Sixes, according to the Enneagram Institute, are “the committed, security-oriented type.” Being a Six with a strong wing seven, my chaotic and excitement-oriented nature that constantly seeks change often collides with this security-seeking side. My dorm room, particularly my desk, shows this clash between the tendencies of types Six and Seven.
Here, you can clearly see both clutter and organization at play. I don’t spend a lot of time in my room even when I’m studying. Half of my desk space is used for storage. Papers, books, and old assignments pile up on any available space (this probably highlights more of my laziness than anything else). I value productivity and time efficiency, so I don’t like to spend a lot of my spare time cleaning and organizing my space. As long as there’s clear space for me to open a laptop or a book, the surrounding clutter doesn’t bother me—at least not enough to do anything about it. If I have time to spare between homework, I’d rather hang out with friends or watch the Office than clean up my mess. This definitely attests to my seven-wing tendencies: I prize pleasure over cleanliness.
Being primarily a type Six, though, I can’t fully say that clutter and disorganization doesn’t bother me. That’s why the other half of my desk—the half that I don’t touch—is completely color-coordinated. I organize nearly everything by visual components, color being the main factor. My color scheme for most of my personal items and decor is rose gold, light pink and cream. This is pretty obvious from my desk lamp, my memory box (where I keep old letters and cards), my stationary, my flowers and my vinyl player.
I also used some black and white items to create a separate color scheme here, just because a lot of my projects ended up sharing these colors. It’s a fun way I like to decorate my space using the things I have, as well as to display my work. These items include literary journals (The Inkslinger), magazine issues (The Point) and my own personal Torrey project booklet—to all of which I’ve contributed some sort of writing. I wouldn’t normally use black and white, but I made this layout just because all of these items happened to share the same colors. I differentiate between this space and the pink color scheme because I like organizing colors together without clashing.
For me, the black and white theme does not necessarily work well with the pink theme. It is, however, my way of maintaining security even in a cluttered space. By organizing with color, I can still establish a sense that this is my personal space that belongs to me, and expresses a small part of me every time I sit down to do my work. People who see my desk also comment on how much my desk “reminds them of me.”
How does all this relate to me being a type Six wing seven? Through my cluttered yet organized desk space, I express both sides of my personality that can sometimes feel very discordant. I like to have fun and change things up, yet I also enjoy a level of safety and comfort. By decorating my space with colors that feel like “me” and displaying my personality, I can feel like I belong to this space and enjoy admiring fun, pleasing colors that bring me aesthetic satisfaction.
As a Six, my basic fear is being without support and guidance. I get this through people; I’m a quiet extrovert, so I need to be out and about, surrounded by community or even vibrant ambience when I work. Part of why my desk remains so messy is because I don’t spend a lot of time in my room.
My basic desire is to have security and support. I like knowing that when I do come back to my room, my desk will provide a sense of home. The fact that I decorated that space and made it my own reminds me that I have control over some aspects of my life. It also brings me pleasure to know that people recognize and admire my personal space, my aesthetic and personality.
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