Creating Your First Woodland

In MononoMori, create your first digital space and start your journey of healing organization

Page Overview

The Wisdom of Forest Metaphor 🌲

In MononoMori’s world, we borrow the beautiful metaphor of a forest to understand the organizational structure of our physical world:

🏠 Real World        🌲 MononoMori
Room/Area      →     Space (Woodland)     🌞
Storage Unit   →     Location (Tree)      🌳  
Specific Item  →     Forest Fruit (Item)  🍎

This design isn’t just for beauty - it makes item management intuitive, healing, and filled with emotional value.

What is a Space?

A Space is the fundamental unit of your digital forest, corresponding to physical areas or functional zones in real life.

Purpose of Spaces

  • Physical Boundaries: Clearly define different area boundaries
  • Top-Level Organization: Provide a clear framework for item classification
  • Quick Location: Help you rapidly find where items are located
  • Visual Management: Display in beautiful visual form on the forest map

Common Types of Spaces

Organized by Physical Area (Recommended):

  • 🏠 Master Bedroom
  • 🛋️ Living Room
  • 🍳 Kitchen
  • 📦 Storage Room
  • 🚗 Garage
  • 🏢 Office

Organized by Function:

  • 💼 Work Supplies
  • 🏡 Daily Living Items
  • 🎮 Entertainment Supplies
  • ❄️ Seasonal Items

Organized by Usage Frequency:

  • ⭐ Frequently Used Items
  • 🔄 Occasionally Used
  • 📦 Long-term Storage

Creating Your First Space

Method 1: Create Through Main Interface

Step 1: Tap the ”+” button in the top-right corner

Step 2: Select ”🌳 Create New Space”

Step 3: Fill in space information

  • Name: Give your space a meaningful name (like “Master Bedroom”)
  • Color: Choose from 12 beautiful colors to represent this space
  • Icon: Choose an appropriate icon from 100+ SF Symbols

Step 4: Tap “Create Space” to complete

Method 2: Create Through Forest Map

Step 1: Switch to “🗺️ Forest Map” mode on the main interface

Step 2: Tap the ”➕” area on the map

Step 3: Complete space setup in the interactive interface

Advanced Space Management

Space Editing

How to Edit:

  • Long press on a space card in the space list
  • Select “✏️ Edit”
  • Double tap on space in forest map

What You Can Edit:

  • Modify name and description
  • Change color and icon
  • Adjust pinned status
  • View statistics

Space Pinning Feature

What is Pinning?

  • Pin frequently used spaces to the top of the list
  • Get priority display in forest map
  • Faster access and management efficiency

How to Set Up?

  1. Long press on space card
  2. Tap ”📌 Pin”/”📋 Unpin”
  3. Pinned spaces display with special styling in the list

Custom Sorting

MononoMori supports flexible space sorting:

Drag to Sort:

  1. Tap ”⋯ More” in the space list
  2. Select “⚙️ Edit Order”
  3. Long press and drag spaces to adjust position
  4. Tap ”✓ Finish Sorting”

Sorting Logic:

  • Pinned spaces always display at the top
  • Pinned spaces can be sorted freely within their group
  • Regular spaces appear after pinned spaces

Space Deletion and Recovery

Safe Deletion: ⚠️ Important Reminder: Deleting a space will also delete all locations and items within it

Deletion Steps:

  1. Long press on space card
  2. Select “🗑️ Delete”
  3. Read and confirm the scope of impact
  4. Type the space name to confirm deletion

Recycle Bin Recovery:

  • Deleted spaces go to the recycle bin
  • Can be fully recovered within 30 days
  • Permanent deletion after the time limit

Naming and Organization Best Practices

Naming Principles

Clear and Specific:

  • ✅ Recommended: “Master Bedroom” • “Kitchen Storage Cabinet” • “Study Desk”
  • ❌ Avoid: “Room 1” • “Cabinet” • “Stuff”

Include Information:

  • Location info: “Living Room TV Cabinet”
  • Purpose info: “Work Desk (Programming)”
  • Feature info: “White Bookshelf (Three Shelves)”

Personalized Identification:

  • Use emojis: ”🍳 Kitchen” • ”📚 Study Room”
  • Increase recognition and friendliness
  • More vivid in forest map display

Organization Strategies

Small Households (<50 items):

  • 3-5 spaces are sufficient
  • Organize by room: living room, bedroom, kitchen
  • Focus on simplicity and efficiency

Medium Households (50-200 items):

  • 5-10 spaces
  • Subdivide furniture: “Master Bedroom Closet”, “Kitchen Utensil Cabinet”
  • Combine functional zones: “Work Area”, “Recreation Area”

Large Households/Offices (200+ items):

  • 10+ spaces
  • Professional divisions: “Conference Room A”, “Storage Area - First Floor”
  • Hierarchical management: Use pinning to manage frequently used areas

Next Step: Adding Locations

After creating a space, you can start adding Locations within it to store specific items.

Location Examples:

  • Kitchen space → Top shelf of refrigerator, third level of spice cabinet, under-sink cabinet
  • Bedroom space → Top level of closet, nightstand drawer, vanity table
  • Study space → Second level of bookshelf, file cabinet, desktop organizer

Next chapter we’ll learn how to add your first item in a space, making your digital forest truly “grow”! 🌱

Advanced Space Concepts

Space as Living Ecosystems

Each space in MononoMori isn’t just a container - it’s a living ecosystem that grows and evolves with your life:

Character Development: Every space develops its own personality over time Adaptive Growth: Spaces naturally expand and contract based on your needs Emotional Connections: Spaces become emotionally significant through daily interaction Memory Anchors: Spaces serve as cognitive anchors for remembering item locations

Multi-Dimensional Space Organization

Physical Dimension: Real-world room and area mapping Functional Dimension: Purpose-based grouping regardless of physical location Temporal Dimension: Usage frequency and seasonal organization Emotional Dimension: Sentimental value and personal significance

Space Relationship Dynamics

Hierarchical Relationships: Parent-child space structures for complex organizations Sibling Relationships: Related spaces that work together (e.g., kitchen and dining room) Cross-References: Items that logically belong to multiple spaces Flow Patterns: Understanding how items move between spaces

Professional Space Design Strategies

Color Psychology in Space Design

Green Family (Forest Theme):

  • Use for living spaces and daily-use areas
  • Promotes calm and natural feeling
  • Best for bedrooms, living rooms, gardens

Blue Family (Water Theme):

  • Ideal for work and study areas
  • Enhances focus and productivity
  • Perfect for offices, studios, workshops

Warm Family (Earth Theme):

  • Great for comfort and personal spaces
  • Creates warmth and intimacy
  • Suitable for family rooms, kitchens, lounges

Purple Family (Sky Theme):

  • Perfect for special collections and memories
  • Adds mystique and significance
  • Ideal for hobby rooms, memory collections, archives

Icon Strategy for Maximum Effectiveness

Functional Icons: Choose icons that immediately convey the space’s primary function Metaphorical Icons: Use symbolic icons that represent the space’s emotional significance Color Coordination: Ensure icons complement your chosen color palette Scalability: Choose icons that remain clear and recognizable at different sizes

Advanced Space Metrics

Density Analysis: Monitor item-to-space ratios to prevent overcrowding Activity Tracking: Understand which spaces you interact with most frequently Growth Patterns: Observe how your spaces evolve over time Efficiency Metrics: Measure how quickly you can locate items in different spaces

Cultural Perspectives on Space Organization

Eastern Philosophy Integration

Feng Shui Principles: Arrange your digital spaces to reflect energy flow concepts Minimalist Aesthetics: Embrace the “less is more” philosophy in space design Seasonal Harmony: Organize spaces to reflect natural cycles and seasonal changes Balance and Symmetry: Create harmonious relationships between different spaces

Japanese “Ma” (間) Concept

Negative Space: Appreciate the value of empty space in your organization Breathing Room: Allow spaces to have natural pauses and gaps Intentional Emptiness: Recognize that unoccupied space has its own value Mindful Placement: Every item placement is deliberate and meaningful

Troubleshooting Common Space Creation Challenges

Overwhelm and Decision Paralysis

Simplification Strategy: Start with just one room you spend the most time in Progressive Expansion: Add one new space per week rather than everything at once Template Approach: Use pre-designed space templates for common room types Minimum Viable Space: Create basic spaces first, then refine over time

Perfectionism and Analysis Paralysis

Good Enough Philosophy: Remember that spaces can be edited and improved later Iterative Approach: Build spaces in multiple rounds of refinement User Feedback: Pay attention to how you actually use spaces vs. how you planned them Flexibility Mindset: Embrace changes and adaptations as positive growth

Technical and Interface Confusion

Step-by-Step Approach: Follow the creation process one step at a time Help Resources: Use in-app tutorials and this manual for guidance Community Support: Ask questions in user forums and communities Practice Sessions: Create and delete test spaces to build confidence

Your journey into mindful organization has begun with your first woodland space. This foundational step opens the door to a more peaceful, organized, and emotionally connected relationship with your belongings. 🌲✨

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