Messy Monday -> Makeover Monday: Closets are NOT a Magic Portal

Closets Are Not Magical Portals

Some people believe in unicorns. Some believe in Bigfoot. My kids? They believe closets are magical portals where messes disappear forever.

If I tell my crew to “clean up the living room,” I know exactly what’s going to happen. Ten minutes later, the floor looks decent, but the closet? It’s bulging like a suitcase on vacation. And I can always tell when I’ve been tricked because the closet door won’t shut all the way. You know the look—where you open it just a crack and a soccer ball, a sweatshirt, and three Happy Meal toys come tumbling out like a cartoon avalanche.

The best part? My kids genuinely think this is a solid long-term strategy. Like I won’t eventually notice that the basket of folded towels is wedged behind a Nerf gun and somebody’s art project from 2019. Newsflash: I always notice. (Mostly because I’m the one who eventually digs it all back out.)

And let’s be honest, I’m not entirely innocent here either. When company’s coming in 15 minutes and I don’t know where to shove the Amazon boxes, guess where they go? Yep. My space. Apparently, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

So no, closets are not magical portals. They are booby traps I set for myself every time I try to stay sane in a messy house.

But hey, at least the living room looks good—for now.

Quick Clean Tip From an Imperfect Mom of 6:

Instead of letting closets become the “junk drawer of the house,” try putting a labeled basket inside for those last-minute “dump it and hide it” items. That way, when you go back to sort, at least it’s all in one spot instead of buried behind winter coats and soccer cleats.