Why Starting Messy Is Better Than Not Starting at All
We often wait until the perfect idea, the right time, or the clean plan appears before we begin. But the truth is: perfect never shows up. Starting messy—whether it’s scribbling half-formed thoughts in a notebook, pedaling out the door without the “ideal” setup, or sketching an artwork that doesn’t look right yet—is what actually gets us moving. The first version doesn’t need to be polished. It just needs to exist.
Embracing My Chaos
I might write this as much to myself as to anyone else reading. I’m naturally chaotic—inside my brain it’s always buzzing. I would love to be more orderly, but that’s not how I work. Over time I’ve learned tools to help me organize, but I’ve also learned to embrace the chaos.
That chaos often feels like its own kind of order. I can usually find what I need in it, and it’s worked out pretty well for me. The hard part is that chaos doesn’t look “perfect” to the outside world. And because of that, I used to wait and wait for the perfect moment to arrive. But it never does.
Piles Over Perfect Grids
So here I am, encouraging you to start messy. Forget those perfect kit grids—they look amazing, but piles work too. (For those who love piles, you know what I mean.)
Try categories instead:
Sleep system pile
Clothing pile
First aid pile
Fix-it pile
Food/snacks pile
Mary Poppins pile (random things that make you—or someone else—happy when you pull them out)
Cooking pile
Did I forget something? Probably. But that’s the point.
The piles can live in one room, or you can place them straight into your bags to see how much space you have left. That way you’ll know early if some of the Mary Poppins things need to stay behind.
Learning From Others (and Myself)
I always admire and sometimes envy people with perfect spreadsheets and day-to-day plans. That kind of precision is incredible. But I’ve learned that isn’t really me.
I’ll happily borrow parts of it, a gear spreadsheet, a rough list of good pitstops, but I also work really well with going with the flow and figuring things out along the way. That adaptability is its own skill, and one I’ve come to value.
Messy Is Human
You might do things differently than society expects, but that’s okay. Nobody actually does things perfectly. And if they claim they do? Honestly, they’re the weird ones.
Starting messy doesn’t mean failing. It means you’re brave enough to begin. The perfect moment won’t show up, but your messy start already has.
