Have you ever walked into an overcrowded room and felt totally overwhelmed? Whether it’s a room crowded with people or stuff, I always have a reaction. It actually makes me feel dizzy and unfocused. Too much stimuli puts my nervous system on overload.
I feel the same way about websites. I love it when I find a site that celebrates its’ white space. As humans, we have a tendency to want to fill up the space, even though it’s not the best thing for us. We busy ourselves with stuff management, yet when you find the courage to embrace space it lets us feel expansive and clear. Just because you have a certain amount of inches or pixels at your disposal doesn’t mean you need to use them. People will miss important information if you bury it in too much design.
And white space doesn’t have to be literally white. It’s a state of mind. Simplify the visual clutter and see how easy it is to get your message across.