ESTJ Personality Types (Pixie Type: Classic) and Sentimental Items

Just what are ‘sentimental items’? As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and this couldn’t be more true when it comes to the way each personality and pixie type deals with their ‘stuff’, whether it be called ‘clutter’ or ‘keepsakes’ or, in this case, ‘sentimental items’. Of course, Organic pixie types have trouble throwing away dull scissors as well as things that have actual meaning, but that’s information for another article.

When it comes to ESTJ personality types (pixie type: Classic), decisiveness is one of their main attributes. Decisiveness is perhaps the thing that comes in handiest when it comes to extraneous clutter, or purging that clutter after determining what is valuable and what needs to be tossed, donated, stored or sold. These personality types are the quickest to get rid of anything resembling clutter, as they hate to see things out in the open, looking disorderly. This makes them directly opposite to their Organic counterparts, who have the toughest time purging (everything is potentially sentimental to an Organic pixie type). Don’t know which pixie type fits you best? Go online and take our Pixie Personality Quiz! This will set you on the road to getting organized in the way that works best for you.

In this article, we’ll elaborate on how ESTJ personality types operate when it comes to organization and clutter. We’ll also go over some general rules of thumb when it comes to dealing with sentimental items.

ESTJ Personality Types (pixie type: Classic) and Organization

“Even if most of you had the good sense to ditch your fanny pack in the ‘90s, you represent most Americans and likely wrote half the organizational rules out there. Heck, you probably invented the filing cabinet.” – Our book, ‘Organize Your Way: Simple Strategies for Every Personality’, on the Classic pixie type

But what is an ESTJ? An ESTJ is a Myers-Briggs personality type (there are 16 different types in all). Each type has four letters assigned to it. They are as follows:

• E/I- Extravert/Introvert: represents the way this personality type interacts with the world
• S/N- Sensing/Intuition: represents the way this personality type processes information
• T/F- Thinking/Feeling: represents the way this personality type makes decisions
• J/P- Judging/Perceiving: represents the way this personality type makes sense of circumstances around them

Therefore, an ESTJ (pixie type: Classic) is someone who is extraverted, uses sensing rather than intuition to process information, uses thinking and analytical skills when making decisions, and uses judging and logic to interpret what goes on around them. Some of their personality traits are:

• Concrete
• Responsible
• Systematic
• Critical
• Organized
• Decisive

What does this mean organizationally? Read on for details (things that are extremely important to this personality type).

ESTJs (Classic pixie types) have the following characteristics when it comes to home and life organization:

• Traditional
• ‘Type A’
• Risk-averse
• Finish what they start
• Goal-oriented
• Thrive on routine and structure
• Invented traditional organizational methods
• Likes things hidden and orderly
• Hates clutter of any kind
• Detail-oriented and likes set schedules

ESTJ Personality Types’ (Pixie Type: Classic) Approach to Sentimental Items

Given everything you now know about ESTJ (pixie type: Classic) people and how decisive and clutter-averse they are, it should be fairly clear the way in which they approach sentimental stuff. They are not heartless, of course, but their impeccable natures make them loathe to hold onto anything past its expiration date. They purge regularly, and are used to making quick decisions that might take another personality type much longer to make.

When it does come to sentimental items that do hold meaning and value to them, ESTJ personality types (pixie type: Classic) often store these things safely and securely away in the attic or garage (if these things are not temperature-sensitive). The main thing for them is not to see any clutter… anywhere, ever. Tchotchkes do not exist in their worlds — their living room mantles are empty, save two perfectly symmetrical candles (or something of that nature).

For these types, there are five options when it comes to purging clutter from their lives (which they do on a regular basis): Donate, Toss/Trash, Recycle, Sell, or Store. The quicker any of these things can be done, the better.

General Approaches to Sentimental Items

For the rest of us (those of us who don’t have as much of a problem with tchotchkes and extraneous clutter, but more of a love for ‘sentimental items’), there are several ways to peacefully coexist with clutter. First off, purge whenever you can (meaning on schedule for some types, in the moment for others). Measure storage spaces —  like the attic and the garage — before moving boxes into them. Try and plan out your storage system so that items that you might need to reach at some point are more accessible (this could mean lower, or resting on top of other boxes). Use translucent bins when possible — it makes locating and retrieving things so much easier. Label the bins if you so choose.

Sifting through sentimental things to determine their value is probably an activity only a Classic pixie type would engage in readily, but it’s an important step. Determine whether to keep or not first, then separate the ‘Not Keeping’ category into the following piles:

-Donate

-Trash

-Recycle

-Sell

Places like 1800-GOT-JUNK will come to your house and cart away items that you no longer want, and there is always craigslist or Facebook Marketplace if you feel like trying to sell some of it. The main point here is to handle your ‘junk’, ‘clutter’, or ‘sentimental items’ in whatever way you feel most comfortable. Some of us have an easier time letting go than others, and that is perfectly A-OK.