Sometimes, You Close the Door
September 17, 2026
If you’ve read through the previous blog posts, you know the basics of my decluttering journey. In this post, I want to speak to you, the reader.
Chances are, you’re here because there’s a pile somewhere in your space, and you’re ready for it to go. Maybe you’re like me, and you put it off again and again so that now it seems to be talking to you: “I’m still here. I can’t leave on my own you know…” But finding the time seems impossible.
Or maybe you’re like me, with boxes of inherited photos and birth certificates. That box weighed at least ten times more than its actual weight because I didn’t know what to do with all the things. Plus, that project would require more time. I had to think about what I needed and plan to have it all handy. Unknown projects like these always take longer than I expected, and so I’d put it off for another day.
Here’s the truth: When I was in (what felt like) neck-deep clutter, I read articles that treated it like a simple chore. The headlines were some version of: “Five Easy Steps to Decluttering Your Pantry” and each step was about three lines long. From the looks of it, I should be done in ten minutes.
I thought they were serious at first, and decided to give it a go. I put on my stretchy pants (which always means business) and my tennis shoes. I didn’t exactly do my stretches beforehand, but I was mentally gearing up for the job:
Container for trash - ✅
Container for donations - ✅
Space to sort - ✅
Time to finish the job - ✅
But inevitably, something would come up that was not on that nice, easy list, and I would be stumped. Now what? Who has advice for me here?
That’s why my approach is different. I treat decluttering as a journey of the heart. I’ll get into this idea more in future posts, but for now you need to know:
Some days, you’ll look at that closet crammed-packed with who knows what, and your knees will feel wobbly. You’ll feel overwhelmed with zero capacity. And on those days, you can take a deep breath and close the closet door.
Yep, close that door.
That’s not being weak. That’s you being kind to yourself. And it doesn’t mean you’re giving up.
Look at you, reading this, learning a new way to get rid of stuff and how to make room for what matters most.
That’s no way near giving up.
You're overwhelmed.
You're depleted.
In this situation, what matters most is you.
You’ve been carrying some heavy burdens. You have zero capacity—and not just when it comes to a messy closet. You need someone to acknowledge that you are a smart and capable woman who knows how to do hard things. And sometimes you need to hear it from yourself.
Your sense of overwhelm isn’t about the closet. It’s bigger than that. So in this situation, you need to make room for a friend—You.
You.
Not the friend who tells you to hurry up. Not the one who tells you how easy this should be. The friend who can look at the closet, take a breath, and say, “Okay. This is a lot for today. Let's figure out what we can do.”
Befriending yourself when you feel fragile is wise.
Now, I’m not saying you’ll stay here. That closet needs some attention, but it can wait a little longer. That’s why I’m writing this blog, Clearing the Way. Because there are times when we need someone to come along and say, “You can do this.” And when we don’t know a way forward, she can share ideas that we hadn’t thought of.
Just because you take a deep breath and close the door doesn’t mean you’re avoiding the closet forever, or that it’s won. Oh no. You are regrouping. Refortifying. Planning and preparing. Girl, you’re just getting started.
As you learn ways to support yourself and go at the pace of grace, your strength will return. Your capacity will expand. You’ll gain more confidence. And you’ll be able to go back to that closet with a plan.
And all of this matters because there is some kind of challenge in that closet, and you need to be ready for it. You weren’t ready before, but you’ll know when it’s time to go back.
For now, use the time you planned to work on the closet somewhere else. Where else could you work today? What else could you do? Maybe it’s sorting mail, or loading dishes. End your decluttering block of time with a win.
I’m telling you, between befriending yourself when you need compassion and ending on a win, you will feel stronger. And you may be motivated to do more tomorrow.
Resist setting a goal to tackle the closet in one day. Ask yourself, What can I do? Then do that. Keep your word to yourself. Use these clean-out sessions to build trust in yourself, and before you know it, you’ll be ready to face that closet.
Clearing the Way This Week:
There’s no decluttering prompt this time. But I am curious: How did you feel about the idea of closing the door?
I’m sharing what I’m learning about decluttering, transitions, and being intentional with both my thoughts and my things on the blog, Clearing the Way. I hope you’ll find something helpful for whatever you’re sorting.
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