This Wednesday: a quiz–are you organized or disorganized?

Usually Wednesday is Tip Day, but surprise, today is a quiz instead.
Most people understand that it's a pain to be disorganized. Disorganized people spend a lot of time hunting for their keys; they have to order a replacement birth certificate; they know they must have a dozen hammers, because it’s always been easier to buy a new one than to locate one in the house.
Often, however, people don’t realize how disorganized they are. Are you? Take this quiz.
At a minimum, you should know exactly where to find these possessions (assuming, of course, you own them—and you should):
stamps
your passport and if you’re married, your spouse’s passport
a corkscrew
Bandaids
a safety pin
a flashlight
a functioning alarm clock
paperclips or a stapler
your phone charger
a spare set of keys
your doctor’s phone number
cinnamon
your tax statements from 2003
fabric stain remover
a pair of mittens
spare AA batteries
Congratulate yourself for being well-organized if you can also say exactly where you’d find these objects:
a tape measure
your high-school yearbook
a Swiss army knife
a pencil sharpener
a copy of Pride and Prejudice or The Da Vinci Code
the instruction manual for your camera
silver polish
a vase the proper size to hold a bunch of tulips
food coloring
a tube of lip balm
a cheese knife
an extension cord
a recipe for a favorite food your mother or father used to make
a pack of playing cards
a pad of sticky notes (Post-Its)
One observation: disorganized people often aim to put things away approximately. They’ll keep something “in a kitchen drawer” or “in my office.” It’s much more satisfying to put things away in an exact location—like a particular kitchen drawer. It takes some effort, at first, to decide where everything belongs, but once you’ve put objects in their proper places, it’s much easier to return them there.
One Last Thing
Interested in happiness, habits, and human nature?
Sign up to get my free weekly newsletter. I share ideas for being happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative.
Dive into The Blog
More Posts For You
Find out if you’re an Upholder, Obliger, Questioner, or a Rebel.
The Four Tendencies explain why we act and why we don’t act. Our Tendency shapes every aspect of our behavior, so understanding your Tendency lets us make better decisions, meet deadlines, suffer less stress and burnout, and engage more effectively.