Have you ever felt tense because your surroundings were too cluttered? Have you struggled to clear your space? It’s easy to accumulate too much stuff. It’s hard to keep up with everything life throws your way and clear your space. When you clear your space, you find more peace. When you clear your space, you clear your mind.
A Clear Space Creates A Sense Of Peace
Recently, I spent a little time doing an interior-design project in my home. Although I make a point to live with less, things still felt a little cluttered to me. So I attacked the problem. I got rid of some furniture. I gave things away to a local charity. I rearranged several rooms. I bought a couple of antique pieces that served practical purposes. I wound up with a more spacious home environment.
I know what some of you are thinking: You’re claiming you don’t have the time, energy, or money to do this. Wrong. I’m a single dad. I have a full-time teaching job. I blog. I’m a musician. I write books. I still had the time to organize my home. As for money, I spent about $400 on three pieces of solid, antique furniture. These three pieces helped to open up the space in my living room, and my dining room.
5 Ways To Clear Your Space
- Limit comfort: You don’t have to live in a stark room with one wooden chair and a dangling light bulb. Still, when you limit the amount of big, overstuffed furnishings in your living area, you open up space. I own a small sofa and a small recliner. That’s all. My dining room table seats four, but I only keep three simple wooden chairs around it. By limiting seating, I’m able to create a more open feeling. Check out the pics here.
- Think practically: As I evaluated my living area, I discovered that I had too many furnishings that served little purpose: a side chair, an old rocker, a sewing table, two end tables. I removed these pieces. The chairs took up too much space. Tables tend to gather clutter. I added pieces that helped keep things organized: A large cabinet became an entertainment center. An old music cabinet became storage for sheet music. An old end table with storage took place of the two others. A small writing desk took the place of the sewing table. Each of these pieces found their own unique space: Check out the pics here.
- Open up your floor: The best way to make your home feel more spacious is to open up your floor. I’m not a fan of coffee tables, dining room buffets, or any other furniture that takes up excessive floor space in a small room. It’s also a good idea to keep tabletops clean and simple. Check out the pics here.
- Limit art: I love art. So this can be challenging for me. I make a point to limit most wall spaces to one piece of art. I make some exceptions for larger walls. Each piece of art should either have it’s own space or be part of the flow within the room. Sometimes, two pieces of art work together based on their sizes, themes, or colors. But when you put too much art on your walls, the room winds up feeling cluttered. Keep it simple and clear your space.
- Find the flow: I don’t study feng shui. I do understand the general principle. I just look at each room and try to create flow. Keeping open floor space helps allow energy to flow through your home. My home has a unique floor plan. The hall goes all the way around from the living room to the kitchen. I could run laps inside my house. So my living room needs to be part of that circular path.
Get Comfortable
When you clear your space you’ll find yourself more comfortable and relaxed. If you’re a creative person, you may discover that you begin to have more creative ideas. It’s an amazing, yet simple connection: When you clear your space, you clear your mind.
I encourage you to take some time to evaluate your own home. Does it feel cluttered or stuffy? Does is make you nervous or anxious? Try rearranging one room. Find ways to open up space. You’ll soon discover a more peaceful environment.
