The Clutter Connection summary

For all his life, forty-three-year-old Bob had been convinced that he was nothing but a slob, and his messy home was proof of it. His coats dangled on the stair railing instead of being stowed away in the hall closet. Mountains of papers were piled on his kitchen counter instead of in his upstairs office. Dirty clothes sat on his bedroom floor instead of in a closed laundry basket. 

One look and it was immediately obvious that Bob was a classic Butterfly. More often than not, Butterflies struggle with traditional organizing methods. That’s because they thrive on visual abundance and organizational simplicity instead. 

There is probably not one craft or hobby that Jess hasn’t tried. She cooks, bakes, sews, paints, knits, makes bows – and that’s not the end of it. Naturally, the more hobbies she has, the more gadgets and gizmos she also acquires. Her craft room is filled with all sorts of supplies carefully arranged in neat piles, but also strewn out on top of desks or displayed on floor-to-ceiling shelving. 

Jess is what you call a Bee. Bees are typically known to be creative, hardworking, and perfectionist people. Just like Butterflies, they prefer visual abundance, with all their stuff placed right where they can easily see it. 

Linda has always had a flair for home decor, and this passion shows in every inch of her home. She has magnolia wreaths and gorgeously coffered ceilings, and to top it off, her kitchen and living room are always spick and span. However, the insides of her cabinets and drawers tell a different story. Behind closed doors lie her stacks of disorganized belongings.

That’s what a Ladybug is. Ladybugs are so serious about cleaning that even when they’re not expecting guests, they’re out and about stashing away all the surface clutter in the nearest closet they can find. They always aim for that aesthetically pleasing vibe – no visible mess allowed! It’s largely because, unlike Butterflies and Bees, Ladybugs favor visual simplicity. They can't stand the sight of their things just lying around, even if they use them daily. 

When retired teacher Cristina organizes her collection of classroom supplies, she doesn’t just pile them according to grade level or subject. That’s too broad for her. She’s more comfortable sorting them into subcategories, and once that’s done, she can then put away her neatly grouped things behind closets and drawers. 

Cristina perfectly fits the description of a Cricket. They’re the Clutterbugs who have no trouble sticking to the traditional system that requires hiding and micro-organizing stuff. They need visual simplicity, with all their things out of sight. And they thrive on organizational abundance with tabulated binders and subdivided storage boxes. Simply put, organizing is ingrained into Crickets’ DNA, and it’s their natural talent. 

Having a messy home has nothing to do with how lazy you think you are. The real culprit behind your clutter is the organizing methods you’re using. By first knowing your Clutterbug type, you can employ the right organizing hacks to help your space look and stay clean. Once you've got things in order, the rest of your life will follow suit. You’ll be more than ready to tackle anything, and create the life you've always imagined for yourself.