Public Spaces vs Private Spaces

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This morning as I was tidying up the house, I noticed the growing pile of one of my son's things around the recliner in the living room. While annoyed at the clutter, I realized that as I was gathering other belongings of his in the living room and dining areas, I was tempted to add them to his pile next to the recliner rather than dumping them in his bedroom as I generally do. Somehow that corner of the living room had become "his." I started pondering why this bothered me so much, and in the process, began pondering what the concepts of "public" and "private" spaces mean to me. 

You may be questioning why I am the one gathering his things from around the house. I wondered that too, but I think this also has to do with the fact that he is at work all day today, and my perception of  public and private spaces. Rather than work on my quilt today, I decided to make a (close to) scale drawing of my home as an illustration for the following representation of my thoughts.

In a house where multiple people live, there are public spaces and private spaces. 


Public spaces are those spaces that are shared by all residents of the home, including entry ways, kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, patios, etc. Public spaces contain items that are shared or used by multiple residents. These items include furniture, kitchen utensils and implements, shared electronics and communal books and supplies. These spaces are those that would be exposed in case of company, and should be kept relatively presentable at all times.  (Hence my cleaning up after my son... I want the public spaces of my house to be tidy, and he isn't home to do it right now!)


Private spaces include bedrooms and bathrooms that would generally be hidden from guests. Private spaces contain personal items that are possessed and/or used by one specific person, like clothing, toothbrushes, beds, personal electronics, and other personal belongings.


Some personal spaces are shared. In this situation, personal items should be kept in relative order so as not to become an obstacle or annoyance to others who share the same space. 


In general, personal items should not be stored in public spaces, and public items should not be stored in private spaces. Personal items may be used in public spaces, but at the end of the day, or when they are no longer in active use, they should be returned to their appropriate personal space so the public areas don’t become cluttered. Likewise, public items may be used in personal spaces, but when they are no longer in use, they should be returned to their appropriate public space so they can be used by others as needed.


One exception is the entry way. Here, certain personal items including jackets, hats, backpacks, purses and shoes may be stored. These items must be kept in their designated spaces, hooks, or shelves.


These are my thoughts... What do you think?

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