Roundup: 5 small ways to start decluttering
Feeling the need to declutter amidst all the holiday layers and gifts? It's easy to get overwhlemed quickly, so start small, tackling one compartmentalized topic/area at a time. Here are five easy ways to get going:
Sewing Kit
Unless you sew on a regular basis, there's probably no need for an entire box of spare buttons, thread, and so forth. A simple jar or pocket-sized tin can most likely contain the basics that most folks need on-hand to repair slight tears and loose hardware.
Hangers
While it clearly helps to reduce the number of items in your wardrobe, don't forget to take a fresh look at the closet itself. Cleverly designed, slender, no-slip hangers can help your clothing last longer, while also freeing up much-needed space on the dowel. (Just round up all those old wire and plastic hangers and recycle them at your local dry cleaner.) If you have children's clothing that needs to be suspended as well, opt for recyclable cardboard hangers, which you can drop in the blue bin once your kids outgrow them.
Receipts
This project takes a bit longer, but it's an easy task to plow through while you chat on the phone, listen to podcasts, or watch a movie. For those of us who don't need to keep physical paper receipts and can use digital copies for our business and personal record-keeping purposes and taxes, a slim, speedy scanner can eliminate binders (or even boxes upon boxes) of old paperwork, freeing up surprising amounts of storage space in the home.
Desk Drawer
It bugs me that most pens and pencils-- along with other miscellaneous office supplies-- are sold in multiples. Why buy (and store) a dozen duplicates of something when you only need two or three? Consider donating your excess office items to a public school, and just rely on the small number of high-quality, beautiful, practical items that you actually need. Eliminate duplicate charging cords if possible as well, and check your local resources to find tech waste recycling options. Try keeping everything easily accessible and well organized via zipper pouches, or in kits primarily designed for travel use.
Cabinet Beneath the Sink
For years I've intended to make my own cleaning supplies in order to save space. But I have to admit that I just never get around to it. I do, however, make sure to manage our bottle build-up, keeping only what we need regularly on-hand. I don't buy in bulk, and I always make sure that we have no more than what can fit into our small upcycled cleaning crate or repurposed garden caddy. This ensures that we actually go through all the products in our home, rather than losing track of what we have and buying duplicates while older bottles expire and go to waste. Go through your cleaning and beauty items and get rid of anything out-of-date or unhealthy. You'll most likely find that you'll be more mindful of your future purchases once you've taken the time to organize your products back at home.
These are small steps, but in a tiny home or apartment they'll make a difference. And just remember to go easy on yourself-- it's the holiday season! Let's spend less time worrying about our stuff, and more time with our families, friends and/or communities.
The Cottage Bath
Lately, we've received numerous requests for photos of the Cottage bath. While the room is actually larger than you might think, it's designed in a way that makes it tough to photograph, meaning we have very few images available:
I'm often asked how we keep the bathroom organized and uncluttered, given its small size. Here are some of my top tips:
Only buy what you REALLY need:
I know this sounds basic, and it is. But controlling what you bring into your home is the best way to avoid accumulating clutter and wasting your money. We have ONE shampoo dispenser. ONE pet wash. ONE body wash. Etc. You don't have to come up with creative storage solutions when you don't have too much to store in the first place!
Upcycle:
I keep my makeup in an old metal hardware drawer set that I found on ETSY (reference: photo #7). I spray-painted the box, applied liners to the base of each drawer, and used the original metal hardware organizers within the drawers to keep my palettes and tools separated and easy to find.
Functional decor:
If you have limited cabinet space, try organizing your must-have items (such as spare toilet paper, extra cotton, etc.) in containers that fit with your style-- that way you can keep them out on display as functional decor. For example, we stash our extra bath goods in a white metal mop bucket from West Elm.
Save counter space:
Limited surface space? Try organizing your jewelry in slim hardware drawers. They come in varying sizes and depths, and are easy to stash in cabinets and next to sink U-bends. I purchased one like this years ago, which I keep in the vanity in front of our spare towels and travel pouches. It not only saves us counter space, but it also saves us time. This organizer helps me expedite my out-the-door routine on a daily basis, as I rarely have to untangle chains, and I don't have to sift through pouches to find the item(s) I'm looking for.
Let Go:
Don't let expired bottles, nearly-empty beauty products, and samples you've never used clutter up your limited space. Routinely clean out your medicine cabinet and drawers. Donate extra products to your local community housing corp or homeless shelter.
DIY:
Save money and get creative! Try making your own racks and/or curtain rods. Instead of buying a standard metal towel rack, I opted to craft one of my own. All it required was jute twine, S hooks (to hang towels and accessories), screw eyes (to secure the unit into the ceiling), and a wooden branch I found at my sister's wedding in Idaho. My good friend Lindsay over at Casa Joshua Tree did the same thing while renovating her house in the desert, and look at how great it turned out:
Our bathroom is a little too long for a standard bathmat to cover the necessary floor space, but it's definitely too small for two throws or a larger area rug. I searched Etsy and easily found alternatives to typical bathmats that have all worked beautifully over the years.
Lastly, for some strange reason, there is a recent story circulating that claims the Cottage is a converted garage or guest unit. That is inaccurate. While our home has been updated over the decades, it has always been its own free-standing house, consisting of a main room (including a kitchen), a bedroom, and a bathroom. So no-- we did not have to add the bathroom to our home. The Cottage was one of four identical, neighboring houses built in the 1920s. Three of those four are still standing today.
Photos by Whitney Leigh Morris & Monica Wang Photo.
Tiny Live/Work Office Space
Lately I've received numerous inquiries about my live/work office space. (Does it REALLY look like that? Where's all the stuff? What is it like working and living in the same tiny space?) In this post, I'll provide a list of my go-to supplies that help keep the room organized and uncluttered.
Here is how the office generally looks on a daily basis. Sometimes it's a bit messier, sometimes it's a bit more simplified, but this is usually the norm:
First off, I should mention that nearly all of my business work is done digitally. My office is not a traditional artist's studio, so I don't have to house hundreds of materials and tools. Having said that, I do store craft supplies, a printer, a scanner, my business documents and standard materials, chords and tech accessories, reference materials, and other such office items my tiny home-office.
This is what is in, on or around my desk at all times:
1. Apple AirPort Time Capsule
Like so many people, I've experienced a total loss of my main hard drive... and it was pretty devastating, both personally and professionally. For better or worse, our computers are now our record collections, photo albums, filing cabinets, bookshelves and more, so I will never again make the mistake of failing to back up my machine. The Airport Time Capsule by Apple looks clean and minimal while backing everything up in case of calamity. Plus it provides a strong WiFi signal (with multiple network logins) so my collaborators and team members can work throughout the cottage and garden with me.
I got this particular Airport Time Capsule from ENJOY, which just launched here in LA (they're in numerous other cities as well). One of their experts (Umair) brought it to the cottage and installed it for me at no additional cost. Umair set up the Capsule and reworked the new WiFi networks within 30 minutes. (We also arranged a special discount code for $50 off any Apple product from Enjoy.com to share through 6/30/16: RAF-WHITNEY)
2. Big Jambox Bluetooth Speaker
The Big Jambox Speaker is great for small spaces. It's about 10" x 3" x 4", and comes in a variety of colors. This one blends into the cottage perfectly-- I keep it in the corner of the main room, above the kitchen cabinets. I can hear it clearly throughout our home and garden. It's wireless, and the charge lasts for around 15 hours. I stream Spotify or iTunes to it from the iPad and my old iPhone all day long.
3. Brother DS-620 Color Mobile Scanner
This little gizmo is one of the best purchases I've ever made. I scan all of our financial records, medical documents, pet paperwork, cards and notes. It saves me from accumulating piles of paper around the cottage, and helps my business run more efficiently. It measures 11.5" x 2" x 1.5" inches-- basically the size of a thick ruler. I highly recommend it, or a similar model.
4. Muji Handy Paper Shredder
After scanning all our documents, I need to shred a good deal of them. Usually it's just a page or two, along with a few receipts per day, so I use this amazing mini shredder from Muji to get the job done. It measures about 7.5" x 2", and is sleekly designed.
5. Poppin Supplies
Poppin is pretty much the best. They make modern, beautiful office supplies in a variety of colors to suit your taste. For those of us in small spaces, it helps when functional items are also pleasing to the eye-- that way we can leave them sitting out (as storage is so limited), while maintaining a clean and mindful space.
6. Cord Taco by This Is Ground
(See item #8 for details)
7. BackPack for iMac by Twelve South
The BackPack for iMac shelf is probably the handiest tool in my office. It stores my portable scanner, hand-held shredder and client hard drives-- all safely and out of sight. I recommend it to everyone with an iMac, no matter what size space you have.
Here's the description from their website: BackPack is a sleek, sturdy shelf designed exclusively for your iMac or Apple Display. This gorgeous slice of steel makes a perfect perch for hard drives, USB peripherals or business cards. Included vertical support pegs prop up tall drives, Time Capsule or even your MacBook Air. BackPack hangs on the back (or front) of your iMac using two clips and gravity. Built-in cable management rails hold your power cords in place for grab-and-go convenience. BackPack is here to help you create the minimalist zen-like workspace your Mac was made for.
8. Tech Dopp Kit by This Is Ground
I'm obsessed with This Is Ground-- they make the greatest leather organizational tools I've ever used. I also love the team behind the company-- they're based in downtown LA, and I've worked with them on several occasions in the past. This is the regular-sized Tech Dopp Kit, and I use it to hold my mirrorless camera's accessories. I also use their Cord Tacos, Mod Laptop and Mod Tablet daily.
9. Not Pictured: Organizational Pouches in Baskets
Lastly, I keep organizational pouches containing miscellaneous tools, cords, envelopes, etc. in zippered toiletry cases from West Elm (but you can get these pretty much anywhere). I keep them in baskets throughout the living room. Much like the printer, the baskets are stashed in the few built-in cabinets (some exposed, some covered) surrounding our couch.
Create & Cultivate Op-Ed
I'm sharing some thoughts on our Tiny House lifestyle over on the Create & Cultivate blog.
I was invited by the conference founder, Jaclyn Johnson, to write this piece, entitled, "Little is the New Large: A Tiny Home with a Big Message."
Click the image below to jump to the post.
