Instant Time Machine!
A mess is comprised of useful things which have not found their time. They make me feel uncomfortable because they literally tie time in knots, the only time I've got, subjective time. Objectively, or so I grasp, there can be no such thing as a mess, only degrees of chaos relative to my trained or instinctive expectations of order. Trash is comprised of non-useful things which can be disposed of without regret. In ordering a messy room, it is first essential to dispose of trash. A new order will appear which is less of a mess. The nest step is to put a few items where they belong. Some, not all: that is too much to bite off and is demotivating. Enter psychology. I can at least put all my flatpicks and fingerpicks in a box. Then put more things where they belong until you reach a point where you discover the things that don't have a place they belong. Things that don't belong but are useful are called Junk. Heap them together. Put them in a box or trunk and store it in back of the closet, basement or attic. Shake out the rugs and curtains. Sweep, dust and mop. Leave one item glaringly out of place as a convenient focal point for the next mess. Messes are the leading cause of fire, other than insurance.

Robert Hunter, troubador, lyric hero, scribe, bard, ecstatic conspirator