Hey Friend, I have some BIG NEWS for you!
This news could be viewed as Bad News, but it’s not. It’s REALLY, REALLY Great News! You want to know what it is?
You know that closet of yours that you’ve been blaming for not being big enough or having the right kind of shelving? You know those clothes of yours that can’t ever seem to stay hung up or folded? You know those many shoes you wear that seem to always pile up in the corner?
Well, it’s time you knew that your closet is officially calling you out! It wants you to know that it’s not the closet, clothes or shoes fault for all the clutter, disorganization and dysfunction.
The big news is …
It’s YOU! It’s all because of YOU.
Now, before you stop reading this due to overdose of blatant self-awareness staring right back at you, just know that this is quite possibly some of the BEST news you could possibly receive.
I mean, the true source of all great change is self-awareness and acceptance, right?
So here it is…
It is NOT YOUR CLOSET, CLOTHES OR ITEMS’ FAULT FOR THE CLUTTER AND DISORGANIZATION. It’s NOT THE SPOUSE, KIDS, OR HOUSES’ FAULT EITHER.
It’s YOUR FAULT. The clutter, disorder, and messes you see with your items are all on you, my friend.
Okay, now take a deep breath and recognize that there are many reasons why YOU are the cause of disorder in your closet, not your closet itself. To be aware is one thing, but to accept it is another. So, to help with that, we want to give you some specific reasons why we are the true source of cluttered closets in our homes.
#1- Clutter comes from items not being put away in a designated area. Hence, if items are not stored properly by their owner, they can create areas of clutter in the closet.
#2- Clutter often builds when too many items are being stored in one area or space. When over-consumption and limited space combines, clutter builds.
#3- Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories are not equipped to putting themselves away, therefore it is human error if they are found on the floor, stuffed in drawers or not properly hung or folded.
#4- Closet shelving and installed drawers does not necessarily equate to long-lasting organization. Typically, they can become temporary fixes that eventually become cluttered or overpowered by more items being stored in one space over time.
#5- A closet’s square footage is not the cause of clutter and disorganization. Most likely the space is not being used as effectively and efficiently as it could be, and creativity has not been reached.
#6- A closet’s clutter derives from its owner not establishing consistent and sustainable daily habits of organization and order, which over a period of time creates a reoccurring cycle of trying to re-organize the closet year after year. Often falling back to old habits of disorder within several weeks.
Now that we’ve made it clear that it’s not the closets’ fault for disorganization, but our own… Let’s talk about why this is fantastic news!
First, when we accept that we are the problem to the cluttered closet, we also can accept that we are the solution!
If we know that the problem does not require a new house, closet or design, we can celebrate the fact that nothing new needs to be purchased, no expensive costs must be made and no big remodeling work called to action.
Not only are we not needing to spend excessively or bribe our spouse into hanging more closet shelving, but we can create the solution immediately. There’s no waiting, scheduling or figuring out. We can start Now. Today. Whenever We Want!
I told you, this was really good news!
So, here’s your Tidy Tip to start doing TODAY:
Walk into your Closet and Embrace everything that it is (mess and all!) Accept the clutter and mess for a moment.
(Accept the problem first, before jumping in to fix it)
Look into a mirror and say to yourself, “I am the reason my closet is a mess.”
(Acknowledge that you are the one creating the mess, not others or your closet. Recognizing that you are the true source of the problem is a HUGE step forward!)
Now look again in the mirror and say to yourself, “I am the solution!”
(Recognize and be proud of the fact that YOU are the SOLUTION and can create the results you want to see. Talk about empowering!)
Write down a few reasons why you struggle maintaining your closet’s organization
-Examples:
“I toss my clothes on the floor by my bed each night.”
“I throw my shoes into the corner of my closet rather than placing them on a shoe rack.”
“I tend to leave my clothes in my laundry basket for several days before putting them away.”
Write down 3 new habits you’ll start doing to keep your closet tidy each day
-Examples:
“I will make sure all my clothing is hung up and folded before heading to bed.”
“I will hang up all my scarfs on a hook each day.”
“I will put my shoes on my shoe rack each morning before heading to work.”
The goal of self-awareness is not to beat ourselves up or make us feel shame or guilt for not maintaining our closet as well as we’d like to. The goal is to recognize that the core of the problem has nothing to do with exterior factors, but that we are the source of what we want to create! We are the ones who get to decide how we organize and the way we want our closets to look, function and sustain order.
So, this week, I want you to start reflecting on the person YOU HAVE BEEN (Your Past Self) and the PERSON YOU’RE WORKING TO BECOME (Future Self).
Self-reflect on the person who used to throw their clothing on the floor, to NOW a person who hangs their clothing. A person who once tossed their shoes into the corner to a person who NOW puts their shoes on a shoe rack. A person who used to leave their laundry sitting in a laundry basket, to a person who NOW folds and puts their clothing away promptly.
You were a person who ONCE WAS THE PROBLEM and NOW is a person who IS THE SOLUTION.
Focus on those few things you want to change and make them apart of your personal daily routine. Set reminders on your phone or a post-it note on your nightstand to remind you to put your clothing away and to keep your closet tidy.
Tips on decluttering, folding and storing items for your closet will come, but for now take one small step at a time to improving each day.
To learn more about Closet Organization, check out our “6 Steps for Organizing Your Closet” blog post by clicking the link below:
Your closet will thank you and so will your inner self as you progress to improve your organizational habits each and every day!
You’ve got this!
-Katie
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