'It's a closet, not a show pony' – how embracing the Japanese value of Wabi-sabi finally cured my organizing anxiety

A gray painted free-standing closet in a white ship lap entryway, beside a matching shoe bench with drawer storage, and a wall rack with coats hanging.

We live in a time of comparison. With social media, I find it hard not to compare almost every aspect of my life to someone else's – and this is especially true when it comes to my home.

For a long time, I felt like my home was a mess if there was even a single sign of life left on the counter or coffee table. No matter how much time and money I poured into organizing, it never felt enough.