Another lesson in simplicity out of Japan

When helping people declutter, letting go, minimizing, and making hard cuts can be difficult. What if in that same act we could focus on acquiring more of something? We do actually, but maybe we never explicitly saw it that way...

It’s not surprising that I prefer more open, empty space at home than the average person. We only have 1000 square feet with minimal storage, so it would be reasonable to add more storage by way of bookshelves, wardrobes, armoires, etc. I’ve never done it though because of my love of white space. I don’t even like more than one piece of art per wall - at the most. It’s a feeling of openness that I attain with a lot of restraint. 

I felt so understood recently when I learned that there is a Japanese word for this feeling: “Ma.” The concept of Ma is an appreciation for the space between things, not the things. Concept of Ma is at the Heart of Japanese Minimalism at treehugger.com states:

"One way to think about it is in a space that feels chaotic with clutter, it’s not about there being too many things, but about there being not enough Ma."

This photo is from my living room - short on things but abundant in Ma! Intrigued by Ma? Feel like you need more of it? Read Melissa Breyer’s article Concept of Ma is at the Heart of Japanese Minimalism over at Treehugger for a wonderful description of Ma.