I opened up the New York Times this morning to see the story Into the Closet, about “America’s obsession with putting its house in order.”
The piece explored people’s new interest in fixing up closets, and the very high-end features some people incorporate: fridge, love seat, super-fancy cabinetry, even meditation areas.
Featured in the story were Visual Therapy closet consultants, Joe Lupo and Jesse Garza. I got that thrilling brush-with-fame feeling; I met those guys! (May 2) They do have fantastic ideas about how to improve your closets.
I confess to being a zealot on the topic of closet clutter. In the context of the sublime subject of happiness, it may seem a superficial concern, but it’s not. Every time I’ve brought order to my rooms, I’ve brought calm to my mind. (I’ve been trying to devise some catchy apothegm for this observation, but no luck so far.)
However, no one needs fancy features or a closet “system” to reap the benefits of order. You don’t have to spend a dime—except on garbage bags.
Every time I’ve pared down my stuff, I’ve felt great, even when I was using bent wire hangers and collecting dust bunnies on my closet floor. I’ve upgraded slightly since then, but still no fridge, no window with a view, no lingerie island, no consultants—nevertheless I have the ecstasy of the orderly closet.
