I have read through this entire thread... I find it so fascinating how differently we all are wired!
For me, I can do messy for a period of time but as soon as I notice that I'm avoiding my space then I know it's out of control and I need to put things away. The funny thing is the time can vary from a few days to months.
The other odd thing is now that I have a dedicated room that is away from our main living space (I have to take people to see it vs. having someone wander in on their way to the bathroom) it stays much neater. It gets used more days than not but a little planning really goes a long way with having enough space to keep what I need handy. I even have a few empty storage spaces.
My storage room (non quilting) is in utter chaos, but I can easily avoid it by piling things in the adjacent utility room! One of these days...