Craving Empty Space

Culturally, or, perhaps, familially, spaces were filled. If you had a flat surface, it needed something on it. A table had a centerpiece, a shelf had decor, countertops held all your kitchen things at the ready. If you had wall space you put up an art piece, or a clock, or family photos. If you had an empty corner or nook, you bought something at a garage sale to fill it: a doll, or knick-knick hutch, an old piece of whatever antique neat-looking thing you could display. Under beds and under sofas were just opportune real estate to store more things. I brought that same lifestyle into my own little home. At first, we had very little and I was eager to fill the spaces. What I had didn't balance well with the rooms and the empty spaces seemed awkward. I tried filling them with whatever I could find inexpensively that I liked, but they didn't necessarily fit the spaces well. Over time, I managed other more aesthetically pleasing pieces, but, eventually, I just ended up with too much, and everything filled. I craved empty space, again. Empty space allows not only your mind, but your house to breathe. Empty space can help balance a room. Even behind closed doors, empty space brings a sense of calm and order to your life. No one likes the avalanche of tupperware when they open the cupboard doors. No one likes jammed drawers. Closets become musty if they are over-stuffed. I've been working on empty spaces in my little home, and as more empty space emerges, the better I feel. My house even smells better! It looks neater. My family is more relaxed. Cleaning up toys isn't as overwhelming or stressful. It feels brighter and more airy instead of dark and cluttered and stuffy. My goal is to clear off my kitchen counters and have less on them. Our most-used entrance comes right into the kitchen and it just makes the whole house look unkempt when the kitchen is cluttered. Cluttered countertops makes washing dishes and preparing meals more overwhelming and more of a chore because I have to "move messes around" just to make another mess. As I finish up my kitchen redo, I've decided to avoid wall decor as much as possible. I want that empty space. My large hutch top is decor enough, and practically so. The space is too small and kitchens too easily cluttered as it is an active workspace to have useless decor adding to the clutter and breaking up the line that draws the eye.