Clutter comes in all shapes and sizes. To help better organize your home and life, take the quiz below and learn your Clutterer Personality Type.
The Clutterer Personality Type Quiz
1. What kind of shopper are you?
A. The Minimalist: You shop only for what you need at department and grocery stores.
B. The Bookworm: You can’t resist a good bookstore.
C. The Techie: You love gadgets and frequent electronic stores.
D. The Abstainer: Shopping is just not your thing.
E. The Deal Hunter: You shop at bulk discount stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.
2. What types of items do you rarely throw away?
A. Things you may need “someday”
B. Magazines, books and photos
C. Cords, chargers and extra computer parts
D. Your children’s old toys, art projects and photos
E. Coupons and sale flyers
3. What are the most cluttered areas of your home?
A. Closets
B. Cabinets
C. Drawers
D. Walls and vertical spaces
E. Garage
4. What stops you from decluttering?
A. “I never get around to it. I’ve got other priorities.”
B. “I can’t get rid of it. What if I need it someday?”
C. “This stuff was expensive. I’m waiting to have a yard sale.”
D. “I can’t let go of sentimental items.”
E. “My family depends on me to keep things.”
5. Which best describes your home?
A. Every room is clean and organized, but your closets are overflowing.
B. Your rooms are full of piles — stacked books, paper and receipts.
C. Every drawer is an “everything drawer” filled with cords, remotes and batteries.
D. Your refrigerator is covered with invitations, photos and art projects.
E. You can’t park your car in your garage because it’s filled with other stuff.
Your Clutterer Personality Type
Look over your answers and find the letter you circled the most — chances are, it was pretty consistent. Read below to find out what kind of clutterer you are and how to organize your home better.
A. The Behind Closed Doors Clutterer
Your home appears to be in order until someone looks closely. You take the “out of sight, out of mind” approach. You avoid major decluttering projects and instead store items in areas like your closet, laundry room, and garage.
Your solution: Stay on top of the clutter. Create a chore schedule and make time to clean. Organize regularly to prevent clutter.
B. The Intelligent Collector
You buy books and keep books — even if you never read them. You love learning and enjoy surrounding yourself with knowledge. You may have piles and clutter, but you look smarter than the average clutterer.
Your solution: When you finish a book, pass along the knowledge. Instead of throwing it away, give your treasured item to a friend or family member. Or donate it to your local library. Simply put, keep only the books you love re-reading.
C. The Techie Clutterer
You’re the go-to guy or gal when it comes to anything electronic. You have bins filled with old devices, gadgets, and accessories — including all the cases, cords, and cables.
Your solution: Ask your “framily” (friends + family) for help with organizing. Mark your calendar and review your collection of electronics every time the seasons change. Donate or throw away items you no longer want or use.
D. The Sentimental Saver
You hold on to anything with a story. You’ve kept all your kids’ art projects, photos, and baby clothes. The items you cherish always relate to a person or memory. It feels disrespectful to let go of a loved one’s stuff, even if you don’t want it.
Your solution: Keep only treasured items that remind you of your most cherished memories. To save a piece of every memento, take a photo and visit gophoto.com or blurb.com to create a memory book. Or, at your next family reunion, create a time capsule to be opened in 10 years.
E. The Bargainista
You’re the most frugal of all the clutterers. You shop and buy in bulk and feel it’s perfectly acceptable to have a year’s supply of toilet paper, baked beans, and pizza sauce. You rarely pay full price and enjoy being able to provide for others.
Your solution: Don’t overwhelm yourself. Instead, slowly prune your coupon collection to only the products you and your family regularly use. Keep your pantry organized to prevent canned food from expiring before using it.
This article was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
