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In Defense of the Perpetually Messy

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at JMU chapter.

In a world where you’re constantly being scolded for cluttered spaces, I’m here to enable your lifestyle for a moment. I understand you; in fact, I am you. Whether you’ve been described as messy, disorganized or even lazy (a low-blow from the neat people of the world), I’ve got a few points I’d like to make in your defense.

1. Making one’s bed is a fruitless endeavor

You’re just going to mess it up when you go to sleep again! On top of this, I feel like there should be a laugh track playing every time I roll around my full size bed trying to tuck in all the edges of the sheet. Pointless.

2. Laundry is the worst

Waiting for laundry, folding it, putting it all away— it’s all terrible. How do people keep up with all the dirty clothes they have to wash? Subsequently, how do they gather the motivation to fold the laundry and put it away before it gets wrinkly? Us “messy” people are simply too busy doing great things to deal with such monotony…Right?

3. We know where everything is

Yes, I trip over my chargers every time I cross the room, but I know exactly where they are! And yes, there is a seemingly chaotic stack of papers on top of my printer, but each document has been kept there for easy access. We all have our own systems!

4. We are not all “planner people”

So you don’t have a color-coded agenda keeping your life together; that doesn’t mean your life is falling apart! It definitely could mean that, but it’s not for certain!

5. Messy desks could mean creative minds

Though your neater friends might have a heart attack when they see the state of disarray your desk is in, according to a 2013 study by the Association for Psychological Science, “a messy desk may confer its own benefits, promoting creative thinking and stimulating new ideas”.

So just remember: one’s value is not measured by the neatness of their planner or the visibility of their bedroom floor.

Aleixka has a B.A. in Media Arts and Design and a minor in Spanish from James Madison University. She loves all things books, traveling, food, and photography.