see it more like that if something starts to bother either of us, lets organize and tidy as much as it's practical. But doing it all the time is just unnecessary effort. Though my partner has some system for herself and rather prefers that I don't touch certain things when cleaning up, in order to not mess up that system 



> How often do you organize your personal belongings? Do you make a plan or just do it spontaneously?
> - As a Ti type, if I have to do chores on a large scale, such as cleaning every room in my house, I will have to make a plan and ideally, leave an entire weekend for the tasks. Otherwise, I would rather act spontaneously, with or without clutter.


My personal belongings are always in place so I know exactly where they are - no need to put in effort to memorize them unnecessarily / figure out where they are. Plans are mostly done spontaneously and when something jumps to mind - consider it done!



> Do you enjoy it? Do you like organizing things for fun?


Can't say that I exactly enjoy that or can get fun out of it - what needs to be done, just needs to be done. But my partner has found it to be occasional method of relaxation for her.



> Do you tend to keep old stuff, thinking that it might be useful later?
> - From what I've read, this is another stereotypical view of SJs and it's been said that SJs tend to have nostalgia and prefer to retain items to invoke good old memories. Is it true in your case?
> 
> Or, do you tend to enjoy throwing stuff away?


Usually I don't keep them, unless I see some potential use for future. But I know people who are more into that kind of thinking (keeping what possible). It doesn't mean my attic and garage isn't full of whatever older stuff - but it's there more bc it's not that easy to get rid of that all immediately if you live countryside - so it eventually piles up.

Nostalgia seems to be more about some F stuff from my observations (and it's almost obvious why), not a S related feature. Ts of any type don't seem to have it much.



> The biggest headache about organizing, or chores in general, is that there is no end. There is no 'last time'. You must do it repeatedly, from time to time. It's time-consuming. If I clear the mess on my desk today, as time goes on, the mess returns, and there could be a bigger mess to take care of.


Yes, this is main reason I don't deal with such stuff too often - as it doesn't produce any actual result, only repeats itself endless ways


----------



## JennyJukes (Jun 29, 2012)

I'm always the messiest person. In my family, at work. I find cleaning and organizing a chore. Sick joke is that I have OCD too and I can't even be good at that either.

I feel immense pleasure from tidying up and organizing things but I have anxiety as well, I'm always living in the "what if" future and not taking care of the present. When I chill out a bit and take time to clear up my life and surroundings, I feel great. Getting there is just very difficult and I put that down to my stress and anxiety.

Ask me to do something for someone else and I'm all over that. I'll sort out your whole life even if you only ask me to solve one thing. Just can't seem to do it for myself. I do hoard things that I "might" need and keep sentimental things like flight tickets, postcards, cinema tickets lol

When I dated an ESTJ, my messiness drove him mad  My INTP on the other hand was just as bad.


----------

