The Sherbet Closet Reset: How I Built a Spring Wardrobe Without Wasting Money (or Space)

I left all my warm-weather clothes in Guatemala.

I came home with a suitcase full of dirty underwear and zero spring wardrobe. But honestly? The girls in the orphanage loved my clothes—and they’re just clothes—so I left them.

Fast forward to April in New England (where it’s somehow winter, spring, and emotional chaos all in one week).

I started with one thing:
A vision.

Sherbet.

Soft pinks. Oranges. Light, playful, fresh.

And here’s the thing—this is where most people get it wrong:
They shop without a vision… and end up with closets full of clothes and nothing to wear.

“Without vision, people perish.”
Honestly? Same goes for your closet.

Step 1: Start With Vision (Not Stores)

Before I bought a single thing, I asked:

• What’s my vibe?

• What actually flatters my body?

• Where can I stretch a little vs. where I know I’ll feel uncomfortable?

If you skip this step, you will waste money. Period.

I also follow one non-negotiable rule when shopping:

If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no.

That rule alone will save you from 80% of bad purchases.

Step 2: Thrift First (and Shop Smart)

I spent April thrifting—and it paid off.

Plymouth, NH haul:

• Perfect cut-off denim shorts

• High-rise wide leg jeans (torso girlies, you get it)

• A cute spring blouse

I left more behind than I bought—and that’s a win.

At another stop, I scored:

• $175 worth of lounge/sports bras

• For under $30

Immediate upgrade. Immediate donation pile created.

WRJ Thrift Crawl Highlights:

LISTEN

• Ribbed cropped white tee ✔

• Mug, plant stand, game

• All under $10

Revolution (consignment magic)

• Hot pink Tommy Hilfiger blazer

• Tory Burch keychain (yes, it was on my list)

• Birthday cards

Total: $64
Paid: $0 (consignor credit)

The Collection

• Bought nothing

• Still a win

Uplifting Thrifting

• Found amazing Rag & Bone jeans…

• Looked like an overstuffed sausage

Bought them anyway for $10 → will consign → turns into future credit.

That’s how you shop strategically.

Step 3: Fill the Gaps Online

Couldn’t find everything locally, so I went online:

• 4 spring blouses + white leather sneakers
  → under $60 total

Then discovered Depop (thanks to my kid 🙌):

• Found my dream espadrilles

• Creamsicle Nike high tops

Had to exit the app before I spiraled into accessories.

(Still hunting for the perfect statement earrings 👀)

Step 4: Make Room for What You Actually Love

Here’s the part people skip:

I brought everything home…
And my closet couldn’t breathe.

So I got ruthless.

• Winter sweatshirts → downgraded to loungewear

• Anything off-vibe → gone

• Some items → stored for next season

• Some → donated

• Some → consigned

Because here’s the truth:

If your closet is full of “meh,” your favorites don’t stand a chance.

Step 5: Build Systems That Make This Easy

I don’t rely on motivation. I rely on systems.

In my house:

• Donation hamper (clothes)

• Household item box

• Book box

So when something no longer fits my life, it’s gone immediately.

No piles. No “I’ll deal with it later.”

The Bottom Line

You don’t need more clothes.

You need:

• A vision

• Better decision-making

• Systems that support your life

That’s how you go from:
“I have nothing to wear”
to
“I love everything in my closet.”

Your Home Supports Your Habits (And how to make it work for you)

Your Home Supports Your Habits

I’ll say it again, because it bears repeating:

Your home supports your habits.

For better or worse, your home supports your habits.

When I was staring down the barrel of turning 40, I thought it was going to be a milestone in the best possible way. I imagined I’d finally have time for myself. My kids were grown. Life was supposed to be opening up.

Instead, I found myself at the heaviest non-pregnant weight of my life.

And that scared me.

My mom struggled with obesity my entire life. I watched years of poor eating habits, poor self-care, and excuses stacked on top of excuses. I always told myself, that will never be me.

But suddenly there I was. Forty years old, gaining weight, dealing with knee injuries and aching joints that were basically screaming, “Please take off ten pounds.”

For a few hours, I spiraled.

Oh no. This is it. I’m becoming my mom.

But then I had a realization that snapped me out of it.

My mom didn’t get there in a year. Or even ten years. It was the result of a lifetime of habits.

And that meant something important.

If habits can take you somewhere you don’t want to go, they can also take you somewhere better.

I Didn’t Buy a New Life

At that moment, I could have done what many people do when they decide to “change their life.”

Buy the $399 fitness program.
Buy all new workout clothes.
Buy meal prep containers, a juicer, a Vitamix, and every supplement known to man.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I asked a simpler question:

What small changes could I make right now that my life could actually support?

I started with two micro-habits:

• Add fruits and vegetables to every meal
• Work out twice per week for 20 minutes

That’s it.

No dramatic overhaul.
No extreme plan.
Just two small changes.

Guardrails Matter

Building a habit isn’t just about what you start.

It’s also about what you stop.

For example, I love Ben & Jerry’s. Cookies. Brownies. Chips.

And I know myself well enough to admit something important:

If those things are in my house, I will eat them.

Not a serving.
Not a scoop.

The whole pint.

So I stopped buying them.

That doesn’t mean I never have treats. It just means I put guardrails around the person I’m becoming.

Your Environment Shapes Your Behavior

Those small habits required a small amount of effort.

If I want fruits and vegetables at every meal, that means:

• I have to buy them
• I have to prep them
• I have to make them easy to grab

Sometimes that means cutting vegetables ahead of time. Washing berries so they’re ready to eat. Making sure they’re visible in the fridge instead of rotting in the crisper drawer.

Not a huge effort.

Just enough effort to support the habit.

The Workout Problem

Working out had become another obstacle course I created for myself.

My brain had turned it into a complicated process:

• I had to eat 60–90 minutes before exercising
• Then I had to eat again after
• If I sweat, I had to shower
• If I showered, I had to blow dry my hair
• Which meant my workout just tripled in time

It felt impossible.

But then I realized something obvious.

A 20-minute workout doesn’t need that many rules.

The real barrier wasn’t time.

It was friction.

The solution?

Buy bigger sports bras.

That’s it.

When my workout clothes stopped making me feel like I was punishing myself, the whole thing became easier.

Now on workout days, I simply wear workout clothes.

And my home supports that habit.

My equipment lives in one spot. My mat is easy to grab. The space is ready.

No barriers. No excuses.

Systems Make Habits Stick

The same principle applies to other habits too.

Take skincare.

I didn’t become consistent because I suddenly became more disciplined.

I became consistent because I removed friction.

My bathroom now flows like this:

Go pee.
Brush teeth.
Wash face.
Toner.
Serum.
Eye cream.
Moisturizer.

Everything is within arm’s reach.

Night products are in one clear bin.
Day products are in another.

The whole process takes less than five minutes.

And because it’s easy, it happens automatically.

Small Systems Change Everything

This is what I see over and over again when I help people declutter and organize their homes.

People think they have a motivation problem.

Most of the time, they actually have an environment problem.

When your home is working against you, everything feels harder.

But when your home supports the person you're becoming, the right habits start to feel natural.

Not perfect.

Not Pinterest-perfect.

Just supported.

And those small, supported habits?

They’re what slowly change your life.

What Fall Foliage Taught Me About Letting Go

The Beauty We Don’t Always Notice

When I think of New England foliage, I picture the fiery reds, oranges, and yellows spread across the mountains, framed by deep green evergreens. It’s breathtaking, and I feel lucky to see it right from my porch.

But last week, on my 40th birthday, I noticed something different. Driving down the highway, praying and weeping (as I often do on long drives), I was struck by the quiet beauty of the browns scattered among the conifers. It wasn’t the postcard image people travel here for, yet it filled me with joy.

And I found myself asking: Why do the leaves have to die every year?

A Survival Mechanism

Curiosity got the best of me, so I turned to Google and learned a new word: abscission.

As the cold sets in, deciduous trees reclaim nutrients from their leaves, reduce water retention, and gently release the leaves when they’re no longer needed. Those leaves fall, decompose, and nourish the soil. Come spring, new life returns.

If trees refused to let go, if they clung to their leaves year-round, they wouldn’t survive.

A Lesson for My Own Life

That truth hit me hard. I often push myself to stay “fruitful” and productive, even when I’m pouring my energy into things that no longer serve me. But just like the trees, I need seasons of release. I need to return my energy to the roots, to trust that stillness and even barrenness can prepare me for growth that’s stronger and healthier in the future.

Decluttering as Abscission

Decluttering works the same way. We collect possessions with good intentions, but over time they pile up. They become reminders of past versions of ourselves, distractions that keep us from moving forward. They crowd our spaces and our minds.

What if we learned from the trees? What if we drew our energy back to what matters most, releasing what no longer serves us?

And here’s the beauty: when we let go, we don’t just find peace and freedom for ourselves. The things we release can bless and nourish someone else.

An Invitation

Maybe this fall is your season to let go—whether that’s clutter in your home, noise in your mind, or burdens in your heart.

As you look at the leaves changing, ask yourself: What can I release so I can grow stronger in the season ahead?