One of our newsletter subscribers (you have subscribed have you not – click here) asked a very astute question the other day – where are the closets? It’s a good question and one I’m happy to answer here.
One of the goals of our lives is to live somewhat minimalist. All my clothes for example fit in 36-in of horizontal closet space. I’ve spent the last year actively pairing down my possessions to achieve this. I don’t always succeed as most of my hobbies take up a lot of space. But i make a meaningful choice to take up space and am aware that I will have to give more up as time goes on.
Kori lived in Japan for many years where space was as a premium and one made a choice to have fewer, better things; and to only keep those things that make you happy and have more than one use. Granted the beautiful woman does have 2 bikes – which is apparently 1 too few – but she really uses them all the time – as a form of exercise, sport, and commuting.
Is it really giving something up though? No. Its amazingly freeing to have less stuff (tools aside – cause I love tools). One of the drivers to join the Denver Tool Library was to help maintain a minimal lifestyle. I get to use lots of tools, but once the project is done, they go back to their home and help someone else. I intend to donate many of the tools we will buy for the house project back to them.
But this isn’t a platform to convince you why you should downsize – yet.
So … where are the closets?
We have 2 primary “stuff storage” locations in the house.
The first is under our lofted bed. The bed will be 3-4 feet above the ground which provides a lot of storage void. Within that void we’re going to put some storage shelves and pull-out clothes racks. I’ve included some conceptual pictures of other under-bed systems to give you what i like to call “a mind picture”.
We don’t like the flip-up bed idea because our schedules don’t always overlap and one of us slumbers while the other gets home from work. Might get a mite uncomfortable if Kori crushes me into the ceiling at 2 AM! But slide-out racks should work like a charm.
And those cool stairs you’ll see in our house drawing? All drawers – yeah!!! Lots of hidden storage for trinkets and doilies.
The second main closet area is next to the washer/dryer in the hallway. This convenient spot will let us hang the longer items that can’t fit under the bed – like kimonos and flamenco dresses. Its not a large spot but taking items straight from the dryer and hanging will be a snap!
Final Thoughts:
I was just watching the documentary “Minimalism” and one of many great quotes I took from the movie was this:
“We’re living our lives to fit a space, rather than building a space to fit our lives.”
I think this is true for most of us and I’m really excited to break that mold, and to build a space that fits our LoveNest life. It’s a life that’s not focused on pointless stuff and things. INstead we focus on the things that make us happy, and are on the way to being financially free so we can spend more time traveling the world both near and far. Are our storage options what others do? Absolutely not – and that’s part of why i like it!
Images:
https://images.containerstore.com/medialibrary/images/closetsAndBedrooms/tcs.jpg
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http://hbu.h-cdn.co/assets/15/43/980×490/landscape-1445542603-dielle-closet-bed-1.jpg
http://hbu.h-cdn.co/assets/15/43/1445544050-5a-container-bed.jpg
http://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/container-bed_221015_01.jpg