I mentioned last week that May and early June are going to be really busy for me with my hubby away, a "limited screen-time" family vacation, and preparing for the Trained Professional Organizer exam.
I asked a few of my fellow organizing bloggers to guest post so I won't be completely overwhelmed and you can still benefit from some great organizing tips! I'm so happy to be able to introduce these friends of mine to you. Please make them feel welcome here :)
Here's the first guest post from my friend Kristin!
When purging and organizing, often times you get to the point where you have empty spaces.
Where does your mind go when you find or create empty space?
Do you right away try to find a way to fill it?
Do you just move items over to cover the bareness of the area?
Do you sit back and enjoy the empty space?
Whatever your reaction may be, I want to ensure you that empty space is not something to frown upon - nor should you right away, try to fill it. Here are a few ideas of what empty space can do:
Empty Space:
1. Gives feelings of satisfaction. When you are in the midst of purging and organizing, one of the biggest stressors is not being able to FIND a place for everything. The saying "a place for everything and everything in it's place" speaks so much truth! When you can finally find a place for everything, and realize you have extra space, to me that is a way that your house gives you a pat on the back.
2. Encourages hard work. In the end, after those long hours of sweat, bending over, a strained back, and dehydration, you see that empty space and realize that hard work does pay off! The timing may not be what you want, but in the end, when the see the job done, you can SAY "a job WELL done!"
3. Promotes Enough. What do I mean by that? In a culture that is consumed with consumerism, it is becoming more and more difficult to say "no" or "enough." Putting limits and boundaries on what we allow into our homes helps us in those moments of weakness. Those moments when you have the urge to fill those empty spaces. Enough is something every person can continue to work on and evaluate. What is "enough" for you? If you have an empty shelf, be okay with it - enough, is enough.
4. Creates a simple life. Living in a home that has lots of empty spaces, may cause you to wonder if you should live in a smaller home. There can be much joy found in living in a smaller home. One of the biggest reasons to live in a smaller home is to prevent clutter. If you don't have the space, the item should not reside in your home. Living a simple life (even with empty space), can be refreshing and renewing.
5. Tells you it's okay to LIVE WITH LESS. You know your boundaries. You know the work it took to get that empty space. Don't allow your family to invade it with the stuff they may not even need. Don't let culture tell you what you need. Empty space says it's okay to have a "void" in life - less clutter means less stress of maintaining items, which means more time for the things you value.
Don't cringe when you find an empty space and immediately fill it with more clutter. Let the empty spaces tell you "it's okay." Let it refresh you and be a constant reminder of the reward of purging and organizing!
Kristin is a blogger over at Organizing Life With Less. Simplifying and organizing have become a way of life for her. Through her blog, she encourages you to find inspiration and motivation to organize your life with less! You can also connect with Kristin on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook , and Hometalk.
Thanks so much for guest posting Kristin! I love the idea of having empty space! It makes me feel less overwhelmed :)
If you'd like to have empty space in your home, why not join us in the 365 Items in 365 Days Challenge?!
Happy organizing!
I link up at these great parties - Check them out!
