Kick the Clutter

SAY IT WITH ME... "It is OKAY to have empty space in a home." Blank walls and empty corners can actually work to make a space feel larger. There is nothing worse than a room that makes you feel as though breathing might knock something over. Give yourself a little elbow room. You can express your style without making your home seem as though you're being invaded by knickknacks. The flow of a room is lost when there are too many items.

So here is our I.O. METRO Tip: LEARN TO EDIT. For example, remove everything from your mantle. One at a time, place select items back on it. Donate, give away or relocate the extras. If you cannot part with your collection, by all means keep it, just rotate the items on display. Trust us, you'll feel a lot better and you and your guests will breathe more easily too.

If you need a little more direction, below are the ARRANGEMENT BASICS from THE NEST HOME DESIGN HANDBOOK.

Rooney, Carley. The Nest Home Design Handbook. Clarkson Potter: New York, 2008.