How Can Pixie Types Classic and Fun Compromise?
It’s easy to say “to each their own,” but much harder to live that way. Especially when your partner or roommate has a different perspective on how to organize your living space. There are predictable organizational clashes that various cohabitating Pixie Types will have. Is it even possible for the hyper-organized Classic to live in harmony with the laissez-faire Fun? YES! Here is how;
THE CLASSIC’S PERSPECTIVE
You like things neat and tidy. Of all the Pixie Types you’re the most organized by nature, and this can cause you to have a limited amount of patience for people who are not as tidy as you are. Designated homes for things need to be spelled out and specific: coats go on hooks or on hangers, never on chairs; shoes go under the shoe bench or on a rack. You need order and planning to thrive, but learning how to compromise with types who don’t prioritize the same way you do is an important part of maintaining a happy home.
If your partner or roommate is a Fun, you’re in luck! This personality type is the most compatible with yours as you share many of the same organizational principles, with one caveat- their seeming inability to be consistently on time for social functions. While we would never condone lying, telling this person that an event starts a half hour earlier than it really does wouldn’t hurt. Funs can also be messy when it comes to rooms or items they don’t really care about (paper and mail are frequently the culprits). You should create rules for them about where things must go. Communication on the go works best with Funs, so explain your organizing systems or Dos and Don’ts, whatever they may be. You’ll likely never get them to sit down and come up with a list of rules on their own, but they’ll generally follow what you create.
THE FUN’S PERSPECTIVE
One of the best things about being a Fun is that you are able to find common ground with most people. Your attention to detail and ability to follow pre-existing organizational systems means you can handle living with a Classic. In fact, you actually appreciate living with Classics because they do the heavy lifting (read: the boring stuff) of implementing an organization system for your living space. However, some Classics can go a little overboard so be sure to step in and speak up when it comes to areas of the house you use the most often and are passionate about.
Timing and planning are the two areas where you will have the most conflict with a Classic. For you, time is fluid but for a Classic it is set in stone. You’ll get to tasks when you want to, or when it makes the most sense. But Classics don’t operate like that. They’re constantly ticking something off their To-Do list. Think of it this way, you love a clean kitchen but if you were throwing a house party you would be more focused on mingling with your guests than making sure things were tidy. On your timeline, you will just clean up after everyone is gone. But for a Classic, they will be trying to keep things orderly throughout the event for fear that it clean up will never get done. In this instance, it’s best to reassure your Classic friend with a set time of when you plan to clean things. This will put their mind at ease and hopefully keep them off your back.
When it comes to making plans, Classics like to plan far in advance. This is obviously ok for major social events like birthdays or weddings but you, as a Fun, don’t find it necessary for average weekday get togethers. To a Classic, everything matters, and everything needs to be planned in advance. Be up front if it’s an event you aren’t particularly excited about, but notify your Classic friend by a set date and time if you plan on attending. Giving Classics a little certainty by telling them when you’re going to get back to them will ease their mind. They’re practical people and can accept that things don’t always work out, but limbo is not a state they can stand for very long.
KEEPING THE PEACE
Whatever the organizational conflict, remember that it’s not personal nor done deliberately. Your brains are either wired differently, or come from different upbringings (most likely a combination of both). This observation is often the only way a Classic can pick up a towel left on the floor or bed, day in and day out, and not blow up on their Fun housemate who is just trying their best. Part of keeping the peace is learning how to choose your battles and how to communicate in a way that is healthy and productive.
Want to learn more about cohabitating with someone whose organization style clashes with yours? Buy the book!