Got a blank space, baby?

In praise of unfilled shelves, drawers, and more.

When you live in a small space it can often feel like there’s no breathing room. So, when Rebecca Enberg, of Your House Machine wrote about the case for empty space last week, it struck a chord. “It’s weirdly relaxing to me to have a half-full drawer. It tells me that even if I add something new, the system won’t break down; there’s room for the unexpected,” she wrote. These words reminded me that I needed to work to get back a little more empty space in my own home.

Our 690-square foot apartment is relatively small for three people, but it was originally designed as a somewhat generous one-bedroom. We turned the dining alcove into what New York City real estate brokers call a “junior two-bedroom” and lost much of that spacious feeling. The kitchen and hallway were reconfigured in an earlier renovation. But there’s one holdover from the 1940s design that remains: The entryway.

At about 80 square feet, our entryway or foyer is as large as our second “bedroom,” and while you might not consider this space a proper room, it takes up a good chunk of our square footage. Up until recently, this has always been a relatively empty room furnished with just a sideboard and a bench with mirrors and art on the walls. However, in the transition after selling the apartment my late father-in-law lived in, it had become a dumping ground. For the last six months it has housed an extra air conditioner, a large box of photos, and a really lovely little table I just couldn’t seem to find a buyer for. Things have been cramped.

When mostly-empty, our foyer flexes to serve many purposes, including a staging zone for my husband’s photo equipment before jobs (and also for packed bags before trips). It has acted as a makeshift shipping center when I have had books to ship during a launch and for day-to-day returns and eBay and Poshmark sales. Over the decade of my son’s life it has been parking for strollers, ride-on toys, and scooters (right now we’ve got a scooter and a skateboard). It’s also where big craft and DIY projects like a dump truck Halloween costume and a banner for my Indivisible chapter get made.

Snapshots of our empty space in use to ship out books back in 2020 and more recently to craft a parade banner.

Having a space at the ready for all of these activities is a lifesaver. It removes so much friction from our daily lives. It also keeps the rest of the apartment from descending into chaos.

Rebecca and I are not alone in our love for empty spaces. My friend Shira Gill, the author of The Life Edit, always keeps one shelf empty in order to have a place for items that temporarily need a home (what a luxury, right?). Likewise, when I was reporting a story for Real Simple magazine, Monica Leed, the founder of Simply Spaced told me that the secret to her zen-like home office is a large basket that she leaves empty on a low shelf, so she can tidy up quickly and for stashing packages she hasn't opened or returned yet. These types of empty spaces allow us to be flexible.

I bet there’s somewhere you might be able to create your own flex space. If you think you can’t, I’ve got a list of easy ideas how to find space below.