My Story: How Clutter, Chaos, and God’s Timing Led Me Here (Pt. 2)

Everything started shifting around 2016. I had no plan to become a minimalist or an organizer. I just knew I was tired feeling so overwhelmed all the time. Tired of feeling emotionally drained by the things around me.

I joined a minimalism challenge and slowly began letting go. Broken picture frames. Clothes I never wore. Things I kept out of guilt. Objects that felt like they represented something I was obligated to honor. And each release felt like a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.

I like to think that was the moment the seed for Ready Set Declutter was planted, even though I had no clue. I was just a woman trying to feel lighter in her own space. I didn’t know that God was starting me on a path that would eventually lead me to help other women declutter not just their homes, but their minds, too.

But that is the way God works sometimes. Quietly and softly preparing us long before we know what we are being prepared for.

I didn’t step into organizing professionally until a friend encouraged me. She was thankful for my help with her space and casually mentioned that I should do this because I was so good at it. That push got me started.

I started helping family and friends casually and kept noticing the same thing; their overwhelm was never about the stuff. It was about the emotional and mental weight sitting underneath it. And for reasons I didn’t understand then, I always knew how to support them through it. That was when I first felt God’s hand in this work. And Ready Set Declutter was born.

Then came January 2024 and my “official” ADHD diagnosis. Suddenly everything clicked. The years of pressure, the decision fatigue, the frustration with my own space and the emotional patterns all finally made sense.

And then came the job loss in July of 2024. My husband and I talked and realized that this wasn’t a loss, but a push. I wanted to bet on myself and with his support, I said yes to Ready Set Declutter full time. Scared. Unsure. But with a peace that didn’t match our circumstances.

Today, uncertainty still creeps up. Slow months trigger fears. But through it all, knowing the support I bring to clients improves their life makes it worthwhile. 

My work looks simple on the outside: declutter, organize, systems and repeat. But the heart of it is healing. The heart of it is compassion.  The heart of it is understanding the emotional and mental layers behind clutter that so many people carry silently.

Every client reminds me of the old Lastree who walked through a garage full of boxes and didn’t understand why her chest felt heavy. I selfishly show up for her too, every time.

I don’t know that I’ve shared my full my story with so many people at one time. At a recent event I spoke at, I was asked if I shared my story with all my clients. But I told her that I usually let God lead me if it’s necessary. 

And lately? I have been feeling that nudge more and more. Maybe because so many women I meet tell me they are tired and overwhelmed. Maybe because we are all trying to hold so much together. But more than anything, I hope my story reminds you that clutter is rarely just about stuff. It holds emotion, history, identity, and sometimes fear. And when we begin to understand that and clear it, healing often follows.

If you are standing in your own overwhelm, I want you to know you are not alone. There is nothing wrong with you. There is nothing to be ashamed of. The weight you feel has a story behind it, and that story deserves patience, compassion, and support.

You deserve a home that helps you breathe instead of one that makes you hold your breath.  You deserve support that meets you where you are. You deserve peace. And if you want someone to walk with you while you create that space, that’s where I come in. 

With love,

Lastree

Founder of Ready Set Declutter

You can read Part 1 here.