Colin Wright, the guy who lived out of a backpack for several years while letting his blog readers choose his next destination, is settling down for awhile. As such he needs to furnish living space.
Kind of like we did when we moved out of the motorhome. We did it by first making a list of furniture we needed: desk, chair, kitchen table & chairs, living room chairs, end tables, entertainment center to hold a large screen TV, beds & dressers. Then we went to IKEA to see what they had in those categories.
I’ve always been drawn to Scandinavian style furnishings so it was easy for us to find every thing we need at IKEA. Then we had them deliver it all to our new apartment. Easiest move we ever made. Except for the “some assembly required” part, of course.
Now Colin is writing about his concept of the Minimal Viable Home at http://exilelifestyle.com/minimum-viable-home/.
And the settee that has been moving around among Dave’s family members since it belonged to his Grandma is coming back to live with us again. I have missed having a couch in our living room. It will be good to have a place to cuddle up for a nap once again.
After all, minimalism is figuring out what YOU want to have in YOUR life.
TTYL,
Linda
As you know, I’ve been living in furnished rental places for a bit now and I’m planning to eventually settle again in a “proper” home when I get to Mexico. What I’m finding fascinating about living in these temporary homes is discovering what is essential for me to carry on with a healthy daily routine and what is not.
Most of what is on your list for furniture isn’t on mine (I have no use for a kitchen table and chairs, for example). Furniture-wise, all I really need is a comfortable bed, an easy chair, and a desk and proper computer chair OR an IKEA Poang chair for working. A night table with a lamp is a bonus.
It’s really in the kitchen that I’m happiest or saddest in my temporary abode. My two Mexican places were very poorly kitted out and I was frustrated with cooking there (hence why I brought my entire kitchen down with me the second winter). But the kitchen here in Bulgarian has the bare minimum basics for me to be happy and to feel like I can easily prepare and cook good meals. If I’d planned to be here any longer, I probably would have bought a rice cooker to leave behind, but that’s it.
We “need” a lot less than we think we do and I’m really rethinking what sort of home I’ll be looking for in Mexico when I get back there.
Great post, thanks!
I can’t image living out of a backpack. I am so spoiled.
I like having a couch — big or small. Sometimes we can sit up in it and other times I get to lay down. It’s a great place to take a nap because the naps are usually short ones … not like crawling back in bad where I could really fall asleep.
i’d forgotten about colin.
thank you for his link.
first I wondered if he had finally met a sweet little minimalist that he could love! LOL.
odd you should write this post just now.
I’ve been without access to the internet since Tues. a glitch in the computer.
just got it fixed.
but in the days waiting… I’d been thinking.
I don’t want to move again. I am going to come to terms with this apt.
I will always be a minimalist. BUT I have to do what makes me feel COMFORTABLE too!!!
we are thinking alike. are you sure we’re not twins? LOL ♥
We love Craigslist. 🙂