lil's Profile

Use a daybed / sofabed to sleep, study, dine and entertain.
Store items in covered baskets beneath furniture.
Replace an entire office and all media with a handheld computer - work anywhere at any time.

Vertical storage is claustrophobic and cluttering.
Bureaus, closets, desks, shelving, cupboards and tables may not be needed.
A separate bedroom, office, dining room and living room may not be needed.

Replace all media with a handheld computer.

Create a list of necessities:

Replace all media with a handheld computer.

Living room: Couch, chair, 2 floor lamps
Kitchen: One set of pots / dishes / utensils, table, 4 chairs
Bedroom: bed, pillow, 2 sets of sheets, blanket, quilt, floor lamp
Wardrobe: 2 weeks of outfits stored in a closet, hamper, iron and ironing board
Bathroom: 3 sets of towels, one set of cosmetics

Extra tables and bureaus are not really needed.

We live in a one-room home with a vaulted ceiling, skylights, arched windows, recessed lighting and heated floors.

A luxurious sofabed and equally comfy chair are our only pieces of furniture. We store our minimalist wardrobes and possessions in baskets beneath the furniture. The baskets are easy to transport to the top of the furniture, to pick up the room, to do laundry, etc.

We use the furniture to sleep, lounge, study, dine and entertain. We frequently sit on the floor. We eat with our plates in our laps and study with our computers in our laps. We keep tote bags nearby for a few extra items and to store our computers.

We have a tiny kitchenette where “everything” is stored away. Limited kitchen items are stacked, behind a small set of curtains, beneath the kitchen sink. Eating and cooking utensils are kept in a single basket for easy transport. Rather than a dish drainer, dishes are dried on kitchen towels - towels are then dried on hooks under the sink.

We use a portable stovetop, one-pot recipes, an under-counter fridge and under-counter washer/dryer. Rather than a counter top, large cutting boards are on top of the under-counter appliances. Another large cutting board fits over the entire kitchen sink area - to hide dirty dishes and create a continuous counter area. Our under-counter kitchen has arched windows across the entire working area, which is very pleasant.

In the bathroom, we have a tiny corner sink without a vanity, a shower and large arched window adjacent to the toilet. Towels are stored on hooks over the toilet and also near the shower and sink. Tissue paper and covered cosmetic baskets are stored on the back of the toilet. Shampoo, soap and shavers are stored in the shower. A full-length mirror is on the back of the bathroom door along with a clothing hook.

A washer/dryer makes it convenient to clean our limited linens and clothing at any time. We use the washer / dryer as a hamper. I have a swivel sweeper. I wash windows, walls and floors by frequently rinsing a rag in the sink. I use one multi-purpose cleanser or soap. Buckets, mops and paper towels are not needed.

Our one-room home is "very" spacious - with lots of arched windows overlooking a changing forest and sky. We frequently rearrange the furniture to observe different outdoor scenes. Curtains are not needed. We have a few favorite decorations on the walls or window sills.

We keep folding lounge chairs and a screenhouse in the trunk of the car. We place them in different far-away areas on our property to escape and enjoy picnics. On hot summer nights, we've also slept over several times.

We do not need a separate bedroom, dining room, office or loft. We do not use shelving, cupboards, closets, bureaus, desks, tables or lamps. All media has been replaced with a computer. We shop weekly on our way home from our part-time jobs.

Hope this helps others...

Tips and tricks for tiny homes: http://tinyhouseforum.com/topic.php?id=25

New habits to create spaciousness:

Eliminate tables, shelves, cupboards, closets and a loft.

Store your minimalist wardrobe, linens and kitchen items under a daybed or futon couch.

Use a daybed or couch to sleep, lounge, dine and entertain.

Try a portable stovetop.

Use a computer for all media.

Wall-to-wall carpeting is unhealthy.

Try throw rugs - they can be washed in the washing machine.

To beautify, stand decorative plates and glasses vertically on open shelving.
Try mug hooks beneath the lowest shelf.

Add windows across the entire kitchen counter.
Move the dish shelves to the left of the sink.

For extra counter space, try a large cutting board over a sink or stove.

Store an eating/cooking utensil basket on a deep window sill.
Baskets are portable.

Dry wet kitchen towels on hooks under the kitchen sink.

Try an herb garden in a deep window sill.

Try a small knick knack shelf above a window or door.

After having cancer, my homeopathic physician told me not to expose myself to chemicals.

Just remove the black plastic and stones – let the weeds and grass grow into a lawn without chemical fertilizers.

Rather than an end table, coffee table or bedstand:

Try a floor lamp.

Try a tote bag or floor basket of handy items.