Uncluttered closets

Closets are an interesting room in our homes. They’re important and highly functional as they help with our storage. Sometimes they are in disarray and stuffed full and others are organized with labels that have everything in perfect order. But no matter the type of closets we have, we all need them and we all use them. 

How are your closets?

For my family we have both, some are organized and clean while others are a mess. 

What’s interesting about these rooms in our house is that they are hidden; our guests, family, and friends don’t see them when they come over. They’re out of sight and out of mind. Furthermore, we don’t want people seeing in them.

But this blog isn’t about closets, it’s about the deeper areas of our family’s heart and how this part of our lives is huge.

Family is a gift from God and before he established his church, he established the family. This is God’s design and in it are so many vital aspects of our development and impact. However, the place of our greatest joy can also be the place of our greatest disappointment and pain.

The truth is, every family has closets where stuff is placed to be out of sight and out of mind. These are things like unresolved conflict, unforgiveness, bitterness, not talking and so much more. If not careful these closets become stuffed full of incomplete things, and this hinders the family. 

The Bible describes it this way. 

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬

This is why we must have uncluttered closets so we’re clear with ourselves and with each other. Uncluttered closets help build trust to talk, share, and grow together as a family. This is what we all want; therefore, we must reach to have uncluttered closets. 

To have this takes effort and intentionality. It won’t happen by accident and just like our closets at home if they’re going to be organized it’s because we’re going to organize them. It’s on purpose.

So, here are three ways to have uncluttered closets.

1st – Lead by example with vulnerability.

Vulnerability opens hearts and causes true communication to happen. But to have this someone has to step out and lead by example. Waiting for others only delays what needs to happen. 

Families thrive when there is vulnerability because this is where we can be safe and accepted. Parents have the ability to establish this in the home by doing it themselves.

Vulnerability is one of the greatest ways we can have uncluttered closets because it forces us to share what we’re stuffing inside. It opens the door and whatever is in that closet comes out.

To be healed, to trust, to bond, and to grow, we must be vulnerable to uncluttered closets.

Are you vulnerable? I encourage you to be open with someone you trust and feel safe with. I hope this can be your family but for some, it’s not. If that’s the case, I believe you can have it with others and they too can help you in having uncluttered closets. 

2nd – Take responsibility when something is not right.

When we make a mistake, it’s important we take responsibility and make it right. This goes a long way in creating a culture of uncluttered closets.

Conversely, if we don’t take responsibility and let things go, unsaid and unaddressed closets can get full of things that shut down hearts and split families. Unfortunately, this happens way too much and we must resist this and take responsibility when something isn’t right.

Silence and not addressing the obvious is a recipe for cluttered closets that have secrets and messes. This is how people shut down and grow unhealthy attitudes and behaviors. 

We must be specific with our apology and then seek to correct the behavior that caused the issue. The best apology is changing the behavior that hurt the other person. We must say sorry and then work on changing ourselves.

Is there anything you can make right with someone? I encourage you to move through that and take responsibility.

3rd – Always face the pink elephant.

Every family has pink elephants meaning, there are things that everyone knows about, but no one is willing to go there. Strong families, face the pink elephant and conquer it while those that don’t, grow distant and have messy closets.

How silly is it to have a pink elephant in the room but not talk about it? 

This is a pattern that happens way too much and it must be stopped to have uncluttered closets.

There’s no doubt that all of us will face pink elephants, the issue is, what will we do with them?

If we don’t address them, they will dominate our lives and suffocate the love and unity of the home.

If we do address it, we say what the pink elephant is. By doing this we take the air out of it. Then we share how we feel about this and where we’re at. Then we share what we’ll do to move forward.

These steps help overcome the pink elephant and have uncluttered closets.

How are you doing with your closets?

I encourage you, don’t settle for the clutter. There’s something better and God has health, trust, love, legacy, fun, safety, and more for our families.

But, we must be intentional and choose to have uncluttered closets.

Jesus is for your family and the best is yet to come,

PD