diff --git a/desc/optimize/optimizer.py b/desc/optimize/optimizer.py
index f37392d97c..48e016b67c 100644
--- a/desc/optimize/optimizer.py
+++ b/desc/optimize/optimizer.py
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ def optimize(  # noqa: C901 - FIXME: simplify this
 
             # put a divider
             w_divider = 50
-            print("\n{:=<{}}\n".format("", PRINT_WIDTH + w_divider))
+            print("{:=<{}}".format("", PRINT_WIDTH + w_divider))
 
             print(f"{'Start  -->   End':>{PRINT_WIDTH+21}}")
             objective.print_value(objective.x(*state), objective.x(*state_0))
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ def optimize(  # noqa: C901 - FIXME: simplify this
                 args0_for_this_con = [things0[ind] for ind in arg_inds_for_this_con]
                 con.print_value(con.xs(*args_for_this_con), con.xs(*args0_for_this_con))
 
-            print("\n{:=<{}}\n".format("", PRINT_WIDTH + w_divider))
+            print("{:=<{}}".format("", PRINT_WIDTH + w_divider))
 
         if copy:
             # need to swap things and things0, since things should be unchanged
diff --git a/desc/utils.py b/desc/utils.py
index 20d5c00b81..44f744dcb6 100644
--- a/desc/utils.py
+++ b/desc/utils.py
@@ -684,4 +684,4 @@ def broadcast_tree(tree_in, tree_out, dtype=int):
         raise ValueError("trees must be nested lists of dicts")
 
 
-PRINT_WIDTH = 60
+PRINT_WIDTH = 60  # current longest name is BootstrapRedlConsistency with pre-text