Heart lessons buried in my closet
It all started as an overdue need for a closet cleanout— and I mean MAJORLY overdue. When we first moved into our new home last summer, I haphazardly hung/shoved all my clothes away in the closet and dresser telling myself that I would organize it later when I’d finished unpacking the rest of the boxes.
Well, weeks turned into months and before I knew it almost a year had gone by and my closet was a complete mess. I could never find anything I wanted to wear even though my closet was full of clothes! The few things I wanted to wear often ended up buried underneath piles or lost in the midst of all the clutter. Getting dressed every day was way more stressful and time-consuming than it needed to be. While the rest of the house appeared put-together, my closet remained my secret shame and I cringed at the thought that friends who come over may accidentally catch a peek of its unkempt state.
I took a long, hard look at my closet and realized that many changes have happened in my life and my closet had some catching up to do: I had pencil skirts and blouses I no longer needed because I had gone from a nine-to-five job to working-from-home as a mom (hello yoga pants all day, every day). There were relics from my student days (peasant skirts and cowl neck shirts anyone?) taking up hanger space. And of course, there were more pieces than I’d like to admit with tags still attached serving no purpose other than to give me of buyer’s remorse every time I look at them. Needless to say, it was time to get down to business!
I know, I’m a bit late to the whole “Magic of tidying up” but I finally got on the bandwagon and watched a few episodes of Marie Kondo’s Netflix series and pulled some tips from Emily Ley’s “ruthless decluttering” for inspiration on how to tackle this daunting task; nevertheless, it all seemed very intimidating at first— especially when my search for inspiration inevitably yielded countless images of pristine, perfectly-curated capsule wardrobes and displays of clothes arranged by color on wooden hangers that rivaled any boutique storefront. This seemingly unattainable portrayal of minimalism on social media was paralyzing when I looked back to my own closet that I couldn’t even fully step into without tripping over something.
When I finally rolled up my sleeves to tackle the task at hand, I slowly began to realize that instead of strictly adhering to anyone “method”, the goal I ultimately had in mind was simplicity. A simplified closet doesn’t mean I have to stick with a single color palette or end up with a closet full of neutrals and space between the hangers— it’s ultimately about intentionality. At the end of the day, I just really want to love every single piece of clothing that is in my closet and know that everything is serving a purpose. I want to learn from the mistakes I’ve made with past impulse purchases and be more intentional about my future choices.
What started as a closet cleanout has become a reminder to be more deliberate and thoughtful to not only the things that are taking up space in my closet but also the things occupying my mind and heart. Simplicity is a goal I am working toward and like every other goal, that doesn’t just happen— it takes work and perseverance to not let the clutter creep in.
Every parent knows how quickly the floors of our home would be overwhelmed with toys, goldfish crackers, and cheerios if we didn’t work at keeping things tidy. In the same way, without intentionality, my life will naturally tend toward disorder; my calendar would fill up with unnecessary busyness, my energy would be spent on things lacking true purpose, and the essentials of prayer, scripture, and loving others well will end up buried underneath a long list of other to-dos.
Today when I stepped into my closet I didn’t see anything “instaworthy”, but I did see something else that sparked joy: room. I hope to keep it that way.
- Sandy H.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19–21