Open Space

One of the challenges I’ve been experiencing as I have been going through closets, cupboards, and drawers specifically — and rooms, in general is newly exposed space: open space! If you’re either a Queen Of Quite A Lot or a Saver Of Quite A Lot, you just might find yourself in a quandary. No, not the first day, not the second day, but a couple of weeks after you uncover OPEN SPACE in your home, your natural tendency will be to FILL it! Fill it back up. Quickly.

Don’t do it. Resist the urge to fill space. Now, I know this advice is probably only applicable to Savers Of Quite A Lot. I know women who do not struggle with this {I know, right?!?!} — open space is natural for them. To them, minimalism is natural or intentional. But it’s not for me. I seem to like to fill space. I fill space wherever I find it. In my home, my closets and drawers, conversations and dinner plates.

In the past weeks I’ve uncovered a lot of open space — it’s been as much a a whole shelf, a whole basket or simply a few inches between items instead of every item touching another on a shelf or in a drawer. It’s seems to me that I’ve been uncomfortable with open space previous to this massive project of eliminating clutter in our home. If there’s ever been a space, I’ve quickly filled it–cluttered it all up nice and tight. To be fair, many times “highly filled and tightly spaced” has been more a matter of necessity than preference. Eleven children = highly filled and tightly spaced farmhouse living.

Open space is refreshing. Really, I just said it! And meant to! It’s been refreshing to have space in my pantry to arrange the food items and see them all well, space between hangers in my closet, and so on. I got rid of a very large oak corner desk that’s been the family hub — just removing the piece of furniture alone created open space! Eliminating about half of my very, very ample supply of crafting, sewing, fabrics, and art supplies created open space. For minimalists, I still do not truly have open space — but for me! I have much open space. There are still areas that are full – but they are extremely organized in containers/drawers and shelves and for me, it’s spacious! In an upstairs storage closet, I have quite a few *empty* plastic bins, baskets and boxes. This is amazing to me! Open space!

My latest mantra has been: Now that I’ve gotten everything all tidied up, pretty quick, I’m going to start getting serious about this elimination of clutter!! ~smile~ After all, I didn’t quit being myself: A Saver of Quite a Lot!