The Radical Art of Letting Go (Yes, Even the Hanger Straps)

Do something radical! Let things go...

Today, I did something completely radical. And no, it didn’t require a helmet or a lawyer. But friends, it did take courage.

This particular act of rebellion has been bouncing around in my head for over 15 years. I’ve had full-blown internal debates about it—everything from “Will I need this again someday?” to “This could destroy the entire functionality of the item!” You’d think I was planning a heist, not doing what I actually did:

I cut the plastic hanger straps out of my sleeveless clothes.

That’s right. I did it. I snipped them clean off. And guess what? That little summer sundress is still hanging in there—literally—and the Fashion Authorities haven’t shown up with a citation yet.

Now, I’ve done this sort of radical thing before. A few years back, I removed those ridiculous paper tags from pillows and comforters—you know, the ones that say “Do not remove except by end user.” Well, guess who the end user is? Me. And let me tell you, I have slept like a queen ever since. No more crackling tags whispering in my ear at night like haunted rice paper. Pure peace.

We laugh, but this really made me pause and consider.

How many things do we hang on to—physically or emotionally—out of habit, guilt, or the great big “what if”?

Maybe it's the pile of raggedy towels no one touches unless there’s a household flood. Or the decorative knickknacks boxed up in the garage, waiting for a mythical future home we haven’t even dreamed of yet. Or maybe—just maybe—it’s the mental clutter: friendships that drain more than they fill, social media voices we quietly mute again and again.

I’ve spent the past six months purging the "just in case" from my life. Closets, boxes, inboxes, and yes—even my social feeds. I’ve said farewell to excess things and to excess noise. The result? Space. Peace. A few empty drawers that feel like little miracles. And the emotional lift? Friends, it’s real. It’s significant.

Here’s the truth: we all have hang-up straps of our own—things that used to serve a purpose, but now just get in the way.

Sometimes letting go is a matter of snipping, not struggling.

So go ahead. Remove the hanger straps. Unfollow the chaos. Bless and release the extra towels. Clear your physical space and your emotional landscape. Not with a dramatic toss, but with quiet, deliberate confidence.

Because when you make room, you create the margin to pour your energy into the people, places, and passions that truly matter.

And friends, that kind of freedom? That’s priceless.