Messiness is seen in many places. Who hasn’t had a chair covered in clothes? It’s not dirty clothes, but they aren’t completely clean. Everyday, that mountain of clothes get higher and higher until the chair disappears under all the shirts, trousers and sweaters.
At first glance, it seems like a small sign of messiness, but according to psychologists, this common habit can tell a lot about your personality and your emotions. So, let’s see what messiness tells us about us.
Procrastination
One of the most common explanations for that chair full of clothes is procrastination, which means postponing a simple task that you could do at that moment. So, folding clothes or putting them away doesn’t take much time, but it can seem boring or unnecessary and that’s why we tend to leave them on the chair. Haven’t you ever said: ‘’I’ll do it later’’?
Psychologists explain that this type of messiness sometimes reflects a more general tendency to postpone responsibilities, even the simplest ones. If you ever thought this meant to be lazy, it isn’t.
Physical or mental exhaustion
Another common reason behind messiness is exhaustion. After a long or stressful day, the idea of putting clothes away can feel like an impossible task. At those moments, leaving the clothes on a chair it’s like saying: ‘’I’m done for today.’’
According to psychologists, this can be a sign of emotional exhaustion or accumulated stress. Messiness, in this case, is a consequence of exhaustion, not lack of interest to be tidy.
Lack of a habit or structure
Sometimes, messiness isn’t about being lazy or burned out. Some people just haven’t created organization habits or don’t worry much about keeping everything tidy.
Psychologists point out that this is common in spontaneous or creative people who don’t think a messy environment is a problem, but part of their natural way of living.
Reflection of a chaotic moment
In some cases, messiness can be a reflection of an emotion. Psychologists explain that messiness often reflects inner mess. When you are going through a difficult time your environment starts to look like your state of mind: full and without free space. So, that chair full of clothes can be a sign that you are overwhelmed or with too many things on your mind.
Of course, this doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you, it’s just that your physical environment is showing how you feel inside. Maybe tidying can be a way to recover that mental calmness.
Comfort and functionality
Does every messiness have a psychological origin? Not at all, sometimes the reason behind it is comfort. Many people use the chair as a temporary place to leave the clothes because they are going to wear them again soon. So, in these cases it’s not about messiness or avoiding responsibilities, but pure functionality.
What messiness says about you
Having a chair full of clothes doesn’t mean you are a messy or lazy person, but psychologists say that it’s worth to observe why this happens:
- If it’s because you keep putting it off, it might be procrastination.
- If it happens when you’re exhausted, it could signal stress or emotional fatigue.
- If your entire space becomes messy during tough times, it could mirror what’s happening inside you.
- And if it’s simply because it’s convenient — that’s fine too.
So, that chair offers you clues about your energy, emotions, and how you handle your daily routine. That’s why next time you go to someone’s house and see that chair full of clothes, think about how they might feel, or maybe they are just prepared for the next time they wear that clothes.