Once, as I was telling a self-proclaimed slob about my minimalist home and my business, they quoted Einstein: “If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, of what then is an empty desk a sign?”

Let’s ignore for a moment the implication that I have an empty mind. Rude.

Yes, I’ve seen Einstein’s desk. I’ve also seen his equation for general relativity. And his hair.

I am not Einstein. His desk, his hairdo, and his contributions to the field of physics are not aspirational for me. (Now, the fact that he wore his signature leather jacket for years is. I love life uniforms.)

I don’t need a messy desk to do my most creative writing. I don’t need a messy kitchen to do my best cooking. I don’t need a messy closet to put together my best outfits.

In fact, I now know that I need space, and clear surfaces, and streamlined systems to concentrate and create. My desk can become messy when I’m in the throes of work, but when I’m done for the day I put.my.stuff.away. I look forward to the peace that comes from an emptied mind.

If that makes me a non-genius, so be it. I’m content to live an ordinary (and tidy) life in my little corner of the world.

And to all the slobs out there using Einstein’s desk to justify their own mess and excess, here’s something else Einstein said: “A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit, a violin; what more does a man need to be happy?”