I’m a planner. I’m on time. I keep track of what matters. And yet—my desk? It always looks like a small paper tornado stopped by. Anyone who’s ever worked with me can confirm it. My husband is just happy that I (mostly) confine my piles to my own space!

But…..When I do tidy everything up, I often lose track of something. The stacks may look chaotic, but they hold a logic that makes perfect sense—to me.

We’re told that being organized means being neat. But maybe organization is less about how things look, and more about how they work. Yes, there are days when I glance at the piles and think, “Okay… this is too much. Even for me.” So I clean, I file, I feel virtuous for finally tackling the mess……and then spend ten minutes trying to find that one piece of paper I suddenly need!

So maybe the sweet spot isn’t either/or. Maybe it’s finding your own version of order, one that helps you stay on top of things and still find what you’re looking for.

Because chasing someone else’s version of “organized”? That’s one way we get stuck. I see this a lot: Smart, capable people trying to live by someone else’s idea of “together.” Instead of building systems that fit how they truly think and operate.

Sometimes, getting unstuck isn’t about tidying up. It’s about making space for what actually works for you. Even if it doesn’t look the way it’s “supposed” to.