A cluttered page is like a cluttered closet—you can never find what you need when you need it. The solution is easy. Get rid of what you don’t need and find a way to emphasize the rest. Freeing up some space allows you to leave it empty. Sound strange? Using white space, areas not occupied by any text or graphics, can help your readers navigate the page easier.

You may feel the urge to stuff your page full, especially if you see extra space. But careful use of clean empty space can make everything more readable, by providing contrast to the page. It allows for “resting” space for the readers’ eyes, making the page easier to navigate.

To understand this better, take a look at your newspaper’s classified advertising section. Space is at a premium here—every available space is packed full of words. But this look would be unappealing in a community newsletter.

Ways to “Unstuff”

How can you keep your pages from getting stuffy? Keep these tips in mind as you design your next newsletter.

Increase the space between columns. By slightly enlarging the space that separates columns, you will make the section easier to read.

Give your headlines some room. Allow for some space above and below headlines to open up your page.

Frame your graphics with white space. Make sure that any text wrapping you do is not too close to your graphics.

Use subheadings and bulleted lists. Breaking up your text into sections organizes your message.

Add space between your paragraphs. In addition to indentation, use small spacing between paragraphs. This opens your text up and gets rid of that “crowded” feeling.