Author Topic: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?  (Read 5068 times)

Unionville

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Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« on: October 04, 2017, 02:21:32 PM »
I'm looking for ideas on how to redo my house to have less furniture.  Here's an example of what I mean:  I got rid of my couch and replaced it with a rug for stretching, working, napping.  I keep folding chairs in the corner for guests that may need a chair for sitting.
« Last Edit: October 04, 2017, 06:45:41 PM by meteor »

Ann

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Re: Do you have photos of your furniture-less house?
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2017, 05:17:06 PM »
There was a thread recently in the Welcome and General Discussion section about having a traditional bed/mattress or not.  If you are truly trying to minimize furniture, I would look through that for ideas.  Beds do take up a lot of space and some people are willing to have roll out mattresses that can be put away during the day.  I hope the link below works.

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/i-only-sleep-in-a-bed-so-i-can-sleep-with-my-wife/

I live by myself in an apartment and therefore I never bothered to get a kitchen table.  I have a fold out card table for when I want to do puzzles or eat a nicer meal with a guest, but otherwise I just eat on off a small coffee table stand by my couch.  If you get rid of the couch, bed and table that seems to be most major furniture.  What type of furniture do you have?
Desk?  Chest of drawers?  Book shelf?

By the way: I'm not sure how well the title of you post matches the content.  If you are looking for ideas to minimize furniture, then I would put that in the title.  More people would click and respond.  Unless you just want people to post photos . . . but it doesn't go in to that in your actual post.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2017, 02:05:33 PM »
I like having couches and chairs, but one thing I did that I ended up loving is getting rid of the coffee table and full-size end tables.  Basically, for minimalism, you want to get rid of any horizontal surfaces, as they tend to just collect clutter.  Or not even clutter, for some reason if there's too much empty horizontal surface, people feel the need to purposefully put something there.  Just get rid of the horizontal surface.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2017, 02:21:41 PM by RyanAtTanagra »

Cassie

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2017, 02:09:26 PM »
Then where do you put your drinks and other items if you have no tables?

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2017, 02:20:10 PM »
Then where do you put your drinks and other items if you have no tables?

My mouth? ;-P

On the floor.  Or, on one side of the couch there is a small table (emphasis small, small enough that if you put anything on it then it can't be used for a drink).  On the other side is a small, narrow bookshelf (I minimized books too) with one shelf kept clear so you can put a drink on it as well.

Edit: Oh, edited my original, I got rid of full sized END tables, not all tables.  Although actually, I don't own any tables, because it's a small one-bedroom and there's a big bar separating the kitchen from the living room that acts as the eating area.  If I didn't have that I would have a dining room table, though I do have mixed feelings on those as they tend to rarely get used to eat on and also mostly just collect clutter.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2017, 02:23:12 PM by RyanAtTanagra »

NextTime

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2017, 02:35:37 PM »
We eat at our kitchen table every night. Our formal dining room has basically been converted to a playroom for the kids.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2017, 02:42:32 PM »
It's funny, we talk about not getting more house than you need, like a guest room that only gets used a few times a year, but we never say the same thing about a dining room, which for most people I know gets used about as often, when entertaining guests, and really if the dining room wasn't there, they'd find a perfectly adequate solution (kitchen table, eat outside).  That's another whole room in the house that often goes to waste that we pay for.

Cassie

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #7 on: October 06, 2017, 02:45:38 PM »
If I put my drink on the floor my 3 dogs would be enjoying it:))  The puppy would also chew anything at his level. WE have just a work kitchen so use the DR all the time. But if you have a big eat in kitchen then you certainly don't need the DR.  The thrift stores will not even take DR hutches/china cabinets because young people are not into that stuff and are  not collecting anything.   I see that as a good thing.

NextTime

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2017, 02:48:50 PM »
It's funny, we talk about not getting more house than you need, like a guest room that only gets used a few times a year, but we never say the same thing about a dining room, which for most people I know gets used about as often, when entertaining guests, and really if the dining room wasn't there, they'd find a perfectly adequate solution (kitchen table, eat outside).  That's another whole room in the house that often goes to waste that we pay for.


Problem is finding a house that doesn't have a dining room, in the area/school district we desired. I could have done without.

Cranky

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2017, 03:35:13 PM »
Well, my little old house doesn't really have a dining room, and I think it would be quite nice to have one.

We have a "front room" which was originally the living room, but now is mostly books. We do have a dining room table in there where gets used mostly as a desk.

Then we have a "back room" which was added on to the house, and that's now the living room. Since we remodeled the kitchen we do have a counter that we eat at pretty often, but it never would have worked when there were 5 of us.

The thrift stores here have plenty of dining room tables and hutches - that's where I got my dining room table.

Cassie

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2017, 03:45:02 PM »
They will take the tables here because they can sell them but won't take the hutches because no one will buy them. I found this out when I was helping a friend downsize. We tried to donate a beautiful china cabinet that was solid wood and in perfect shape.

RidetheRain

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2017, 03:47:44 PM »
I use some very nice TV trays for pretty much everything. I bought two from Bed Bath and Beyond for $20/ea. It appears that they don't sell them anymore or I'd link to them. They are "oversized" for tv trays, but I use them as end tables, laptop stands, extra counter space, night stand, and to just hold stuff wherever I happen to be standing. I've gotten rid of all other non-essential tables in the house so there's just these, the kitchen table, and the home office desk for the SO that works from home. The coffee table was replaced with a small ottoman for putting your feet up which was the main purpose of that particular piece of furniture.

jennifers

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2017, 09:16:20 PM »
I recently got rid of my box spring and bed frame. I built a 30$ platform bed thing from a plan I found online.
I don't have a kitchen table. I just eat on the couch or in bed.  I turned my dining room into a room for my foster dogs.

katekat

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2017, 03:43:15 AM »
I thought I wouldn't have anything to add to these tips because my flat doesn't have much of an aesthetic, minimal or otherwise, going on. I would rather have more stuff but not enough to spend the money, and I'll take most things going free!

But when I saw this
Then where do you put your drinks and other items if you have no tables?

I realised I do have one piece of furniture pulling more than its weight, and it's this:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/chairs-stools-benches/step-stools-step-ladders/bekv%C3%A4m-step-stool-birch-art-30178879/?cid=gb%7Cps%7Cpla%7C%7C%7C%7C

Because it's lightweight, and end-table height, and I don't have coffee tables, I just pick it up and take it with me room-to-room to anywhere I may want to sit and need a surface for a mug of coffee/plate/place to put down a book etc. If guests come round and I give them a drink I bring the stool. It's also my getting-things-from-high places step and the closest thing I own to a ladder for any minor ladder needs, an extra surface in the kitchen if I need to be able to place more things while cooking (don't have much counter space), an emergency dining chair if I have more people than chairs, a footrest, etc. I'm a cluttery person but this doesn't accumulate clutter because I move it too much. It's lasted a good long while, too, I can't remember when I first acquired it but sometime as a teenager so it's at least 10 years old.

Not sure if furniture recommendations are entirely in the spirit of the thread, but this is definitely an alternative to having a coffee table for every room!

former player

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2017, 04:29:52 AM »
 If I were downsizing (I'm not, but I'm sometimes tempted) I would say the minimum furniture for one person to live in comfort is -

a single bed (all that's needed for one person, much easier to manage than a double and quite comfortable when you are used to it) and a bedside table or shelf (you can use a chair for the bedside table which turns into a chair for guests as needed)
a table for eating and working plus a chair to sit at it with
an easy chair plus pouffe/ottoman for sitting with your feet up (plus a second easy chair for guests as needed)

If your home does not have a fitted kitchen and closets you also need furniture to manage cooking and clothes storage, of course.

marielle

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #15 on: October 09, 2017, 04:44:29 AM »
No kitchen table or dining table. We eat on the coffee table or from our laps. I don't have visitors so I guess that's not an issue.

No dresser. I hang everything but underwear, socks, and shorts. Those go in some cloth bags on a clothes hanger or on a $5 fabric shelf. I also put all my bras on a single clothes hanger which is pretty handy. Cons: You need a fairly large closet I suppose.

No nightstand. I use the windowsill, floor, or edge of the bed.

No couch. My roommate has a chair and a recliner. I also have a couple floor cushions which would probably be adequate if we didn't have the two chairs. If I move out I may opt not to get a couch/recliner at all just because it's a pain to move every time.

No office chair. I have two outdoor chairs with metal backs for my gaming setup in my bedroom or for moving to the patio when needed. If it gets uncomfortable I've probably played too long anyway...

Picture below of my dresser-less setup. I don't really need the shoe rack, but it was a gift and useful enough to keep for now.

MayDay

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #16 on: October 09, 2017, 08:23:03 AM »
I also do not have a dresser. I have a normal sized closet (house built in 50's) that is maybe 2-3 feet deep and five feet wide. Most stuff hangs, then I have one of these for socks, underwear, exercise clothes, pajamas:

https://www.target.com/p/6-shelf-hanging-closet-organizer-gray-room-essentials-153/-/A-14914512?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Storage+Organization+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Storage+Organization&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=m&location=9019467&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvOzOBRDGARIsAICjxof-xcVZyedSg8kEdfo2l0OcNu-OIhiedEfEC6a2-XW4oZNfzI3JgzcaAotDEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

We don't have a super mininalist amount of furniture but I try to keep rooms looking pretty sparse. One item I dislike is the coffee table. I want a drink on a side table right by the couch/chair. We have a cheapo 20$ Ikea coffee table in the family room that I think is going to go. Or maybe I'll put it in dd's bedroom as a craft table.

We had two different hutches. I really wanted one because my mom always wanted one and never had one. We picked both up free/cheap, enjoyed them for awhile, then donated. Now I have no desire. I gave all our fancy dishware to Goodwill, too.

We do have an eat in kitchen (small- only 3 people fit comfortably) and a dining room. We tend to use the dining room for board games, art projects, and homework. And we jam in the kitchen for meals so the mess is contained.


AMandM

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #17 on: October 09, 2017, 12:44:04 PM »
Insofar as furniture is used for storage (chest of drawers, china cabinet, wardrobe, bookcases), reducing the quantity of stuff will make it easier to reduce the amount of furniture.

In our previous house, our daughters all wanted to share one bedroom, so they designed compact bed/storage systems: a sheet of plywood supported at each end by shelf units (actually doorless kitchen cabinets). The five of them fit into a 17x17 room.

Each person/household has to find the happy medium between too much furniture (causing problems of clutter and maintenance) and too little (causing problems of inefficiency and hassle).  My galley kitchen is too small for a table of any kind. We eat at the dining table, which was a gift from a dear relative, three times a day.  It's the last piece of furniture I would ever part with.

catan

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #18 on: October 09, 2017, 08:14:39 PM »
I'm looking for ideas on how to redo my house to have less furniture.  Here's an example of what I mean:  I got rid of my couch and replaced it with a rug for stretching, working, napping.  I keep folding chairs in the corner for guests that may need a chair for sitting.

I really like this set up. I've been looking for couch free ideas but nothing yet. Is it comfortable?

marielle

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #19 on: October 10, 2017, 06:21:03 AM »
I'm looking for ideas on how to redo my house to have less furniture.  Here's an example of what I mean:  I got rid of my couch and replaced it with a rug for stretching, working, napping.  I keep folding chairs in the corner for guests that may need a chair for sitting.

I really like this set up. I've been looking for couch free ideas but nothing yet. Is it comfortable?

I mentioned floor cushions above, mine look like this (from Aldi):


Surprisingly comfortable! I thought it would be like sitting on a pillow, but it's a lot better than that. They're much larger and support you better.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #20 on: October 10, 2017, 06:41:51 AM »
I think a thin type of couch might look more minimalistic than a rug and pillows. If one would skip the additional chairs and the large table and just put a small table on the side, that would look quite minimalistic.

I have never had an extra dining table in my house, just the one table that we call dining table and where we always eat breakfast and dinner. But I have noticed that my parents in law have this extra dinner table that they use for serving guest, while they eat in the kitchen the rest of the time. It is very luxuries to have 2 tables in a house.
When we used to receive guests and had a small table, we would just add the garden table and put a nice cloth on it.

Gondolin

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #21 on: October 11, 2017, 09:08:17 AM »
I've found that stacked books with a piece of glass or wood on top makes for a great side table.

RidetheRain

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Re: Your ideas or pictures of how you minimized furniture?
« Reply #22 on: October 11, 2017, 09:39:09 AM »
I've found that stacked books with a piece of glass or wood on top makes for a great side table.

I love this idea!

The funny thing I've noticed about minimizing my furniture usually just means different stuff rather than less stuff. For example, I got rid of a couch that I didn't need which freed up a lot of space - it's great! I feel like I have a whole new apartment. But, it still gets cold and I am a big afghan person. I love the colors and heavy weight of them with the light smell of real wool. So removing the couch meant that the usual spot for them (folded on the back of the couch) disappeared! Leaving them stacked on the floor felt more cluttered than just having a couch. So I got a nice wicker basket with a lid to put the blankets in when not in use.

I'm hesitant to get rid of more furniture because I don't want to feel cluttered when the big hiding spots are gone. Does anyone have tips for keeping places clear and clutter-free with less furniture? The books are just such a great idea!