“I think people thought I was kidding when I said I was getting rid of over half of our belongings,” says @heyhannahlee. She was not. On day two of the project, the mom of two young boys swung open the door to a spot she was almost too embarrassed to film: the primary bedroom closet, which she calls “probably the second worst spot in our entire house.”
She introduces herself as Hannah and says she has spent the last year documenting her “escape from survival mode” as a mom of two boys, four and under. The family lives in what she calls “a very normal 2,000 square foot home.” With four people, she says, you might think that is plenty of room. Instead, “we are bursting at the seams because we have way too much stuff.”
The closet in question has become the family’s “everything closet.” It holds linens, medicine, luggage and, as she puts it, “clearly all of my extra home decor,” which she says she finally needs to part with. On top of that, “thanks to our fabulous builder,” the closet rods are falling down. The family has tried to reinforce them, but she has bigger plans. Her reward for decluttering the whole house, she says, will be sprucing up this closet and possibly adding a few built-ins.
@heyhannahlee
Ready to Let It Go
That goal is why she is moving fast. “I’m desperate to get this room back to at least a functional place where I don’t get stressed out every time I walk in it,” she says.
She is not agonizing over the donation pile either. “I’m not even thinking twice about my donate pile,” she says, “because I just know that this can better serve somewhere else, and it is not serving me being shoved into a corner or a closet.”
She has a plan for all that décor. “I have sisters, neighbors, friends that all would love cute little home decor spread throughout their house,” she says. “It doesn’t all need to be sitting in my closet.”
She explains that managing so many belongings is overwhelming “because there’s only one of me and a million of them.” By the end of the day, she had made it through half the closet, and she is proud of the progress. “It’s really nice to be able to see exactly what we have here,” she says. She shows a stack of bins and baskets she is keeping to organize other rooms, her donate pile, and the other half of the closet, which she calls “tomorrow’s project.”
Taming Your Own Everything Closet
Most homes have at least one closet like this. It is where things go when there is no obvious place for them. If yours is starting to look like hers, here are practical ways to tackle the most common items.
Linens. A common guideline is two sets of sheets per bed, one on and one in the wash, plus a spare set for guests. Keep towels to what your household actually uses in a week. Animal shelters often welcome old towels and blankets, so call ahead to ask.
Medicine. Check every expiration date while you sort. Many pharmacies have drop boxes for unused or expired medications, and twice a year, in spring and fall, the Drug Enforcement Administration holds National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at local collection sites. If medicines are stored with young children or grandchildren in the house, keep them up high and in child-resistant containers.
Luggage. Suitcases take up a lot of room. Store smaller bags inside larger ones, and keep only as many as you realistically travel with. Worn-out luggage with broken wheels or zippers can usually go. Good suitcases in solid shape are welcome at many thrift stores, and some shelters and foster care programs accept them for families and kids on the move.
Extra home décor. Seasonal swaps are great, but décor you have not displayed in years is likely just taking up space. Like Hannah, offer it to family, neighbors and friends first, then donate the rest to a thrift store or list it for sale.
When the Closet Itself Is the Problem
Sagging or falling closet rods are a common complaint, especially when a long rod carries heavy clothes or bags without enough support. If yours is bowing or pulling loose, a few fixes can help:
- Add a center support bracket to long rods. Most hardware stores sell them inexpensively.
- Make sure the mounting brackets are screwed into wall studs, not just drywall. A stud finder makes this easy.
- Replace thin or flimsy rods with heavier-duty metal ones.
- Lighten the load by moving heavy items like luggage and stacked bins to shelves or the floor.
If you are not comfortable with a drill, a local handyman can usually handle this kind of repair quickly. And if you are thinking of built-ins, like she is, decluttering first is the smart move. Once you know exactly what needs to live in the closet, you can design shelves and drawers that actually fit your things.
Her story is a good reminder that a decluttering project does not have to be finished in a day to count. Half a closet cleared is progress you can see, and tomorrow brings the other half.
More From Decluttering Mom
- Mom Shares Three Things She Wishes She Had Known Before Becoming a Mother Including Why Toddlers Are Harder Than Newborns and Sleep Progressions Feel Like a Scam
- Woman’s One Hundred Year Old Mother Clears Out Her Things Almost Every Week and Hands Them Over and This Week the Pile Held a Sewing Kit She Has Wanted Since Childhood
- Dresser Flipper Who Has Restored Over Three Hundred of Them Takes Fifty Dollars to a Thrift Store and Shows Why He Walked Past the Dresser With Metal Drawer Bottoms