The corner called. We moved the desk and claimed the whole damn room.

Let’s talk about expansion, capacity, and taking up space.

When I was thinking about leaving my corporate job to try on a new career and call in different opportunities, I started the transition the only way I knew how—by piling more on my plate. A real estate licensing course. A yoga teacher certification. A coaching program. And I kept all of my other responsibilities, including my full-time job as a furniture consultant.

As a self-described plate filler, my plate was overflowing. I was overwhelmed.

One day I was meeting with a friend and telling her how frustrated I was. I couldn’t make decisions. None of my new ventures were taking shape. And I was beyond exhausted. She listened and simply said, “Well yeah. Your life is like a pie. There are only so many slices that fit in the circle. You have to eliminate one to add another—not stack slices on top of slices.”

What an excellent metaphor. So excellent, in fact, that it’s now made it into this newsletter and continues to be a story I come back to whenever I feel myself slipping into that same old pattern.

When I started working with my own home office, I knew I needed to create space for ideas to land and expand. Literal blank space—on my desk, my shelves, my walls. I moved a large piece of furniture out that was crowding the room, and I shifted my desk into command so I could see the entrance. That also meant I could see any kid on the way to ask for a snack while I was working.

My office is actually our formal living room (who needs one of those anyway), which means I have zero doors. So I hung curtains to create a boundary and give a clear visual signal to my family: this is my work zone. Think of it as a soft stop sign.

The approval you don’t need to ask for: make your home work for you.

We didn’t need a formal living room, so it became the office. The office became the playroom. The formal dining room has had many iterations over the years and continues to morph into what we need it to be. Right now it’s where we do puzzles, pull oracle cards, drink coffee, knock out homework, and chat. We call it the snake room because of the big snake rug in the space—and at one point, it was completely empty because we needed a dance floor.

Do you.

As a feng shui practitioner and Realtor, I see a lot of homes. And as my teacher Amanda Gibby Peters says, “The house has receipts.” When I consult on a home’s energy—especially when someone wants to expand their business, launch a new career, or fully own their power—and it’s not happening, I tend to see the same things show up.

Their desk isn’t in command (they can’t see the door).

Their desk is tiny.

They don’t have a space of their own to take up.

There’s visible inequality in the way space is shared between partners.

And of course, the person craving growth and expansion is usually the one not taking up space.

The metaphors are right there, friends.

Taking up space in a physical way—getting a larger desk, creating a space that is truly yours, facing the entrance while you work, and allowing your self-expression to shine in your design choices—raises your energy. And that creates the non-physical space you need for more capacity, more clients, more alignment.

That heavy lift of launching something new or attracting the right people into your business suddenly feels lighter. More easeful. Because you showed up, and so the opportunities show up too.

I’ve been working with a coach for the past five months, and in our last session we reflected on my capacity—specifically the capacity I once didn’t have. I didn’t have space in my mind, heart, or physical environment. Together, we created it. We peeled back beliefs, set boundaries, and discovered what I need to feel my best.

Looking back at how far I’ve come—what I can take on, what I can handle with ease, what I can say no to—I’m floored. Intentionally making space for what does align because I now have the capacity? Life changing.

So if you’re curious about whether or not you’re taking up space in your home or office, ask yourself these questions:

1. Can you see the door from your desk?
If not, can you move it so you can? Even if it feels awkward or takes up more floor space, give it a try for nine days and see what changes.

2. Are your surfaces covered in papers, projects, and lists?
Edit what you can. Recycle, check things off, and start to make small stacks. You don’t have to put everything away, but create blank spots for ideas and opportunities to land.

3. Does your space reflect you?
If I walked into your home office, would I know it’s yours? Sprinkle in a few objects, colors, or pieces of art you love. Don’t keep them hidden or contained in one area. Let them live all around you.

4. What’s on your calendar?
Are there meetings, check-ins, or tasks that feel like obligations but don’t bring you value, joy, or growth? Don’t ghost anyone, but do gently release what no longer fits. And remember—you don’t owe anyone a reason. This is boundary setting, my friends.

And there you go.

You’ve just created physical space, digital space, and creative space so you can take up space.
Now go do something amazing with all that new capacity.