People Who Have One Room In Their House That's Basically A Junk Drawer Usually Have These 11 Specific Personality Traits
Olena Yakobchuk | Shutterstock Especially for women, who often experience higher spikes of cortisol related to clutter in their living space, disorganization, and messes, can often lead to a baseline feeling of stress in a person’s life. Whether it’s a tendency to “hoard” sentimental material things or struggling with avoidance around big cleaning projects, the stress of clutter doesn’t go away — especially when it’s out in the open.
That’s part of the reason many busy people tend to cultivate “junk rooms” in their homes to store all of this excess clutter. If it’s all in one room, where they can shut the door and avoid it, it can offer a fleeting sense of relief. However, people who have one room in their house that’s basically a junk drawer usually also have specific personality traits. It’s not just about stress or avoidance, but their actual personality.
People who have one room in their house that’s basically a junk drawer usually have these 11 specific personality traits
1. They’re occasionally avoidant
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Clutter and messes in our homes can often contribute to mental health struggles like chronic stress and depression, at least according to clinical psychologist Dawn Potter. However, if someone has an avoidant personality type, to cope with these feelings, they may ignore the clutter or put it all in one room that they don’t have to acknowledge on a daily basis.
If they can ignore it, it’s an out of sight, out of mind situation. It means they can pretend it’s not there.
2. They’re sentimental
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If someone’s incredibly nostalgic or sentimental in their lives, chances are they form bonds with material things based on the memories they’ve been a part of. Whether it’s clothes and toys from their kids’ childhood or “goal clothing” they’ve put a lot of emotional stock into, they have to have a “junk room” to contain all the material things they can’t seem to part with.
Even if it seems comfortable to keep all these things in your space, some people suggest that sentimental clutter is actually “identity clutter” — keeping you from moving forward and living a more authentic life. So, the right amount of sentimental clutter is perfectly okay, but if the junk room is stressing you out and causing more emotional turmoil than it needs to, it might be time to start de-cluttering.
3. They’re functional, rather than aesthetically-driven
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People who are more focused on functionality, rather than aesthetics, may be more likely to have a “junk room” in their house. They’re not worried about cultivating a specific “vibe” or making their home aesthetically pleasing, because function and practicality are more important for their lifestyles.
If they’re not stressed out or constantly annoyed by the accumulation of things in this room, it’s not harming anyone.
4. They’re more of a ‘Type B’ personality
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People with a “Type B” personality are often more flexible, laid-back, and easy-going compared to their “Type A” counterparts. They might procrastinate on certain tasks, like organizing a room or cleaning, but for the most part, they’re low-stress about things that other high-strung people cultivate anxiety around.
People who have one room in their house that’s basically a junk drawer may have this specific personality trait. They know there are a lot of things and mess in the room, but it doesn’t stress them out. They’re okay living around visual clutter, and if it’s all contained to one room, they’re easy-going about leaving it there.
5. They’re very creative
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As a study from Psychological Science explains, people with messy living spaces and desks are often more wired toward creativity than those with spotless homes. Their material things and visual clutter allow them to think in more creative, innovative ways, compared to a clean, neutral, visually careful space with no inspiration.
Of course, every person’s mind and creativity work in different ways, but for the most part, people who have one room in their house that’s basically a junk drawer may be more creative than their counterparts with hyper-organized spaces.
6. They’re open-minded
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According to a study from Psychological Science, people who live in highly organized, spotless homes are less likely to branch out from their “norm” and try new things, while those in slightly more disorganized living spaces are open-minded about newness.
They’re comfortable challenging themselves, being bad at new hobbies, and getting out of their comfort zone in the name of open-mindedness. From trying new foods to adopting new hobbies, it’s people with “junk rooms” in their homes and a disorganized living space who often get a lot of value from trying new things.
7. They’re disorganized
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Junk rooms are different than typical “storage rooms,” because they tend to be disorganized — with random items, boxes, and things spewed around the space. People who are largely disorganized and struggle with the process of organizing their things may be more likely to have one of these spaces in their home.
If something doesn’t fit in a cabinet, with the aesthetics of the main rooms, or in the traditional storage space, it all gets flung into this junk room. While it might seem like an easy, quick fix, in the long run, it only ends up causing more chaos and stress.
8. They’re not perfectionists
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As long as something is functional in their home, a person like this isn’t worried about it being “perfect.” While this might seem like a nightmare to a highly organized person, not being held to perfectionist standards can reduce a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety from a person’s life.
Especially in family homes, perfectionism can quickly sabotage psychological wellness and bonds. So, if someone has a junk room, it’s functional, and they’re not always worrying about it on a daily basis, chances are it’s not doing anyone any harm.
9. They’re workaholics
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If someone’s a “workaholic” and derives a lot of meaning and purpose from their career, chances are the organization at home is one of the last things on their priority list. If they’re spending most of their time at the office, their homes are framed in a “survival” kind of way — for sleeping, eating, and occasionally relaxing.
Their lives are not centered around “balance,” so they often have less of a desire to maintain and organize their homes when they’re spending most of their time and effort on other work-related things. Of course, if a person’s job is greatly associated with their well-being and purpose in life, this isn’t always a horrible thing, but balance is still important to cultivate to some extent.
10. They’re future-forward thinkers
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People who have one room in their house that’s basically a junk drawer usually are future-forward thinkers. They always use phrases like “I’ll come back to this” to justify their organization, because they’re focused more on the big picture than tasks in the current moment.
They’re high-level, big-picture thinkers, rather than detail-oriented. So, while they might have lofty dreams, meaningful routines, and exciting life plans, chances are that smaller details in their homes and routines are quickly overlooked.
11. They’re family-oriented
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If someone’s family-oriented, chances are most of their free time is spent connecting with family members, making memories for their kids, and spending quality time with partners. They’re more concerned about nurturing their relationships than cultivating a highly organized home.
Their junk room isn’t so much of a stressor that it takes away from their bonds with their families, so, of course, it’s lower on their priority list compared to things like quality family time and bonding.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
