Beth didn’t think organizing her linen closet would change her life. Honestly, neither did I.
She had been in the Chaos to Calm Community for awhile now. She was showing up on calls, doing the work…but no matter how much she did, she still felt stuck.
Like a lot of people, she wanted to dive into biggest, hardest clutter in her life first—the paperwork backlog, her digital files, and the emotionally-charged stuff that made her want to scream and go hide under the covers.
And that totally make sense.
When clutter is causing stress, we often zero in on the most overwhelming thing and think, “That’s the real problem! If I fix that first, everything else will fall into place.”
But the truth is that’s actually the last place to start.
When you’re burned out, stuck, or struggling, starting with your hardest clutter can leave you more frazzled, more discouraged, and more convinced that you’re just “bad at organizing” (which is 100% never true).
One month, we were focusing on organizing the Linen Closet in C2C. Beth initially said she didn’t want to do it because it wasn’t one of her problem zones.
I told her that these basic “easy” spaces are some of the most important rooms to organize.
Not because it’s glamorous. Not because it’s trendy. But because it’s a low-stakes space with zero emotional drama.
So, she jumped in and organized her Linen Closet for a few hours.
And something shifted in Beth.
There was no shame in there. No grief. No “what if I need this someday” spiral. Just sheets, towels, blankets, and a couple of extra pillow cases.
She folded. She sorted. She made decisions.
And it lit her up! 🔥
You could see it on her face. This was the first time that organizing felt empowering, instead of defeating.
That one tiny win cracked the door open. And then she kept going.
She organized her junk drawer. And then the kitchen cabinet. Then she unpacked the boxes in her garage from her last move.
This is what I call “Gateway Clutter.”
It’s the clutter that doesn’t fight back. The easy stuff. The neutral stuff. The stuff that feels like a quick and easy win.
It doesn’t have to be a linen closet. It could be:
- Your junk drawer
- The door of your fridge
- A spice rack
- Your sock drawer
- The glove compartment in your car
What matters is not where it is. What matters is how it feels.
If doesn’t feel heavy, complicated, or emotionally loaded…that’s your gateway clutter.
Because when you’re stuck, you don’t need to tackle your hardest clutter in order to “earn” getting organized.
You just need a win. 🏆
It helps you remember who you are and what you’re capable of.
What’s your gateway clutter? What space could you work on this week that won’t make you want to cry, scream, or binge scroll?
Comment below and tell me one simple win you could give yourself—just to get started.
Because this is where your power lives.
Not in pushing harder. Not in shaming yourself. Not in waiting until your whole life is “figured out.”
But in taking action today, that leaves you feeling like the powerful, incredible being you are.
You’ve got this, and I’ve got you.
