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I have a confession: I’m a recovering Neat Freak. Early in our marriage, my wife, Susan, helped me to understand that my neat freak tendencies made me more critical of her and our children who maybe weren’t so neat. Susan taught me the importance of valuing relationships more than making sure everything is “just right.” But it’s hard when I see things messy, when there should be “a place for everything and everything in its place.”

This is a tension we see popping up between couples. Sure, it can be on a spectrum. The Neat Freak might seem outright OCD, or just might be disciplined and gifted enough in tidiness and organization to have a naturally ordered environment. The non-Neat Freak might be a slob, or just someone who struggles to be organized where they live and work.

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