Do not think of it as a mess fixing job. Think of it as 2 jobs. Job 1 is to remove everything existing. I could have that closet empty in less than 3 hours. Job 2 is starting at zero with a clean slate. Does not seem so daunting anymore. I wish I could sustain a living wage by traveling the country doing "hack job system demolition".
"When I eat, it is the food that is scared." - Ron Swanson