How removing hidden friction at home helped me stop racing against the clock

Organized walk-in closet with IKEA Billy bookcase, neatly arranged shoes, neutral clothing, and cream velvet hangers

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Do you know how much it costs me to be late somewhere?

No, not financially — but mentally and emotionally.

I can assure you, the people waiting on me have no clue.

They don’t see how flustered I am walking in.
They don’t feel the pit in my stomach.
They don’t hear the way I’ve already scolded myself in the car.

All they see is that I’m late.

If you struggle with this too, you know the shame that can come with it. The way it can feel like a character flaw.

Like you must not value other people’s time.
Like you just need to “try harder.”

But here’s the thing no one talks about:

Sometimes being late isn’t about time management at all.

Sometimes it’s about friction.
And perfectionism.
And usually, the mental fog from decision fatigue.

Let me tell you about how a night on Pinterest changed everything for me, and how this can help you too.

My Pinterest Feed Knew Before I Did

Let’s be clear — I didn’t know how to address my issue of being late. Everything I tried had not worked.

Then, one night, I was scrolling Pinterest and my algorithm kept showing me beautifully organized spaces.

Closets with breathing room? Saved.
Drawers with only what was needed? Saved.
Bathroom storage that felt calm and intentional instead of crowded? Saved.

It felt like a wishlist of rooms and spaces I’d love to have, but were currently out of reach.

I caught myself saying, “I wish my space felt like that”.

And for the first time in a while, challenging my own thought.

Wait… why can’t it?

And that’s where I have to pause for a second because it’s important that we don’t miss this.

Sometimes the blocker to getting on the other side of who you want to become isn’t discipline.

It isn’t time management.

It isn’t even motivation.

Sometimes it’s just a thought you haven’t challenged yet.

Your Feed Is a Mirror

Why can’t it? I kept asking myself. What exactly was stopping me from having organized spaces?

Oh.

Because I had decided that, that kind of clarity belonged to people who were more disciplined. More intentional. More clear.

As if clarity is something you’re born with — not something you build.

That moment made me confront that sometimes, we are the limiter.

Not because we lack capacity.
But because we’ve accepted a narrative we never stopped to question.

Once I questioned it, here’s what I saw immediately:

There were three main types of spaces I kept pinning —

Bedside drawers
Under-sink organization
Closets

Interesting information that I couldn’t unsee.

If I was craving calm, then I had to face the chaos.

So I walked into my closet.

And what I saw explained everything.

My Closet — Before

Spoiler Alert — I’m super clear that my unorganized closet was directly linked to my tardiness.

And just to be super transparent, the new version of me is completely uncomfortable with the below image.

In fact, perfectionism tells me not to show you this.

It tells me to be embarrassed.

That I should’ve done better.

That I should have recognized the answer sooner.

But I didn’t.

The truth is, trying to hold everything perfectly together is what kept me stuck in the first place.

So, I’m sharing this, because maybe, it looks the same for you.

And sometimes, things really have to fall apart before they come together. And guys, this was bad for me.

Overcrowded bedroom closet with mixed hangers, cluttered floor, vacuum tucked between clothes, and disorganized shelves contributing to daily stress.

My Closet — After

Here’s what it looks like on the other side.

I can’t even begin to explain the level of calm I feel in my closet now.

It doesn’t even feel like the same space from before.

Decision fatigue? Removed.
Clutter on the floor? Cleaned.
The random vacuum hidden among the clothes? Gone.

A closet tailored to the woman I am today? Absolutely.

Sometimes, I just stand there admiring it.
Because here’s what I didn’t understand back then:

Every extra decision was invisibily stealing minutes.
Every “Where is it?” was draining energy.
Every outfit that didn’t fit right was a spiral waiting to happen.

No wonder I was always late.

Neutral wardrobe on cream velvet hangers with folded denim and clear shelf dividers for closet organization

Here are the changes I made:

An IKEA Bookcase – Finally a real home for the shoes I could never find. No more digging. (dupe linked below)
Utilized top shelf storage – Purses up and visible instead of crushed and forgotten.
Cream Velvet Hangers – One height. One color. Instant calm.
Clear Shelf Dividers – I used these to create categories that make sense on the shelf. Jeans. Lounge. T-shirts. Done.
Baskets – Soft containment for the in-between things.
Room / Linen Spray – Because scent changes energy.
Vacuum Storage Bags – The 6-month / 1-year rule. If I don’t reach for it, it doesn’t get prime real estate. It gets six months at the back of the closet and, if not touched after a year, I toss or donate it.
Clothing Removal – If it doesn’t fit the body + vibe I have right now, it doesn’t live here. I can always rebuy. I cannot rebuy peace.

Turns out, once my closet was aligned, getting out the door stopped feeling like a battle. Long gone are the days where I lose time because I can’t find anything.

If you’re rebuilding your own system, here are some of my favorite pieces used:

Under Sink Bathroom Storage — Before & After

Cluttered under-sink bathroom cabinet with mismatched bins, loose products, hair tools, and no clear organization system.

This one won’t take long.

Because once I saw the closet clearly, I knew exactly what to do here.

The area under my bathroom sink was visually loud.

Half-used products.
Makeup tools + beauty/ hair stuff everywhere.
Cleaning supplies.
Things living wherever they fit.

It didn’t feel spa-like at all (which is what I wanted)
It felt messy.

And now I realize how all of these things showed up as “speed bumps” while I was trying to get out the door.

Organized bathroom vanity with labeled clear bins, under cabinet lighting, and clutter-free countertop

Here’s What I Did:

Counter space – Only the essentials live up top. The rest (including my makeup) is now tucked away. This gives spa vibes and introduces the visual calm I needed.
Under cabinet storage – I grabbed this large clear organizer, clear bins/ containers I already owned, and rattan baskets previously gifted to me by my husband. Everything up front is used daily and seasonal or refill products are intentionally stored in the back.

Lighting – Rechargeable, magnetic lights helped improve visibility and made the space feel cleaner…more elevated. No more digging around in shadows.
Labeling – Even though it’s just for me, labels remove the mental load. I don’t have to think — I just follow the system. Also helpful if I’m pointing my husband in the direction of a cotton ball ;)
Child-proof locks - I love and absolutely swear by these. They’re everywhere in our home. Right now, our toddler is used to them, so I can mostly leave the cabinets unlocked. If he starts poking around, I simply flip the lever to lock them. No accidental product exposure. Ever.
Inventory check – I tossed what was expired, half-used, or just taking up space. I can finally see what I actually have…and mama had a ton of duplicates 👀.

Everything has a home now. Skincare together. Hair together. Backups together. No more guessing. No more lost minutes.

Under sink bathroom storage with labeled acrylic organizers for skincare, hair tools, and beauty products

Bedside Drawer — Before & After

When I’m late, there are two things that linger with me long after I’ve returned home and settled in bed:

Stress/anxiety from rushing and actually being late.
Rumination about why I continue struggling in this area and how I hope this does not negatively reflect on my character.

Overstuffed bedside drawer with random items including remote, wipes, book, and miscellaneous products creating visual and mental clutter.

Here’s what a healthier Ambyr knows that I didn’t back then:

Being late wasn’t a time problem.

It was a mental clutter problem.

Decision fatigue is real.

And without restoration, it compounds.

So this drawer?

This is where I interrupt it, restore, and make it easy to take care of myself instead of spiraling.

Minimal bedside drawer organization with skincare, eye masks, cotton rounds, and labeled compartments

Here’s What Changed:

Established parameters – No more catch-all. If it doesn’t support nighttime or morning ease, and/or self-care, it doesn’t live here.
Minimalist swaps – Large containers of products were bulky and took up space. I decanted those into smaller versions (aquaphor, cold cream, chapstick) and opted for soft cotton pads with gentle rosewater that doubles for quick toddler/adult nose + face wipes.
Targeted wellness – I swapped out the large vitamin case and replaced it with a small case of the one vitamin I want to take at the end of a busy day: turmeric. Also added were: face masks, a hair wrap, pillow spray, fragrance, a cleansing foam, and hair clips.
Tech + essentials – A home for glasses, AirPods, remotes, mints/chews.
Essential oils – No longer tucked behind the lamp. They have a home just beneath the diffuser, which makes so much more sense.

And that’s it.
It’s so simple.

The calm gives hotel vibes.

It matches our room.

A beautifully organized closet.

The spa bathroom.

The energy.

But more than that — It feels like a gift that keeps on giving.

Nightstand drawer neatly organized with skincare, fragrance, glasses, and self-care essentials

Before You Go…

Allow me to offer you gentle alternative: Maybe being late isn’t a character flaw.

Maybe it’s friction.
Mental clutter.
Spaces that don’t support who you’re trying to become.

Clearing a closet won’t fix your life.
Organizing a drawer won’t solve everything.

But removing daily obstacles might change how you show up — not only for time-related things, but also, for yourself.

And that, my friend, is a different kind of self-care 🤍

With Love,
Ambyr

The Unexpected Connection Between Clutter, Perfectionism, and Always Being Late