1. Cellular Organization: All living things are made up of one or more cells. This is the fundamental building block of life.

2. Metabolism: Organisms carry out chemical reactions to obtain and use energy for growth, repair, and other life processes. This includes breaking down nutrients and building complex molecules.

3. Growth and Development: Organisms increase in size and complexity over time. They follow a specific pattern of development, from a single cell to a mature organism.

4. Response to Stimuli: Organisms react to changes in their environment. This could be anything from moving away from a harmful stimulus to seeking out food or water.

5. Reproduction: Organisms produce offspring to ensure the continuation of their species. This can be through sexual or asexual reproduction.

It's important to note that there are exceptions to these traits. For example, some viruses are not considered to be truly alive because they lack cellular organization and cannot reproduce on their own. However, these five traits are common to the vast majority of organisms on Earth.