We want to keep our closets (and lives) streamlined, clean, clear and beautiful. But without boundaries and good discernment, we can end up with lots of things that we don’t need or want.
This week’s podcast will take you through the process and hopefully inspire you to make your closet and life exactly the way you’d like it to be. Click the “play” button up above and/or scroll below for photos, a synopsis, and links!
Imagine if every time you opened the doors to your closet, you found that people had been shoving their clothes in there–if every day you cleaned it out in the morning, and then by afternoon, found it already stuffed to the brim. Unfortunately, most of our lives are much like this. But here’s the good news: there is is a way out.
Greg McKeown, Essentialism
When I walk into my closet each morning, I want it to give me a lift. It is my space to prepare for the day so I can serve and live my purpose. (Yours is too, right?) Over the past few years, however, my closet accumulated some clutter, so I recently made it one of my Current Projects to get things back in order.
Here’s a pile of stuff I removed:
As a high-level overview, I applied the Three-Box Method (full podcast link at the bottom of this post):
- To Donate
- To Toss, and
- To Put Somewhere Else
Here are four items that made me feel “stuck”–and quick descriptions on how I took care of each one.
A Stack of Frames
These are wedding pictures that used to hang in our former home. In our current home, we have a closet where we keep pictures that are waiting to be decided upon, so I should put them there, right?
But I realized that these are the only copies of these wedding pictures (from the pre-digital photo era). I’d like to scan them so that I can enjoy the pictures and have them backed up in case the originals get damaged, but I haven’t used that scanner in awhile and may need some help figuring it out. That’s why I felt stuck.
Next Action: Take those frames up to my desk and ask one of my children to scan the pictures with me.
What’s great about this Next Action is that it creates a relationship-building opportunity while also helping me figure out the scanner. Then once the pictures are scanned, they can either be put with the other pictures downstairs or preserved in a photo album.
Parenting Brainstorm Posterboard
Several months ago, Eric and I were struggling with a parenting scenario. We used sticky notes to brainstorm several ideas, laying them out on a tri-fold posterboard.
Now that we’re just about on the other side of this parenting challenge, I would like to capture the ideas. (A lot of thought went into this brainstorm!) But I don’t want to take a picture because some of the thoughts and ideas are better kept private, and I give my children access to my photos.
Next Action: Take the sticky notes and file them into one of my journal files to reference as needed. Write a brief (okay-if-it’s found) journal entry in Evernote, recording our thoughts, the ideas we considered, and what we decided to do.
Then the posterboard can be used for a child’s science project and stored with our other office supplies–instead of in my closet.
Do-Dots System
We received this Do-Dots System (super cute!) as a gift from the creator to help our children track their routines. Our older three children now have their own systems for their routines, and our youngest has started to transition as well. I don’t want to “just donate it,” because I want to make sure it goes to a family who will appreciate it. (The creator gave us some amazing magnets in all sorts of colors and themes.)
Next Action: Text one or two mothers I know in the area and offer them this Do-Dots Kit.
In the meantime, I can keep these materials in my office closet and give myself a calendar trigger to follow up.
Three Boys’ Suits
Our boys have outgrown these suits, and I’m not sure if I should dry clean them and give them to friends or donate them to a general collection center (which would probably clean them there). Does this kind of situation sound familiar?
Next Action: Check the suit sizes so that I ask in a local Facebook group if someone could use them.
I will also give myself a calendar trigger to check for responses. If no one wants them, I will go ahead and donate them. If someone does want them, I will get them dry cleaned and/or give them directly to that person.
I hope those four scenarios were helpful. And here’s a picture of my finished closet, if you’re interested. Nothing fancy, but totally functional, and it gives me a lift!
So how can we apply this to clearing out our lives? Here are a few ideas:
- If your life’s focus is split into too many parts right now, consider putting something on pause for awhile. Maybe it doesn’t feel like the right time to completely give up that venture/activity/purpose, but a break can give you a lift by removing the pressure to do it all right now.
- Acknowledge those things that are taking up emotional bandwidth. I’m guessing that in your life there are some things that seem easier brush under the rug. But I’ve noticed that giving myself extra grace and extra space allows me to be more present with my loved ones and focused on the things that matter most.
- Identify the beliefs that may be holding you back or causing you stress. The cognitive behavioral therapy methods taught by Dr. David Burns have made a HUGE difference for me. Come listen in to our interview with him–linked in the resources below!
I hope that you can’t WAIT to clean out the clutter that might be in your closet and in your life right now, and I hope you are excited to move forward on the work that you are uniquely meant to do.
We are cheering for you! Thank you for being with us here at LearnDoBecome!
Related Resources
Related Podcasts:
- How to Prioritize a Life that Matters – With Greg McKeown and April and Eric Perry
- The Three-Box Method for Organizing Your Space
- Emotional Decluttering
- How to (Seriously) Fix Anxiety, Depression, and Relationships – With Dr. David Burns & April Perry
Related Books:
Other Resources:
- Our sister website, Power of Moms
- Join the 25,000 STEP Command Central Challenge! We want to see your STEP Command Central! Simple or fancy, pretty or plain, it’s SO inspiring to see how many of our community members are getting their lives in order. So come join the challenge and share a picture of yours here!
Have you taken our FREE Class?
There is such POWER in community. Are you looking for a group of people to cheer for you and coach you through your decluttering? Our STEP community is so invested in the success of those around them, it is incredible to see and experience! If you want to learn how you can join the party, come to our free class!
We are downsizing and simplifying. However, the home we purchased has VERY LITTLE storage.
The closets are 1/4 the size and I don’t feel I can get rid of everything right now.
I mean, there isn’t a place to store wrapping paper!
The kitchen cabinets will be replaced eventually, so that’s not an issue.
What do you suggest?
Ahh, Lori–it’s definitely tricky. The apartment we lived in when our children were little had hardly any closet space–and no garage or anything. We turned one of our bathrooms into a storage room (I know…crazy), and we stacked banker boxes against the wall of our bedroom to hold all our office materials. We also bought a free-standing clothes hanger for all our coats and things. In your situation, I would streamline as much as possible and then search online for storage solutions for small homes/tiny houses. There are lots of great things about downsizing, but it definitely requires some creativity. 🙂 Wishing you the best!!!
This really relates to the podcast on emotional Decluttering, but am posting it here since I don’t know if April goes back to older podcasts to see if there’s additional comments. In listening to this podcast again, I realized how much I am like you, April. And I also wanted to post a link to a podcast about anxiety and skin rashes that I just heard today. Well I don’t know how to do that so I’ll post the address: skinterrupt.com, Episode 122. Thought it might be helpful to you. Appreciate you.
Thank you for all your help. Every time you post an example I can totally relate. It just always seems so difficult and hard of a project that it’s too draining to begin. Thank you for teaching us the tools to get started. I appreciate it so much.
So happy this was helpful!! Now is a great time to get our lives in order…. Thrilled you’re here with us!
Hi April. Fran introduced me to you through your free program and listen to your podcasts. I can’t begin to tell you how much I have learned from you and the difference you are making in my life. You are amazing
Dianne, thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled to have you with us and we look forward to hearing your success stories!
Thank you. Looking forward to declutter!
I am over 75 and need you information thank you.I have too many clothes!
Thanks for being here, Kathleen! We have another podcast that might be helpful to you as well. https://learndobecome.com/episode24/ It speaks specifically to cleaning a drawer but the concepts can be applied to any area of your home or life. Enjoy!
This podcast really resonated with me. I am struggling emotionally with so many things, my 94 yr old father is also declining & he’s two hours away, I feel to helpless & bad for him as we too lost my mom about 3 years ago. I am struggling with helping my adopted son with FASD to get services as he grows closer to being independent (turns 18 in two years); being there for my daughters as all the shut downs from the COVID-19 are causing heartache & anxiousness: the oldest has a wedding coming up in May, not knowing if she can or should reschedule it, my second oldest is in her final months of college facing finishing her nursing degree online & taking her boards, her graduation ceremonies are cancelled for now & another daughter is facing finishing senior year of high school from home, no prom & possibly no graduation ceremony! The stress has caused health issues as my BP has gone up. At the same time, I just increased my work caseload by 1/3 which is scary. The increased work will mean more money for our family, which will definitely be a bonus, but it also has me feeling worried how I’ll get it all done! Especially with three children at home due to school closings! Thanks for giving me insight & resources to help during this stressful time!
Lori, our hearts go out to you. You definitely have a lot on your plate! You are in the right place and we know you are up to the challenge! Be gentle with yourself and be careful to care for yourself as you care for the others in your family. You’ve got this!!!
I just found your website today off of a Facebook advertisement. I loved the pod cast on cleaning out closets. While listening to you, I was cleaning out my closet. The floor can now be seen for the first time in years. Thank you for what you do, and I hope that your dad is doing well. You are awesome!
Congratulations!!! I love that you listened to the podcast while cleaning your closet. Way to be an action taker! More is coming, so stay tuned! 😀 Thanks for your encouragement and kind words. My dad passed peacefully last week, and I am pretty sure he is doing well now—-with my mom on the other side. It was a precious experience to get to say goodbye. So glad you are here with us!!
April, I am so sorry for your loss.
Wow, The more podcasts I listen to I feel like we’re kindred spirits. You touched my heart with your story of your mommy. And how you wanted to do everything the way she did. I had a working mom and wanted to have all the jobs she had. My first job was taking orders for Figi’s company while my mom filled the orders. She worked for the pharmacy at a hospital and I worked in medical records at a different hospital. She was a teacher, I worked in childcare and retired from it. She made her own clothes when she was grown up and I love the movie pretty in pink and I made my own clothes . She went to college back in the day when it was free and will you get the picture. I realize that what I told my girls to do better than us , take the good and grow it and learn from the bad and change it. I should have learned to myself. My mommy still doesn’t own a home or a car and isn’t in the best health. I feel guilt for having a nice home so I didn’t take care of it. I’m the youngest of 3 and I feel guilt because my oldest sister doesn’t have a home of her own, I feel fake pressure to keep in contact with everyone under the sun like my middle sister does. And I sabotage my life because I feel they should have more. And I am stuck mentally and my husband and grown children have and had to deal with me and my unhealthy ways. And it doesn’t help that I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 21. Thank you and your beautiful family for taking the time and sharing your heart with us. I have always known that I had these road blocks and I appreciate that you shared this podcast. I don’t feel alone anymore and I am looking forward to moving forward and not letting guilt saturate my life anymore. Y’all are truly a blessing from God!💝
xoxoxo
I started LDB around the time this podcast was first recorded, but did not Discover the podcast until a few months later. I have made so much progress participating in LDB. I have a first iteration of a command central. I am able to identify projects and next actions. I am getting things done at work with soooooo much more ease than before.
Thank you to April and Eric for their commitment to assisting so many people whether it be one to kne or one to many. I fee when I am hearing you that you are making a difference one to one, so I am glad you are overcoming you glitch about not being exactly like your mother – such a marvelous insight.
I have been so proud to have become a member of LearnDoBecome, especially since I am joining during this huge wave of increase. I learn so much and receive so much support and encouragement, and enjoy encouraging others. It gives my life new purpose. It is a safe community for me to learn and grow and make a difference
Thank you again, April, for being transparent, for sharing yourself in an authentic way, and for making a forum where we can do the same.
God bless-
Sabrina Schrader- family physician
Oklahoma City, OK
Sabrina, this message totally made our day!!! Oh my goodness. We are so, so proud of you! Keep up the GREAT work! xoxoxo
Sorry for my typos.