What your messy desk says about you

You’ve got mail. Lots of it, of the paper kind. Along with pens that no longer work, chargers that have no use and just-in-case, years-old desk pads. If you’ve got a messy desk, are you out of control? Or are you actually a secret genius?

As I type, I’m quickly surveying my wider surroundings. I freelance and I work from home - my desk is in a brightly lit corner of the open plan room I share with my sofa, TV, dining table, fabulous mid century drinks cabinet, kitchen and an astonishing number of houseplants. Everywhere is organised, everything has a place and nothing looks out of place. But then when I cast my gaze inwards to my desk, things get a little less organised…

I have the usual desk paraphernalia; laptop, mouse, external screen, desk lamp, diary, notepad, pencils, pens (I’m old school when it comes to planning and making notes), lip balm (x3), glass of water. But my untidy desk is also home to:

• A tube of toothpaste (to remind me to pause a subscription, but it’s probably already too late)
• An aromatherapy “Clear Mind” roller ball
• An elephant pin badge from my bestie
• A free Abel & Cole 2025 calendar that as of 20th February 2025, I haven’t used once to record my good vs bad daily habits as I’d planned to in my new year resolutions
• A tin of W’zis Lamp Post & Chips dog treats
• Uncharged headphones
• A pocket sized fabric idol of Joni Mitchell from fathenandflo.com also from my bestie
• A box of tissues
• A knitted Hugkin (a cute handmade pumpkin-shaped gift that's given as a tactile hug for someone you're thinking of) from a dear friend
• A pile of unread books
• Five houseplants
• NHS cervical screening reminder letter
• Numerous loose (unchewed) chewing gum
• A stack of other papers that’s too overwhelming to go through

How about you? What do you have, knocking about your workspace?

Piles of paper, even though you promised yourself you’d go paper free? Used coffee mugs, flyers you meant to read last year, pens that no longer work? *What on earth does this cable charge? *

So, what exactly do all these accoutrements of our working (and personal lives) say about us? What does a messy desk say about who we are?

Some might say messy desk, messy life. But could you be harbouring a secret genius?

The case against a messy desk

Cleanliness is next to godliness - isn’t that what they say? The tidy desk brigade. It’s no doubt a thing with Marie Kondo and Stacey Solomon et al too.

But there is a lot to be said for the calming properties of an ordered working environment. The idea is, that a desk free from clutter means that our minds are also more likely to be clutter-free and that ultimately means more productivity.

Studies suggest that workers toiling away in a mess-free environment are also more likely to make healthy snack choices when then the 3pm slump comes on, and even donate more to charity.

But is productivity, saintly eating habits and being altruistic, as great as these traits are, the only index we could be measuring?

The case for a messy desk

It’s easy to think that someone with an untidy, disorganised, even chaotic work environment would produce work of the same calibre. But science, it seems, disagrees. (Go science!) As too, for that matter, does the most famous genius, Albert Einstein himself, reportedly saying, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”. I couldn’t agree more, Alb.

And it isn’t just one genius who thinks that a disorderly working space is best for getting the job done. Steve Jobs famously worked at a cluttered desk. Mark Twain was always surrounded by paperwork, as was Thomas Edison, suggesting that smart people simply didn’t have the time to keep tidying up.

I personally think that a messy desk means my ability to plan and prioritise without being distracted is top notch!

A 2013 study at the University of Minnesota looked at participants and how well they could come up with new and novel ideas when in a tidy room vs a messy one. It found that “Participants in the messy room generated the same number of ideas for new uses as their clean room counterparts. But their ideas were rated as more interesting and creative when evaluated by impartial judges”.

So that’s a clear win for creativity at a messy desk.

Tidiness, it seems, doesn’t necessarily mean good productivity. Nor does it have to equal efficiency.

Sure, a messy desk can be a sign of laziness and a “don’t care” attitude. But it can also be the sign of a creative genius at work, and that’s certainly the case for me.

Your desk, your way

Hot (desk) mess, or super organised working space - ultimately, it’s up to you. If you’re surrounded by the general detritus of your working life right now, I’m certainly not here to guilt trip you.

If you’re with me, my advice is to not waste valuable time trying, in vain, to tidy your desk. Embrace the chaos and do what you do best. Go ahead and create, create, create!

*Now, these uncharged headphones, there must be a cable around here for them somewhere… *