By Michelle Boyle
If you’re a Tiny House Enthusiast, you have no doubt heard about all the benefits of downsizing. And if you think about it purely from a logical standpoint, having less stuff means having less stuff to worry about, store, clean, pay for, and maintain. And that makes sense, right?
Have you ever considered the other things that clutter our lives? Like relationships? If you think about it, our lives start out pretty simple and then get increasingly complex as we mature. With maturity comes relationships and, literally, the same logic can be applied to those as well. The more relationships you have the more people you have to worry about, store (keep a roof over their heads) clean (or, rather, clean up after) pay for, and maintain (can you say “New shoes for my growing son, every three months!?”).
Question: So, why is downsizing our possessions touted as one of the first steps towards an increased emphasis on relationships; if they both yield the same end result?
Answer: Emotions.
Relationships pay us back by enriching our lives. We share with others, and they share with us. We teach others, and they teach us. We love others, and if all goes well, they love us back. Good relationships feed our soul, give us solace, teach us how to be patient, and how to be empathetic.
Does our stuff provide us with peace, solace, and love?
As people enter our lives they bring stuff. We then start to correlate stuff, to people; we assign emotional value to possessions. For instance, we become sentimental about a painting done by our first grade daughter, and we remember an important life event from a printed program or memorabilia. (This is not a bad thing, by the way.) It’s actually an easy and efficient way for our brains to recall that event. The “bad” part, is that we tend to then become indiscriminate about what possessions we assign value to. Perhaps we don’t trust our brains to remember the “important” events? Or perhaps we want to surround ourselves with things to remind us that we are living a fulfilling life?
The key here is not to assign any value to any things. They key is to use discrimination. And that leads us back to the difficult process of downsizing.
Question: If assigning discriminate value to our stuff makes so much sense, logically, then why is it so difficult?
Answer: Because we are forcing ourselves to re-learn to what and whom we should assign value.
(and three bags for donation!)
So, how exactly do you decide what goes and what stays when you’re trying to downsize into a Tiny House?
Frankly, I don’t know how it will work for you. After all, downsizing is so personal. It’s an entirely different event for each person, bringing with it an entirely new set of baggage (mine is in a bin, marked “LUGGAGE”). I don’t have the answers for you, but here are a few examples of the thought processes that have been playing, over and over in my head, for the last few months. Maybe they’ll inspire you to begin your own….
I had two small, handmade, clay bowls. They were both pretty, and earthy, and made by the students of someone with whom I once had a close relationship. I attended a fund raising event where I paid $10, per bowl, to fill it with soup and then got to take home the bowls. One, I used for pencils. The other one sat in the cupboard waiting for a purpose that it never ended up serving. As I looked at the bowls I realized I was keeping them because they reminded me of how giving I was. As I contemplated them further, however, I also realized they entered my life as a result of a relationship which was now a painful life lesson. Not wanting to be reminded of that pain, they were both recently donated to charity.
Good feelings return, lesson learned, now moving on…
I was raised in a less than affluent family. I did not have nice, or trendy clothes. I got by with the basics but, as a foster child, I was happy to have any at all. As I matured (there’s that word again) and earned my own money I spent a LOT of it in my early 20’s on clothes and shoes. Even if I didn’t need yet another white button down over sized shirt, I bought one because it was on sale, or because I COULD. In retrospect, I believe that the difference between age and maturity is understanding the difference between things you CAN do and things you SHOULD do. Nowadays, I don’t have nearly the stuffed closet and dresser as I used to; but the feelings still challenge me when I shop. “I deserve it.” “I work so hard.” “I want to look good, so I’ll feel good about myself.” These are all tough life lessons that reveal themselves in how we view our stuff.
These are the same tough life lessons that we are forced to re-learn as we downsize.
Is your stuff a reflection of who you are? A parent, a builder, a daughter, a son, a mentor, a gardener, or a philanthropic traveler? To what extent do you rely on things to remind you of who you are, or are your things on display so others will believe that you are, who you want them to believe you are?
Think about it this way. If you have a 12 foot long wall, full of pictures of your children and grandchildren, does this make you a stellar parent? Or does it reflect more on how you wish others to see you? If you have exercise equipment gathering dust, is this a reflection of the healthy person you want to see yourself as? Can and should you, instead, assign that same sense of identity to a pair of running shoes?
While sketching my elevations, I realize how very tiny my Tiny House really is!
Downsizing is really, really, really, difficult. It is sometimes not quite as easy as the “one bin for donations, one bin for keeps, and one bin for garbage” process. The process of even deciding that you want to, and need to get rid of, the emotions you assign to your stuff, and embracing the mental roadblocks; is what keeps most people from even considering a Tiny House.
After all, where would they (or you) put all their (or your) stuff?
My “stuff” (which is a rather thoughtless and crass description of the treasures that will be left) will be creatively and proudly displayed, and some of it may be stored. But in either case, they will be cherished and/or cared for, and a far more clear reflection of both myself and the relationships I have built along the way of building My Empty Nest.
My Tiny House and everything in it will be a reflection of who I am to myself, and nobody else. And yes, that’s a good thing!
Michelle is an outgoing single mom, published author, speaker, patented inventor, blogger, craigslist stalker, enthusiastic Glamper, and Northwest native. Her interest in all-things-tiny-and-old started when she was only 12 years old when she became fascinated with a tiny abandoned farm house near her parent’s home; and she’s been sketching floor plans ever since. With pencil and graph paper in hand she’s more than ready for the next phase of her life. Her Tiny House, aptly named “My Empty Nest”, is the culmination of a life spent dreaming of a tiny reclaimed space, all her own.
Facebook Page Link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Empty-Nest/494081560700467
Blog link: mytinyemptynest.blogspot.com
Thank you for sharing some great insight into how difficult it can be to downsize and get rid of ‘stuff’ that can otherwise be cluttering up our life’s space. Really excellent article.
Thanks!
It goes in a storage locker until you decide you just can’t get by in 200 sq ft and put it up for sale. 400 sq ft is a nice starter size for home and if you really want smaller space and mobility, I would suggest you look at full-timing in an RV.
Thanks for your thoughts. I have a vintage RV that I revamped last year. It’s very cool and fun to take Glamping. There is something, however, very challenging and fun about designing a house from scratch. I can’t do that with an RV.
Actually you can! I designed a tiny house barn and had a contractor who builds park model RV’s to manufacture it for me 🙂 check it out on my blog: farmlessbarn.blogspot.com
PS-My nest isn’t empty 🙂 lucky you!
Good, thoughtful article. My husband and I are in a protracted process of downsizing; protracted mainly because both of us have grown up identifying the amount of stuff with our self-worth and security. It IS a hard process, but for anyone thinking about it and afraid to begin, I can tell you from personal experience that I honestly can’t remember the majority of the stuff we’ve already let go of. And the things I do remember, I am happy that they are out there hopefully bringing a smile to someone else’s face and being useful to them.
We still have a ways to go, and still no Tiny home to move into to, but we are on the path and it seems right.
I would add to the part about relationships that as a Christian it also helps me focus more on listening to what our Creator wants me to do, rather than worrying about bills, work and money in general. Which is exactly why we are getting push-back from our federal and local governments: people not working and paying the associated taxes are a scary idea to them. Be very aware of people who want power in your area that talk about “green spaces”, “environmental stewardship” and “carbon footprint”. These people are cloaking the push for power over us by hijacking the environmental movement. We’re all just supposed to live in little drab boxes in the cities. As a country gal, that is my personal idea of Hell. Just be aware of this when you watch the zoning going on around you and vote accordingly and raise your voices for Tiny House parks and communities. God bless!
One step at a time. You’ll get there! (though I have to admit that my process of downsizing is easier since I don’t have my significant other’s stuff to worry about.)
Really good article. Sometimes downsizing feels like you are betraying the ones you love by not keeping every tiny thing they gave you or made for you. When my husband and I divorced years ago, I was forced to downsize as I was basically living out of a suitcase while trying to get my
feet on the ground, and I was determined not to move in with one of my children. I divided all my memorabilia into four white boxes, put a bow on each box, and did the same thing with all the family Christmas tree decorations, and had a party with my kids where they got to go through all the things they had made since they were tiny children, and all the souvenirs they had saved from trips, medals, awards and certificates they had gotten. We laughed until we cried at some of the crude drawings and at angry notes that they passed back and forth when angry at each other. We were reminded of all their wonderful achievements, and in the end, they were able to keep what was precious to them ad what they wanted to show their own children, and they got to use the Christmas decorations on their own trees from that point on. I had downsized, but not in a way that felt like I had abandoned my children’s precious memories, and when I visit them, I still see those reminders being enjoyed by my grandchildren. Thanks again for this article. A reminder of how good it is to let go of the past sometimes so we can move into the future.
Thanks, Marsha. I have been going through all of my belongings, touching every little thing. And for the stuff I’m keeping, but won’t fit into my Tiny House, I’m putting it all in labeled flip-top bins. When the kids move on, I’ll divide the bins between them. “Who want the AUTO STUFF bin?” “Who wants the CRAFT STUFF bin?” Then I’ll always know where to find them if I do, ever, need the contents therein. Downsizing won’t be terribly burdensome for me since our curently house will being literally divided into 3 households!
Michelle Boyle, wow what a thought provoking article. Good Job!
Thank you for the kind words!
Thank you Micelle – as I start the process it’s nice to hear from someone in such a mindful way.
You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it.
Boy, have you hit the nail right on the head. George Carlen, a satirist of long ago said the same thing. we need stuff to keep our stuff in etc. etc. this is a life altering piece that you have written for all of us to digest and ‘really’ THINK ABOUT. great job. mind searching and soul searching, really JUST what, and whom, are we trying to satisfy with all our stuff?
The answer is different for every person. I look at others in my life and I can now see, more clearly, the issues behind their stress as reflected in their stuff. Thanks for your feedback. Oh, and I love George Carlen!
Oh those well meaning people that give you items that clutter up your life. Way back when I first lived without electricity I was annoyed and amused to receive all sorts of electric gadgets (toasters, blenders, etc)to “help” me get started. I was so worried about being gracious and grateful for the gifts. Now I’m a lot more honest and just say that I don’t have room for things when somebody gives me useless little decorative items or other things that don’t suit.
I do have electricity now but having a tiny place is a great reason to refuse unwanted objects without hurting people’s feelings.
It sounds like you know how to set boundaries. Good for you. I still need practice with that.
I moved from a 3 bedroom house to my tiny house. There was a mass amount of purging to be done. Some times I wonder where things have gone that I used to have, they were purged, 🙂 I have everything I need and for those of you that love your pictures of kids, family, grand kids, what have you.. print them in calendars, place mats, pillows.. I love my photos of my family people and so on and that is the thing that I miss the most. My tiny house is a whole 8×16 so there isnt much compared to what was in my bigger home but its easier for sure and I am just as or more so content as I ever was in my other houses… 🙂
Some one mentioned all the pictures of family …. Since I am in the process of trying to downsize AND I was tired of hauling all my special family photo albums to the basement everytime there was a threat of severe / tornadic weather I finally started putting my pictures and famly histoy together into family history books that I am publishing thru Blurb.com for my extended family members. Have especially enjoyed seeing the photos that my aunts have kept of their grandparents, etc. Now they are all in one place and other family members can buy a copy of the book if they wish. One these are completed, I will then give my children a chance to ‘ravish’ all the photo albums for particular photos they wish to keep for themselves. Freedom!!!
Love to hear all these stories about how people find freedom and peace. Very inspiring!
I haven’t gotten to my photo pile yet. I have 13 large albums and 2 flip top bins worth. Sigh….
I loved your thoughts. I am going to share your article for different reasons, but the first being my 89+ year old mother who recently downsized from 1600+ sq ft to a 400 sq ft home. She saved all those old things (dishes, furniture) from generations past as their ‘caretaker’ and has been having a hard time with the process of letting go. I am curious as to how your article will enlighten her. Really made me think. Thank you.
You’re welcome. Happy to help!
“If you love something, let it go.” Great article. I never kept anything of sentimental value from my daughter or my grandchildren. I am, she is, they are. That’s enough for moi.
Thanks, Beverly!
It took a long time to realize everything I had, had an imaginary string from “it” to me. The more “things”; things like toys, gadgets, emotions, hurts, heartaches, and yes even people, were pulling me, binding me, and choking me, I decided to take a pair of imaginary scissors and cut the strings. What a relief; what freedom! And for the things you just don’t think you can part with? Take a picture and put it on the wall. You then have them, but you don’t.
Great idea to take photos. I haven’t thought of that…..
I really like your article and think it gives one much to consider. I agree with you that downsizing and purging stuff is a very personal issue. I also feel that so many people are turned off to living in small or tiny homes because they do use and enjoy their “stuff” and feel forced to purge way too much stuff in order to live in a tiny home. I have encouraged those who are considering moving into a tiny home to not feel they have to keep only those things that fit in a tiny house. I love to change out decor, including furniture pieces, fabrics, dishes, and pictures or art every now and then. I also still love to up cycle new found items and shop for great vintage pieces to use in my tiny home. I think it is also important for tiny home dwellers to realize they do not have to get rid of things that do nothing else but evoke a fond memory or make them smile. There are options for those that want to create them, yet live in a tiny home. One can have a storage shed like I do that is larger than my tiny house so you can rotate in seasonal items, store your sporting equipment, art projects, seasonal wardrobe or other stuff. This is a realistic option for those who don’t desire a minimalistic lifestyle or for those who would get bored looking at the same stuff in such a tiny place year in and year out. I think it is important to realize that not all tiny house dwellers fit into the same “box” so to speak. And while I read stories about how wonderful it feels to purge oneself of years of stuff, I still love to go out and shop for that perfect new treasure for my tiny house. The good news is that there are no rules for tiny home dwellers except county or state codes. I am definitely not a minimalist nor would I ever strive to be. However, it works well for some.
I really can appreciate your article and think it will be helpful to many. You made some great points.
Thank you for your thoughts. The more I consider what I’ll have “left” I do think I’ll need a teeny house on wheels also for storage ( of my shoe collection!?) or a shed nearby. You’re right. No rules! Lol
Thank you for a much more thoughtful exploration of getting rid of things. I’ve googled it once in a while in hopes for inspiration only to find repetitive & obvious suggestions (however well meaning) but never anything that spoke to me. And loved the thoughtful comments on here as well. I’ll keep trying to sift through my belongings and hope to let go of much leaving more light, time and mostly a lighter spirit. ???? ????
Maybe try the “minimalism game” for two weeks? Day one, get rid of one thing, day two, get rid of two, etc…..
Those question marks were emojis. I just learned not to do that. Oops.
Downsizing is a major challenge, particularly emotionally. Last year I moved to the US from the UK. My American husband to be had furniture etc and I had a two bedroom house of stuff. It took a year to get this down to 3 1/2 cubic yards of things for shipment and two large suitcases which flew out with me. I brought 3 pieces of furniture with me. The only brand new item I had ever bought, and had invested in heavily and two inherited pieces. There are a couple more still in the UK to ship at some later date when our new life becomes more settled. For me the hardest decisions revolved round my collection of books. It was relatively easy to strip out those light beach reads but after that it got a lot harder. I think I eventually went through the remaining collection 5 times over that year. I still shipped 6 boxes of books. also 4 boxes of craft things, including a dismantled spinning wheel. 4 boxes of tools and equipment (yes I am a girl who DIYs) and some relate to my profession as an archaeologist. The whole process was fraught with tears, tantrums and stress as I gradually reassessed what was actually important to me. If my husband and I ever decide to move back to the UK my lovely husband will have to go through the whole emotional experience too.
I wish everyone going through this downsizing process for whatever reason all the very best. In the end I found it quite a liberating experience and I am happier in my life now as I can see more clearly what I would like and what I actually need. Good luck to you all.
Wow! What a project that must have been! I commend you and thanks for your comments and encouragement.
I find it very difficult to get rid of stuff but one thing that has helped is taking pictures of the item. Then I have the picture to help trigger the happy memory or part of my identity that the item was holding and I am then able to give the item away or recycle it. Books are little harder as I still like to pull a book of the shelf and be able to open it to any page, not to mention the tactile feel of a book. That said there are some books I haven’t opened in years and so I am thinking of either using my take a picture technique or buying the ebook version (if there is one).
Or recycle them as lamps? Headboard with the covers? Did you see the book cover hideaway on my Facebook page? So many great recycled book ideas on Pinterest too….
I am a pack rat. I find it much easier to get rid of things if I find someone who really will use my stuff and make it theirs. I was part of a local photo gallery at one time, they have an annual parking lot sale of local photographers selling gear. At the end of the day they had stuff left over and were going to toss it in the trash. I took home what I could, lab stuff, several enlargers, etc. and put them up for free online. That way it went to people that would use it rather than landfill.
That makes sense. I hat sending stuff to landfills too….
When I downsized, I made a list of everything I wanted to take, and where it would GO. Then the maybe stuff got donated to a needy family, and the “junk” so to speak was sold at a yard sale, and listed under the Free section on Craigslist 🙂
When I moved, I emptied my storage space in the order of importance, and was able to part with a few more items. I live in the desert, so a shed works just for everything else….
hope this helps 🙂
Thanks for the advice!
One of the best articles i’ve ever read.It will stay with me.
Thank you, so much David. That’s a very sweet thing to say.
Your article immediately struck a chord-(as did most of the comments- the pottery bowls I collected in Asheville. Like Robin’s mother, I am downsizing. Offering items to others and taking photos helps; thinking of people who’ve had to leave flooded homes and volunteering in thrift shops help me focus on what’s important in life. Lay up not your treasures on earth..thank you so much.
You’re welcome!
What a lovely essay! I really enjoyed it. I also didn’t have a lot growing up. Things were always tight, but what I did have was boundless love and affection. Somehow I never felt underprivileged.
When my mother died, I was left dealing with her belongings. She had already downsized from the three bedroom house she and my dad shared before his death, when she moved into a small MIL unit on our property a few years later.
So I didn’t have a lot to go through and get rid of, but it was enough. I had a hard time letting go of her things, until I realized…holding onto all of that stuff would not bring her back. I finally realized-what you leave behind as “mementoes” for those you love should fit into a relatively small box.
Now I’m a slowly but surely downsizing, trying to get rid of as much stuff as possible. My mother grew up in a house where four generations lived- things became family heirlooms and stayed with the house. But life is different now. Families don’t stay in the same house for generations anymore. My daughters are grown, have their own homes, and have everything they need.
I still buy books- but now instead of putting them into bookcases- I pass them onto friends when I finish them. I’ve started getting honest about my hundreds of music CDs- the ones I don’t listen to get donated either to the library, local schools, or to charity thrift stores.
One thing I have found immensely helpful in my quest to downsize: watching the tv show “Hoarders”. Seeing the team discover a mummified cat under a pile of stuff- great incentive to get rid of stuff!!!!
Sometimes I tell the kids how happy they will be that they won’t have to go through my stuff when I die, because I won’t have much!
I sent a link to a few friends who are struggling with letting go of “stuff” but want to downsize. This article was insightful and touched on key points without being harsh or preachy. In my own life, I want to own nothing I cannot live without or easily replace. I refused to be the caretaker of family heirlooms including pictures. I divided those and offered them to my kids. My son threw most of his away. My daughter loves hers. It is a personal choice and we each get to make our own decisions.
As I let go, donated, or gave away excess there came an indescribable freedom in it’s place. I hope I never overfill my life and my house again. I had to develop relationships and activities to replace mindless shopping and thrift-store browsing. Just because something is a bargain doesn’t mean it’s MY bargain.
My mom had such a hard time letting go of things that when she had to downsize she really suffered. I was sad for her that is was so painful but she was very ill and could no longer care for herself. I determined then to make things easy on my own children. I do a walk-through at least once a month to purge things I don’t need or like. If my kids had to clear my house this afternoon, it would not be difficult. I also made a will, living will, poa and made and paid my funeral arrangements seven years ago. I am 67 and healthy but life and death happen. It is a way I can love and respect my children even in death.
I live in 700 sq ft and would love an even smaller space but this is perfect for now because I keep my four grandchildren a lot and they love my little house.
Thank you, Michelle for sharing your journey.
Thank you for sharing my article with your friends. That’s high praise in my word. Oh…and the part about being “not to harsh or preachy”. I appreciate that you describe my writing that way. I wonder what I’ll do when I have grandchildren but figure that they’ll love the 2nd loft in My Empty Nest and the ladder to climb up, right?
you and I could be bff’s! we are the same age, we’ve done the same with shedding our extraneous belongings, and I have loved every second. This summer will present a different circumstance: time to shed most of our furniture. My grandchildren’s Catholic school has an annual rummage sale. I’m donating most of those items to them. I have four of our grandchildren staying with us quite often (they need space even if they are young), and my comment is further down the pike here. read it and laugh. we are re-doing my daughter’s garage to a 300sq’ ‘efficiency’ – the garage rafter will be our storage attic. I’m planning this from our apt home in Italy. Life is very very good, don’t you agree?
Yes, life is good. I fully agree!
Great article!
I have been downsizing for the last 3 years and I have to tell you it is a process. I prefer to do it slowly, and it gets easier as time goes on.
I have recently used the ‘put stuff in storage shed for a few months and then donate’ and you know what, I don’t even miss my stuff.
I can’t really say that I have truly missed anything I have donated or sold. It’s amazing, really, that we expend so much energy on collecting and becoming attached to so much stuff we cannot remember what we have.
Thanks, Judi. I’ve been really actively trying to reduce my footprint of stuff since we moved last August. You never know how much you have until you move. Uggh!!!
I’m hoping to be in my tiny house this fall, and I’m having such a hard time getting rid of all the stuff, too. Some of it I’ve had for 50 years. Fortunately, one of those things is a commode of solid oak. lol But the family heirlooms are tougher, as are the books. I am taking pictures of the things that I’m giving to friends, though, and then wrapping them up in all that Christmas paper I’ll never use now. I had it stockpiled, and now, out it goes!
I will definitely need a shed for all my tools, though, and a place to use them. In the house just won’t work!
I got hit by a car, walking, in Feb. I realized I don’t need all this stuff. I need friends & family. I hired an auctioneer.
I need a band saw & my hand tools.
I grew up with a mother who accumulated crap like crazy. She’s 85 and can’t let go of most of the junk. I (and three of my sisters) have pitched our possessions regularly (today it’s called downsizing, LOL) because of the nightmare dusting and cleaning we endured in a family of 11 people. We have four grown children who carefully do not accumulate crap. We have downsized since the kids left the nest(happily, I might add)to a little 3 bdrm beach bungalow (1200sq’) to a 2 bdrm condo (1000sq’) to a 600sq’ apt in s.Italy and are also planning a tiny house concept in my daughter’s garage (our old bungalow). We are here in Italy for 8 months a year and the beach for 4 – life is excellent! Books? I converted several years ago to a Nook so it’s not an issue any longer. I have two months to empty the condo and rent it long-term. More stuff to dump – YES!! p.s. I gave my children all of their treasures that I accumulated. You have never seen happier adults getting these memories and photographs (their spouses & children love them too). Forgot to tell you: this article was refreshing!
Thank you for sharing. I grew up in a family of 13. We do indeed have a lot in common.
Michelle – I greatly appreciate your article, as well as comments and suggestions from others. Yes downsizing can be emotionally wrenching for those of us who knowingly or unknowingly have interwoven emotional ties to things. I have known this trap exists……..but seeing it in black and white, in print caused the reality to leap in my heart, a truth to take hold of, a tool I have been praying for. Friends and family have carried boxes and boxes for my every move….boxes filled with my indecisiveness; hopes for the future; holds to the past. These boxes sit in my spare closet and have not lived up to my expectations for their reason for ‘being’. Thank you and other commentors again. I will keep you updated on the progress:).
Debra, please do keep us updated. It’s a tough battle. You have put such lovely words to it…
Hi, I enjoyed your article and it made me think about what I want to do. I lived overseas at a US Army base in the Marshall Islands and I lived in a room. I never had the ranking to get a house or a trailer. I shared with roommates with loft and finally the last number of years, by myself. But I wanted to live in a 3 bedroom house or apartment. When I almost died and lost my job due to complications from a operation I had in Dec 2009, I lost my job and moved to Pocatello, Id and got my wish for a apartment. I have found that living in a 2 bedroom apartment is too much. I want to downsize and have a patio/garage sale at the end of the month when I read your article and it has helped me to look at things differently. I knew that I had furniture, clothes, books, videos, dvds and dishes to sell but you have helped me to look further at the clothes I have in a different way. Thanks. Mary J
You’re welcome. Some houses, even if they are small by other’s standards are still too large. I’m sure you’ll find one that’s juuuuuust right some day. Good luck on your challenge.
Rather than fuss over individual items, start with a list of what you absolutely need, such as 10 outfits, 3 sets of linens, one set of kitchenware and a handheld computer.
This simple process may make it easier to discard the remainder.
I store my entire wardrobe and kitchenware beneath my bed. I use my bed as a couch, to study and dine. Pretty simple. I really enjoy the spaciousness.