I confess: for someone who is about as Type-A as they come, my closet is a disaster. I’m not even apologizing because we all have a place labeled “put-stuff-here-and-leave.” Some need drawers, I need closets. To each her own.
Recently, in a weird twist of fate (mercury retrograde?) I spent hours cleaning said disaster…opening bags, donating clothes and weeding out three-year-old Whole Foods receipts. Throughout this process I realized that while this might be the first time I’m literally addressing clutter, in a way, I’ve spent months doing so figuratively.
Last year, my life was cluttered with more than material possessions. My body, from head to toe, needed some TLC. Really, from my mental health down to my foot. As I’ve discussed (at length), my primary concern was/is my stomach: an ulcer, leaky gut, tanked adrenals and H. Pylori. From there, the “cleaning” has slowly staggered over to other parts of my life.
First body, then mind and now closet, obviously a crucial stage in the process.
It’s taken me a long time to sort through the “mess” I brought home from school. I needed to address different aspects of my self, say goodbye to things that didn’t serve me and (hopefully) make room for new opportunities…for new great things to come.
So, awesome! I’m 21, my closet is clean and I’m heading in a good direction. I’m all set for the rest of my life.
Quite the contrary.
I’m not naive. Nothing magically changed overnight. I’m still a jobless post-grad who is confused about life (but please hire me!). I know very well that my closet will get messy again….even next week for all I know. There are many lessons still to learn and many more bags to unpack. Yet now I understand that it’s a process of realizing a change is needed, evaluating the “mess” and then acting.
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My whole closet debacle set off a light bulb. Well, maybe a candlelight because it wasn’t that dramatic. I’m proud of my Internet home but want to do more. I want my blog to grow with me and my interests. As may or may not be evident, over the last few months I’ve struggled to produce content. My posts been random, sporadic and lacking the “why.” Not to say that’s all ending today or that I have a profound new path, but I’m more motivated to do some, let’s say, sprucing up over here.
I thought I started cleaning for aesthetic reasons, and maybe I really did. If that’s the case, this has been another episode of me stringing together metaphors and thinking out loud. However, as I’ve learned this year, it seems to take me some time to stop and say “WOAH. This needs some love and attention.” I guess the trillionth walk by my closet was the turning point.
Truthfully, my closet and I aren’t our best selves yet, although I did just buy a shoe rack so the closet is winning. We’ve made room for new things (and clothes) but there’s more work to do. I’m may not be where I want to be, but you better believe that I’m working my way there.
In summary: cleaning is good, change is gradual and Whole Foods receipts do not need to be saved.
This post reminds me I really need to organize my closet haha, but really, I love the connection you made between cleaning your closet and making room for new opportunities in your life. And to realize that not everything is going to change overnight is key. Things will take time, but taking time to realize what needs your attention is always a step in the right direction.
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #9
I have this hunch that maybe the one area ALL type A’s don’t have all neat and tidy…is their closets! Haha! The night before I left for school 2 weeks ago, I was too jittery to sleep so I dove into my closet (it is the size of my room so..it’s huge…and stuffed with every possible thing from all my years of life) I was climbing over mountains of stuff and finding so many memories and things I didn’t know I still had. I didn’t get to clean any of it of course, but in some weird way I think it prepared me for this new chapter in my life I’ve started in this new college year :O
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Korean BBQ Salmon Stir-Fry
PREACH.
So much love for you my dear. And you know I understand what you are going through.
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Meet Ridley!
I think I mentioned this, but when I came home from school in June, I was completely overwhelmed by how much stuff I have. Very slowly, I got rid of a lot of it this summer. I learned to throw away tickets and receipts, donate clothes that fit but I don’t like and clothes that don’t fit, and just really assess what I need in my life. That definitely translated to a calmer, more open me. Maybe not directly, but I feel like my direction changed and I got a lot more inspired when I started decluttering my physical life. Not gonna lie, I still have a ton of stuff, but it feels more useful and valuable now. And when it doesn’t… I’m not afraid to get rid of it.
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #65
There are such great life analogies in here! I am type A but you wouldn’t know it by looking at my closet. Little by little, I try to get rid of things I don’t wear anymore. I have to convince myself that I really don’t need it.
Sarah @ BucketListTummy recently posted…Chocolate Mint Berry Quinoa Bowl
Love how you used the closet and talked about life in general, because I’ve learned that in the past year. There were so many things that I was doing that I wasn’t doing out of love but out of ‘have to’ or ‘obligation’, and this year has been a year of learning to walk more in love and slow growth, instead of being impatient about growth. The best thing has been slowing down and remembering that I’m not superman, and that God has my life in His hands.
Emily recently posted…Why Drinking Diet Coke Can Be Healthy
I love a good closet cleaning. I feel like a whole weight is lifted off my chest when that’s clean, so to speak. I know what you mean with content and finding a direction and growing. That is why I ended up switching names (you obviously don’t have to do that- yours is perfect!). But even then it’s still hard. But yes, type a people.. what are ya gonna do with them! haha (I don’t have Whole foods so it’s most Walmart and Target receipts.. everywhere. My husband hates my receipt hoarding).
Heather @Lunging Through Life recently posted…Back At it
This is the perfect metaphor for life. I could definitely do some decluttering of my own. It’s one of those things that once you start, it’s easier to keep going and move into other areas of your life. I will say I’m not someone who keeps receipts at all haha
Sarah @pickyrunner recently posted…Workouts 9/5-9/11
I used to be horrible about keeping my closet clean, until I realized how big of a negative impact having a lot of stuff has on me. Clutter seriously stresses me out and weighs me down, so now I make it a point to go through my things regularly and get rid of what I don’t use. IT’s actually pretty relaxing. But yea, it’s definitely nice not to feel weighed down and be ready to embrace the possibilities of the future :)
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…this has literally taken over my life (ToL#200)
This is a great post! I’ve been dealing with a lot of personal changes of late due to the end of a relationship, and while the change has been hard, it’s been a positive opportunity to think about change for the better.
Do you mind me asking what sort of jobs are you looking for? Are you interested in staying in Florida? I ask because I work in DC and my organization always has openings, including two positions in my department!
Bethany recently posted…An Enduring Hunger
This is so true! I find that when my actual life is in shambles, my house is too. I just recently moved from a tiny crappy apartment to my very first house, and I was able to literally and symbolically get rid of so many things that I didn’t need that were holding me back. I think it’s normal to be confused about where your life is heading at this point, and I totally hear you on the blog thing! Ever since my running injury last fall I’ve been really struggling to come up with meaningful running content. Now I’m just blogging about hiking and biking! Good luck with figuring some stuff out!
Kristen recently posted…A Bucket List Hike: Harding Ice Field
I enjoy reading your blog because it seems like real life. I think you’re right there with a lot of college graduates, unsure of themselves and the future. Have you thought of getting just a temporary job, not in your field, for the time being? Could be good for just life experience.
Ellie Pell recently posted…4 Easy Steps To Get The Life You Want
I’m currently lying on my floor (because I was studying not having a mental breakdown lol) looking into my closet and it is depressing sight. I really gotta get a shoe rack! I also should really just get rid of some shoes.
And then it means I’m totally justified in buying more right?
isnt it funny that some of the best “education” you will ever get are these sorta lightbulb moments? not while sitting at a desk in school ! you are lightyears ahead of me in some of this self awareness. i sorta f’ed around with what i wanted to be (still have no clue) but once i selected something i was a little tiny bit older than traditional college student. so my peers are a bit younger than me and i was obsessed with “catching up”. what my mom told me was that i would arrive at the same ending destination…i was just taking the scenic route. to this day i tell people that piece of advise when they get down that they haven’t met their “plan” of X by 20, Y by 25 or whatever. in the long run if you want it, you will get it. who cares if its before or after someone else. its the right time for you. and damn it if taking the scenic long route doesn’t make the arrival all the sweeter! hang in. good for you to get slowly back to running too ! i have my first test run (jog/walk) this saturday as part of a marathon rely. 3.6 miles never seemed so long ! luckily i have a supportive team who doesnt care how much i walk.