One of the things about happiness that continually surprises me is the degree to which, for most people, outer order contributes to inner calm, and inner self-command. I write about this connection in Better Than Before, in The Happiness Project, and in Happier at Home.

This connection fascinates me; in the context of a happy life, a crowded coat closet or an overflowing in-box is trivial, and yet such things weigh us down more than they should.

That’s why I follow habits like making my bed and the one-minute rule, and why one of the most important strategies of habit formation is the Strategy of Foundation.

But as a friend reminded me, it’s also important to have time for serendipity, for the unexpected — to make room for a little messiness in our lives.

Someplace, we need an empty shelf. And someplace, we need a junk drawer.

Agree, disagree? Do you have an empty shelf, a junk drawer — or both?

If you want to see the video where I show my empty shelf, just email me, and I’ll send you the link. The image posted above is another empty shelf I maintain. I do like an empty shelf!