This Is What Your Paper Towel Use Says About Your Personality

Cleaning up in the kitchen is an unexpected (and inevitable) form of self-expression. You know this working environment is all yours — and can do what you want, when you want, and how you want. Nobody’s looking. So, why not let your personality shine?

How you approach everyday cleaning tasks can often provide some fun intel on your personality. Are you an entertainer, a visionary, a strategizer? For instance, how you use a simple paper towel sheet says a little something about your unique spirit. 

Okay, here’s what your wipe-up habits say about you. 

A 12”x4” rectangle is a hardworking member of the team — even in a busy kitchen. One select-a-size sheet neatly folded in half can dab a dirty bit, brush off some crumbs, polish a thumbprint, and sweep up some unseen floor lint under the cabinet. One towel can do what others need three for! 

• Personality type: The Rational
• Keywords: Strategizer, intuitive, coordinator, thinker, concerned with obtaining knowledge, engineer, seeks to be masters of their craft.
• Outside the kitchen: You have a well-used library card, the annual Elfa sale at the Container Store makes you genuinely giddy, and others wonder how you always know the best venue to go to any day of the week.

Label consciousness has its place. Bounty is number one in the country, with almost five times as many users as any other brand. Viva has an “unbe-VIVA-ble” cult following for its baby blanket, cloth-like feeling. Sparkle, Brawny, Scott, and new contender Presto! by Amazon all have their loyal club members — and once you’re sold on one, that’s it. The Quicker Picker Upper. Presto Change-O. My counter is clean — and no one can convince me to switch brands! 

• Personality type: The Guardian
• Keywords: Sensitive, concrete, organized, logistics, stability, appreciates authority figures, relies on reputation.
• Outside the kitchen: You listen to your doctor’s advice and that trust has kept you healthy. You see jury duty as an important contribution to a solid society, and you’re the friend group’s go-to consultant before making a big purchase (they know you’re great at vetting!).

Although the World Health Organization placed paper towels on the household essential list (disposability reigns!), this fearless, forward-thinking personality type prefers an eco-friendly approach to kitchen cleanup. Reusable paper towels may feel like big, floppy overgrown sponges, but once you discover their agility, large surface area, and ridiculous absorbency, you’ll wonder what other secrets Swedish kitchens hold. We’ve found the best option if you’re thinking of taking this durable kitchen towel for a spin — errr, wipe! One 10-pack for $20 in plenty of color options, and you’ll be the visionary that stands out above the rest.

• Personality type: The Idealist
• Keywords: “Helping people be the best version of themselves,” community-oriented, big picture, forward thinker, caring, creative, imaginative visionaries
• Outside the kitchen: You bought the house in the neighborhood before it made the “best of” list. You’re a hero in your Slack group by coming up with clever hashtags to be used now for future projects’ reference. The digestif you casually whip out after a big meal is the sophisticated hit that’s anything but casual.   

Grab one, wipe a dribble, toss. Another miniscule splatter? Go for another. You don’t have time to think about your overconsumption, like many of your American peers are doing. (Call it a cultural thing — U.S. consumption accounts for almost half of the world’s paper towels.) You’re a busy person with plenty to do, and will use all the resources available to you to get ‘er done and not look back. While you might not even be thinking of cutting back on your paper towel usage habits around the house for now, give some thought to what you can do to tip the scales toward the more eco-conscious side in other areas of your life. Because you’re a natural born leader and problem-solver.

• Personality type: The Artisan
• Keywords: Troubleshooting, agility, operators, entertainers, freedom, fun, act in the moment.
• Outside the kitchen: You’ve inspired a “jump in the pool with your clothes on” kind of moment, you’re known and loved for impromptu drinks at your place, and may have been called MacGyver once or twice for your keen problem-solving sensibility.