My Closet Taught Me A Lesson

Dear Cara,

Cleaning out my closet has been like letting go of a HUGE burden. More importantly, it has taught me an important life lesson. 

When I started the project, I was feeling a lot of resistance to letting go of my clothes. I'm guessing that some of them hadn't been sorted through since we moved into the house 22 years ago.

In looking through all the things I'd kept, I realized that clothing which at one time could have been put to good use by someone else had now become old, deteriorated, and outdated. Not only had I not been wearing this clothing myself, but I had kept someone else who might have needed it from wearing it.

This point really came home to me the day I boxed up some of my things and drove them to a women's shelter. A front had blown in that day and it was beginning to get very cold outside. The young woman in charge at the shelter was so excited to get my clothes. She told me that many women come there with only the things they have on.

At that moment, it hit me how selfish I'd been to hang onto clothing which for me, was marginal at best, but for someone else, could have been making a huge difference in their well being. Clothing I had kept for years because "someday I might get the urge to wear it" can now be put to use by people who truly need it.

Cara, I now understand what you meant when you said that changing your space changes your life. It's true! Changing your space really DOES change your life and now I've experienced it myself.

I hadn't been able to affect change in my own life until I interviewed you for the magazine articles I wrote. Your story in "Success For Women" magazine where you talk about the bedroom makeover assignment your psychologist gave you when you were recovering from breast cancer was particularly meaningful to me.

Thank you,

Marilynn Hood

Before I began my project, I took everything out and repainted, even the ceiling and woodwork. I mounted a full-length mirror, which comes in handy for trying on clothes. It also reflects the light, making the closet appear more spacious.

"AFTER" PHOTO OF CLOSET

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