What to do...What to do...

Won these on eBay. What are they you ask???These are vintage punched tin bulb reflectors….I know…Cool huh! (I know you might be thinking I’m crazy, right?)

Well now what I am thinking is what I am going to make out of these cool piece of history. If you’ve been reading this blog you know I love to create things. During the holidays I had a hit with tin ornaments (check out this past blog about them) and so now I am thinking some sort of Christmas ornamentation!

I love Christmas and yes…it is January and I am already thinking about Christmas. The vintage stuff from the 60’s and 70’s I really la la love. I guess because it brings back such awesome memories for me as a child. But something I am looking for and I know it is from an earlier era….an aluminum Christmas tree! (happy happy joy joy face) Of course I’ll keep you posted.

For now….I am going to think about these vintage punched tin bulb reflectors and what they are going to become! I’ll keep ya posted (wink wink smiley face)

Who Says You Need Four Legs?

Came across an interesting designer….Caroline Gomez. She is a French designer who has created a collection of furniture that seems to be coming right out of the wall.

The group is called Contre and she has a desk or console, a small table or nightstand and a shelf.

Just by simple design, the pieces lean up against the wall and there is no need to attach unless your wall is not a flat surface. The tension of the piece leaning on the flat surface keeps it in place. Yes, by simple design!

She states “why do you need four legs when the piece is going to lean on the wall?

Be sure to check out her website, Caroline Gomez. I think I’ll have Juan look into this…he’s a pretty good carpenter…maybe he could create something similar…(wink wink smiley face)

Greatest Clicks for November!



Juan is not too sure about this guy, with his sister



I know I am getting this started a little late as we are now into the first week of December and would be remiss in not providing you our “Greatest Clicks” for the month of November!

In case you missed any postings in between shopping, baking and decorating…here are the top five for the month!

1. Happy 1 Year Anniversary
2. Organization For The Holidays
3. Juan says…”Our house is too big!”
4. Myth #1….My place is too small to entertain!
5. The Tree Is Trimmed…All Minus 1 ½ feet


Me!







As always…Juan and I appreciate your continued interest and support. If there is anything you would like to share or if you have questions…I am a quick email away!

The Tree Is Trimmed…All Minus 1 ½ feet

WOW! It seems like Labor Day was just here and we were THINKING about Halloween. How’d we get to Christmas so fast? I tell Juan every year, Christmas comes faster and faster.

I la la LOVE Christmas. Everything about it. As a kid I loved the holiday decorations, the holiday spirit in everyone’s hearts and the joy of family and friends getting together. It is my time of year. As a child, my father loved Christmas too. I spent many days just hanging out in the living room with my Dad as he blasted Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole Christmas music on his “Reel to Reel” stereo. (For the much younger generations it was like a HUGE cassette!)

I collect Santa ornaments. When I travel, I love picking up one in remembrance of my trip. For years, I’ve been trimming an artificial tree. I put mine up so early, I want to be able to have it up after Thanksgiving and enjoy through Christmas. This is a challenge if you buy a real tree…besides some of my ornaments are heavy and the fake branches can hold the weight.

Since we moved to our 900 square foot home, I did have to get rid of the 9 ½ foot pre-lit tree I used in my old house. It would be folded over due to the low ceilings and the circumference would take up the whole living room. So we purchased a 7 ½ foot unlit slim tree. It is perfect for a smaller space especially with the narrow diameter….you do not feel that each time you walk by you will take an ornament out!

Since I had to manually light the tree I got started. How spoiled I’ve become with a pre-lit tree. It sure made it easy to put together. I was able to concentrate on getting the branches bent correctly and fluff the tips up to look like a real tree. Now I will have to wrap the lights AND get the branches ready for decorations. Juan hates this part as I become very picky on how the lights go on and how the branches are set. He would run around the tree in circles with the lights and throw a clump of tinsel at once if he could. (wink wink smiley face) I however like to weave the lights in and up to the trunk and back out trying to give the tree a perfect glow. (Wow that is so Martha Stewart, right?) Okay….I am a little particular when it comes to festive illumination!

Well, back to lighting. I thought I would be smart by setting up the first tree section and wrapping the branches before I add the middle and top section of the tree. That way I could easily lean over the top of the section and really weave the lights perfectly. Heck I am so smart…I’ll have this tree glowing and ready for ornaments in no time.

I spent a lot of time getting that first section lit. It was perfect….a perfect glow and the branches looked great. Now on to the middle section….I carefully lined up the pole to add to the bottom section and it doesn’t want to go in???!!!! Why? I thought well I must be way off and got under the branches to see what was going on. I am sure most of you know by now what happened. I did a beautiful job of lighting the MIDDLE section of the tree first! Crapola!!!!!Needless to say, Juan was laughing hysterically a good 10 minutes before he calmed down. It was pretty funny but now I am thinking “How can I add the bottom piece without disturbing the middle section?” or “Am I going to have to undo ALL the lights and start over?”

  So….I decided to continue on and instead of trying to pull out the section I did…I went ahead and added the top section and began my weaving wonderment of lights. It was beautifully lit….heck I should have another 1 ½ feet of tree to light but alas I was not paying attention when starting this project. Instead of a 7 ½ foot tree….I have a 6 foot tree and you know what???? It looks great. Juan agreed, he said you don’t even miss it and it fits so nicely in the room.

 

This year I decorated with my glass and German glass Santa and Snowman themes ornaments…went with heavy red accents and a dash of green on top!

Note to self:
 
* Be sure you check the labels of the tree to be sure you are starting with the correct section
 * Maybe you should hold off lighting the tree before you put the whole thing together

 * Don’t get upset of you make a mistake….it’s the holidays and not worth it

* If you do mess up….take a break, have some eggnog and get creative!

              HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Organization for the Holidays

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….. Maybe not quite as much here in Phoenix AZ…but I am sure in other parts of the country.

I know you are also saying…”Why the heck is Shawn talking about Christmas when we haven’t even eaten the turkey and “camped out on the couch enjoying the football games."

Well…the reason I am starting now is since October you have been getting into your attic/garage/basement/shed/storage unit pulling out the holiday decorations. This is the time as you go through each holiday event (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years etc) look and see if you can better organize your decorations.

Sometimes the hardest part is taking the time to go through everything and see what you wish to keep, throw away or pass down to others…getting it organized. THEN…the next thing to think about is storage solutions.

As I have preached on several occasions, the key to small space living is great organization. Heck! The key to sanity with holiday décor regardless of size of home IS organization.

Let’s start off with ornaments. I remember growing up; my parents had the ornaments in their original packs. (Okay 1960’s) Although it kept the glass ornaments secure, you had a bunch of these small cartons you had to stack up in storage or in a box; however they were never quite the right shape to put in the bins etc. Or…you had all the ornaments in one giant box where they clanged on one another or wrapped in tissue and you never seemed to have enough room to put all your ornaments in one box.

So look for storage solutions at Target, Wal-Mart, IKEA or specialty container stores where you might find more specific needs at a slightly higher price. I’ve included a couple of ornament storage solutions that make it easy to organize and protect your precious ornaments year after year.

Strings of lights are always a challenge. One thing I decided to do was pre-lit Christmas tree. That way I do not have to spend the time weaving in strings of lights before I get to the fun part of decorating. So many trees are easily assembled with the pre-lit lights…no headaches in connecting etc. If you are investing in an artificial tree, be sure you get one that you are going to enjoy for years to come. Artificial trees are great as they can hold your heavier ornaments and be displayed a lot longer than a real tree. If you like the smell of a Christmas tree, try purchasing greenery at a nursery. You can decorate your mantels or other areas with the greenery and adding ornaments as well as having that great Christmas tree smell.

For outdoor lighting, be sure you have them neat and bundled. You do not wish to be spending your next year of decorating trying to eliminate the big “KNOT” in your string of lights like Clark Griswold had in “Christmas Vacation”. There are plastic boards you can wrap your lights around, a reel style that you can wind your lights on and easily spin off when needed, OR….a cheaper way is to get heavy duty cardboard, cut in a large rectangle shape and wrap a string of lights around. Only string one per cardboard, that way you can determine how many you will be using each year etc.

Bottom line you want to make decorating for the holidays easy.  There is nothing worse than dreading the thought of decorating. If you do not have your items easily accessible…try to find a spot in the garage or in a shed where you can get to your boxes easily.

For me….decorating for the holidays is such a joy. I LOVE the Christmas season. And if you take the time to organize your decorations, clear out what you do not want or use and have it easily accessible, you’ll be more apt to put them up each year! 

 HAPPY ORGANIZING HOLIDAY SEASON!

A Sideboard That Becomes So Much More!

Are you familiar with the game tetris? I used to play that game all the time. Thank God my iPhone has “an app for that”.  A puzzle where you have to connect different shaped “bricks” to create one consecutive line that will disappear if done correctly. If you don’t, the bricks stack up and you lose.

Well there is a wonderful “out of the box” thinker/artist…well I am sure he is much more than an artist, named Pedro who resides in Lisboa, Portugal who created this beautiful sideboard.

A great solution for a very small space such as a studio apartment or tiny loft. Another way to have "three solutions in one!"

Yes…the inspiration came from the tetris game. Checkout the photos and do you see the “cut-out” design? Very much like the bricks from the game? Yet, it is a wonderful space-saving piece of furniture for storage… THEN it can become a place to eat as two blocks pull out to become benches and a long slender “brick” becomes the table.

Think of the functionality. You can dine, work, store and enjoy this beautiful piece of art…yes, it is art…very clever yet functional (yes, function is my word of the day).

"T@tris furniture Satisfying the most hidden sins"-Pedro Machado. More info on Pedro Machado…check out his gallery. Or you can email him directly, pedro@atipic.pt.

Follow up to…”The Love of Craigslist” SOLD!!!

SOLD!

SOLD!!!A couple of days ago I wrote about putting our mid century modern desk on Craigslist. Well, a beautiful young couple came on Saturday and picked it up.

We are slowly but surely getting our room ready for our new office workspace. I’m excited about adding elements of vintage and new. I really love mixing wood with metal, glass or lacquer. I love the look and I love simple clean lines. (I know…what the heck does that mean?) I love simple lines of a desk and chair. I Love using neutrals and white and adding “pops” of color.

Another goal for this room is getting my Father’s grandfather clock refurbished and running. When my Dad passed away I was devastated. Lost the most precious person in my life…but I have such wonderful memories I can fall back on and that grandfather clock is one. Its beautiful music rang every half hour and it was the first thing I would see upon entering the house….especially when I was a little past curfew! (wink wink smiley face)My Mom had it painted an antique white in the early 1970’s.

My goal is to get the clock cleaned and the mechanics working then refurbish the wood and restore it back to its original beauty. Of course that will be for another post time.

Yes, this is one item I will not give up, donate or give away….it is a treasured piece that reminds me of my youth and I will enjoy for years to come. I’m not always about getting rid of everything, but think about the things you treasure and are most precious to you.

The love of Craigslist!

I have learned to LOVE Craigslist! I can sit on the couch with my iPad and search till my heart’s content. It is great to see midcentury modern “anything” and vintage Christmas stuff too. Now I know I am in a small space and I am not rushing out to buy more STUFF! However, there are times I find great things for great deals. For small space living, you can find mid century modern furniture and other great items that will fit in a smaller house. I’ve seen a lot of IKEA as well as CB2 (It is the more modern side of Crate & Barrel).



Front view



From our recent posts…we are cleaning out and “re-purposing” our spare room and we’ve decided to make it an office/workspace dedicated to working from home and also managing our art supplies for our other business ventures! With that in mind, we are letting go of this cool mid century modern office desk. It is too small for us to utilize and we are looking for a table that is narrow in depth and extra long in width. 

Hopefully, Juan and I will be able to show you our finished workspace in a few short weeks. In the meantime, if you are in Arizona and have a need for a beautiful walnut mid century desk….it’s ready to go to a new home!

I really enjoy creating new spaces that add a lot of organization and function to a room. Everything has a spot. Easy to manage and easy to keep clean is my motto. I am constantly thinking about ways I can declutter or make better use of items I currently own. Sometimes it's thinking outside the box and reinventing something (like my cash drawer into a cool bead divider) that makes it funstional.

By the way….what have you found on Craigslist or other venues such as garage/yard sales, vintage shops etc. Would love to see and be happy to share your latest finds and organization ideas in your small space.





Juan says….”Our house is too big”

Yup! That is what he said…Our 900 square foot home is too big! We have too much space…too much room…too much stuff! Are you kidding me??!!! I said surprisingly (There is no wink wink smiley face here).
Okay… I must admit that this was after spending some time in the redesigned area of IKEA. They have created these cool spaces within the walls of the store. If you haven’t been there lately, they have produced small space living spaces within the store. A true dose of reality of living in a 375sqft…405sqft and the one that Juan fell in love with…a 212 square foot home. They built a 212 sqft home complete with kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living space. The space provided all the elements you needed, just add your own clothing, linens and toiletries…and you are home!

So you think to yourself, is it possible to live love in such a small space? Juan does! Heck he’s at the beach in this 212 square foot casita of fun! (Wink wink smiley face) Again I ask the question…how much space do you really need? AND…for each person out there it will be different.


Kitchen of 212 sqft home



View through living space to kitchen

My goal is not to try and convert everyone to teeny tiny house living. Just take some time and really think about how much space you and your family truly need in a home? For me and Juan, we could go smaller than 900 square feet. However, I would want some extra outdoor living space to add to our square footage.
On the walls throughout the small space living, they had great words of wisdom I wanted to share with you.

“Limited space creates unlimited creativity”
“Don’t give up your dreams.Just shrink them”
“Sharing a small space means to show love and respect, to compromise and transform.”
“When you have half the space you need, make sure you double the function.”

They had several sayings like these throughout the store and I really loved the ones that I listed above. I truly believe that if you live in a small space, organization is very important…it makes small space living manageable. Purchasing or creating storage solutions as well as dividers and other organizational tools will make small space living easy and fun!  (Yes I said it….fun)

IKEA is the “one stop shop in a big blue and yellow box with all the right-size furniture, décor and tools to make your small space living F-U-N! Fun!

I love IKEA and remember… sign up for their membership. You might receive a free frozen yogurt!

Creative solutions

When you live in a small space, one of the first rules you learn is that every square inch counts. For many, the realization hits them when they begin unpacking. You may recall from one of our initial posts, that we were about two boxes into unpacking our kitchen when we realized that the NEW cabinets seemed to sucking up stuff at an incredible rate! All those cabintes and closets appeared much larger when they’re empty.

Don’t be dis-heartened! The longer you live in a small space, the more creative you become with storage solutions. You’ll make your life so much easier if you throw out conventional wisdom, and embrace the challenge from the get go. You’ll be amazed at your own creativity. Your solutions may not work for everyone, but as long as they work for you, that’s all that matters.

Below is an award-winning example of multi-purposing a space as well as “outside the box thinking”!

Happy Friday! Although this might NOT be the best design....you might have some great ways to store and create a beautiful space in your small home. Please send an email and share...I would love to post some of your designs.

October’s Outstanding Moments!



Living room with coffee table AND nesting tables underneath

Happy November! Wow another month has rolled by and we are on the fast approaching countdown for the holidays.
Something we are planning to do at the beginning of each new month is provide you the “Greatest Clicks” (literally) of the previous month…in case you missed any.

1. Right-Sizing Is Truly About Living a Simpler Life

2. We’re Just Urban Hobos

3. This “Small Space” Living Stuff Is Catching On....Or Rather Is On!
4. A Quick Update
5. Juan’s Perspective On The One Car Household

Juan and I so appreciate "y'all" (yes, originally from Texas) checking out our blog and we hope to continue to provide great information and insight on small space living as well as fun, clever and "space-saving" ways to decorate your small space! 



This “Small Space” Living Stuff Is Catching On....Or Rather Is On!



My orange vintage patio chair

 There is a huge trend where living small is going BIG! (I know I know trying to be funny and clever with my wording) Anyway…it’s true. I continue to research on the subject of small space living and finding so many people embracing it. Not just "Middle Class America"...architects, developers, custome home builders...the list goeas on.

First off… back in the 1950’s the average size of a home was less than 1000 square feet.  Fast forward to the early 2000’s the average size grew a little over 2,300 square feet….a big climb over 50+years.

According to the American Institute of Architects, floor plans and lots continue to decrease (over the last couple of years) due to people wanting less maintenance and less worry. I am originally from Texas…everything is big there. You own a BIG house, you have BIG land, and you have BIG Texas hair! (wink wink smiley face!) You are also brought up with the idea that having and owning BIG means living well. You are successful…you are prosperous…you are someone people need to know.

It is great to see this trend of small space living and what I have termed “right-sizing” your life really catching on. However, I am a late bloomer on this subject and as my desire to learn more about living in small spaces, I have found so many people (experts at small space living) who have been doing this for quite some time. One person in particular is Sarah Susanka, FAIA. Sarah is an acclaimed architect and truly “gets” small space living. This is nothing new to her as she wrote a book called The Not So Big House back in the late 1990’s. She states “Not So Big doesn't necessarily mean small. It means not as big as you thought you needed, but designed and built to perfectly suit the way you live”. That’s how I feel about the term “right sizing”…it’s not about downsizing or losing everything but right sizing to adjust to you and your family needs.

Sara is working on a project in Libertyville, IL called the Not So Big Showhouse being built on School Street in Libertyville, IL.  This taken from the School Street Libertyville website;

“SchoolStreet Homes is defying national housing trends by bringing high-quality, architecturally designed homes to the marketplace at value driven prices. In just one year, 24 of 26 homes have been purchased by eager buyers. The Front Porch Revival homes blend almost seamlessly with the neighborhood's existing turn-of-the-century homes -- along with a historic school that will be transformed into 15 urban lofts. Each design offers a tailored floor plan with classic architectural style including American Craftsman and Bungalow. SchoolStreet Homes is connected to Libertyville's vibrant, pedestrian-friendly downtown and just blocks from a commuter rail train station”.

Yes, the Showhouse Sarah created is a much larger home (2,450 sq. ft.) actually...the house I sold was smaller than this yet I moved to an even smaller space which is our current 900 sq. ft. home, however they are creating other smaller sized homes including the 15 urban lofts that will be in the historic school building. Some of the lofts will start at 710 sq. ft.  up to 3,100 sq ft (the penthouse). I would want the 700 sq ft -850 sq. ft. myself! The goal is to connect the neighborhood with the community, you must check it out.

Our friends from Resource Furniture are also involved in providing furniture in the Not So Big Showhouse. I will follow up with another blog about the furniture being used …..Stay Tuned!

Final thoughts… I like to live in 1000 sq. ft. or less… for me and Juan this is perfect. I do not think I would like to go smaller than 700 sq. ft. however, some of you might relish in the challenge. For others, you could never think of living in 900 sq. ft. However, I would ask you to take on a challenge. On a weekly basis, check mark how many times you come into a certain room and the length of time in there. You may be surprised with the results. Just a thought! (wink wink )

We're Just Urban Hobos



Juan's bike

 Several years ago, Juan and I got into bicycling. I found that when I'm on a bike it doesn't feel like exercise. I can get on and go for hours.

For me..... one of the few things in life that can bring such wonderful memories of being a kid is getting on my bike. The world moves at a slower pace. It's about you motoring the pedals and zipping through the neighborhoods listening to the surroundings, smelling the fresh air, feeling the breeze on your face....being free.

My bike

As Juan and I embark on almost a year of downsizing right-sizing our lives, we are learning to enjoy the simpler things in life. Since I recently posted mine and Juan's perspective on becoming a one car family... what greater joy for us to embrace our bicycling and making it a part of our daily lives NOT just for exercise but a way of life.

We thought it would be fun to incorporate our bicycling into our blog to show you that living in a small space....right-sizing our lives and living a simpler lifestyle might get you thinking about what's more important for you and your family. Not asking you to give up on the finer things in life (I have not given up on style, designer anything and my love of clothing) but to eliminate any excess you may have. Remember what I always go back to.... keep the things that are beautiful and you hold dear to you and use them. Use the nice dishes...use the silverware....use the fine furniture....enjoy your things.

I will add updates on our rides and how we incorporate bicycling into our daily lives. Today, we headed out for a ride to get some breakfast. The weather was perfect and we had an opportunity to see some frightening things along the way....

Boo

Beware all who enter!!!

Mwahh Haa Haaaaa (Must repeat in a scary voice)

I hope you will enjoy my quest for living in a small space, enjoying a simpler lifestyle and incorporating bicycling into our daily lives! In the meantime....I will enjoy my cup of coffee.





Yard Sale Is Upon Us!

Well, we are prepared and ready for our yard sale tomorrow (Saturday). We’ve gathered, dusted off and cleaned our “vintage goodies” for our perspective buyers to “wheel and deal”!

I am excited due to the fact that we are eliminating more STUFF from our storage and home and will soon be ready to decorate our spare room.

All the exciting things and ideas we will have at our fingertips from such great resources out there like;

Resource Furniture

LOFT Wall

Murphy Desk Beds

IKEA

These are just a few of the resources out there that “small space dwellers” la la LOVE!  In future blogs I will continue new discussions about many of the products and services out there dedicated to small space living.

Wish me luck on the yard sale!



“Right-Sizing” Is Truly About Living A Simpler Life!



"Right-Sizing" Is Truly About Living A simpler Life!

So many people have been plagued in our state (AZ), CA, TX and many others with fire. The severe drought has caused all the beautiful vegetation to become dry and become fuel for a simple spark of a cigarette, lightning strike or unattended camp fire.

Families interrupted in their lives by fire officials alerting them to a fast moving fire approaching their home. Time is of the essence and must evacuate the premises within minutes. What would you do? What would you consider precious enough to “Garb-N-Go” in a moments time?

For me….I would grab my animals (two dachshunds and one crotchety 31 year old parrot), Juan (Love that guy)….Hmm what else? What would I find that important? My iPhone, Laptop, iPad….(Okay, Okay, all my techy gadgets)…photos…however I have scanned all of them and have them safe and secure in my iCloud. (wink wink smiley face) Hmm what to take? I guess if I had more than five minutes, let’s say 30-60 minutes, I would think of immediate needs such as clothing, toiletries that type of stuff. I love my vintage school chairs, my father’s grandfather clock…some sterling… (Heavy sigh)…this is hard for me.

In my mind, I feel that I have the most precious things with me, Juan and my animals. Of the few other things I would take, what “STUFF” do I really need in life? So...did you try this little exercise with me? What would you take? THEN think to yourself ALL the extra stuff left in your home. No, I am not stating that you should live in a travel trailer…you, your spouse kids and pets. I am only asking you to think about what you have and what you need. Are there rooms full of clutter, heck…are there rooms that you are not using? Are there spaces in your home, storage, office, (life) filled with “STUFF” and clutter? Would it be possible to “Right-Size” your life? Yup, I said it…not downsize….right-size.

As I mentioned in the beginning when I first started this adventure in blogging, Juan and I were looking to get rid of clutter and right-size our life. When people heard that we were moving into a smaller space, we were greeted with sad faces and long hugs…concerned that we have “lost our spot on the social pedestal of life”, lost our status, Ugh..d-o-w-n-s-i-z-e-d!

Juan and I beg to differ… we “right-sized” to enjoy and live a simpler life. Yes, we rid ourselves of the extra baggage and “Stuff” (I know always my favorite word however using it a lot right now). We spent a lot of time thinking about the space we truly needed for ourselves and what’s important to us. Everyone might have different needs in life and may require a little more space or maybe even less. How about you? What would you do? I’ve had the opportunity to receive direct emails from great people reading my blog encouraged by what we have done and taking their first steps to right-sizing their lives... people who have successfully started living a simpler lifestyle with less square footage. I would love to hear much more from you. Respond anonymously in comments; email me (Shawn Smith) whatever you like. Tell me if you are feeling the way we did last year... Or if you have been doing this and why you did it. I would love to hear from you.

Juan’s Perspective On The “Value” Of A Garage

As Shawn noted in her recent post (So You Are Now Minus A Garage…Now What?), when we decided that Patio 71 was “The Place” for us, we knew we’d be losing a garage. This was not a deal breaker because we’d already been through the Pros/Cons exercise. However, I must admit it that it had me feeling a little bit uneasy. At first...

I grew up in Central Phoenix, just a few blocks from where we presently live. Back then all of the homes in the area had carports with an attached storage room. So, the idea of carport parking was not too hard to wrap my arms around. Besides, we park under a carport at the office, so it’s not like our car is going to get any more/less dusty at night than it does during the day. The real attention getter was that my “extra” storage space was being drastically downsized.


Shelving and room for tools



Room for more bikes! Able to store all our needs



 

 

In earlier posts, we discussed the "weeding-out" process. Once we’d tackled that, it became apparent to me that I didn’t really need as much space as I imagined. I just needed a place for my toolbox and a few other necessities (i.e., carwash supplies, spare bike parts, a couple of bikes, etc.). When we moved into Patio 71 last winter, we brought 5 of our original 10 bikes with us. Through careful planning and a trip to IKEA, we managed to store everything we need in our 4x8 storage room (including 2 mountain bikes).



Just prior to writing this post (this past weekend in fact) we pared our collection of bikes down to 2. We could store our current stable of bikes in the storage room, but with the extreme heat, we prefer to store them inside where the “soft” parts don’t dry out. Since we’re a little bike crazy (or just plain crazy) our bikes have become “art” in our office space. So, we actually have unused space in our storage room.

In retrospect, I have not missed the garage one bit. Along with the loss of the garage, we also got rid of the guilt which faced us every time we left/returned in the car and surveyed the accumulated clutter that always seems to invade its way into a garage. Now we simply park and go inside.

So You Are Now Minus A Garage…Now What?

When Juan and I decided to move into a smaller square foot home, we knew we were going to have to make some sacrifices and concentrate on the reason why we were doing this. One of the BIG BIG issues… A Garage. I know most men would whimper at the thought of eliminating the most precious room of the house (ask my middle brother). Even Juan was a little upset at first…heck I was too. It was great extra storage room. Yes, a place I could buy more STUFF and store it. However, there are truly great reasons for having a garage.

A place to keep your cars especially in the extreme heat of AZ

A great place for holiday storage (I know I am psycho about Christmas)

A place for those extra toys such as motorcycles, ATVs, and bicycles (Bicycles are the key for me and Juan)

A place to keep your tools for all the “Honey-Do’s” and carpentry work (Yes, Juan is very talented in that arena)

Let’s go back to the bicycles. When Juan and I made the decision to downsize, we each had five bicycles. Yes, I had five bikes and so did he. Why, you ask? Besides the LOVE of bicycles and bicycling….we had different bikes for different applications. (Mountain, Road, Touring or just Cruising)

So we decided that we truly needed to figure out the kind of riding we wanted to do and pare down to one bike a piece which is what we FINALLY did. Seriously it was just this past week that we did this. Even though we have been in the 900sqft home for months!

I’ve been asked on several occasions about storage and what were my thoughts about storing certain items especially bicycles. Many couples out there, like me, have been challenged with downsizing and losing the garage. What to do with bicycles that you still enjoy to ride but do not have the storage or garage space AND…do not wish to leave outside due to weather? Why can’t you integrate your bicycles with your décor? YOU CAN!

Our current set up in our spare room



Right now as Juan and I are still “editing" our spare room that will soon be an office/workspace/bedroom, we are creating a piece of artwork on the wall that is called our bicycles. Why not work it into your space? If you have a studio apartment, you can have a pulley system and have them hanging up high. Or you can do what we did and purchase a gravity rack that does not need to be bolted into the studs and hang a couple of bicycles.

HOWEVER, you can do one step better and purchase a beautiful bike shelf! Chris Brigham has created a beautiful bike shelf that, with simple instructions, you can mount on the wall and hang your bike. It is taking utilitarian one step further by making it useful yet beautiful and simplistic in design.

Chris spent his adult life as a Graphic Designer (Check out his website “About”) all along thinking about working with his hands. You see what an incredible and talented individual he is by visiting his website and checking out many of his designs. Chris had no formal training in furniture design, turned his garage into a woodshop and began building furniture. He taught himself and has built quite a successful business for himself (theknifeandsaw.com).  

Chris saw a need when visiting friends in San Francisco and NYC where storage is a challenge and where to put one’s bike. He saw a need for some “bike management” and created the bike shelf. It is easy-to-install (mount to wall studs) only leaving screw holes when gone (great for renters). It comes in walnut or ash and looks beautiful on the wall. You can add some books or other lightweight items (holds up to 40lbs) keeping more clutter out of the way.

Are you challenged with a couple of bikes in your small space…getting in the way? Do you find yourself moving your bike from one wall to the other to get it out of the way?  I would suggest you check out Chris’ Bike Shelf and get one…or two. What a great way to display your beautiful bike, add other accessories and have room to move around.

Chris Brigham can be reached at his website www.theknifeandsaw.com

Brings New Meaning To The “Murphy Bed”

I know many think I am crazy but I have to admit…I La La La LOVE (as my nieces would say)our small space! However….could we go smaller???? Before I would say no way. My challenge has always been this…I want a second room that I can use as an office AND a workspace for arts & crafts AND should the occasional family member or friend comes to visit, a place to sleep. Yes, three rooms in one, but how??? How can you create such a space in a small environment yet not have the clutter of furniture? Well, I have the answer.

Meet Ron Barth (video below), President of Resource Furniture (http://www.resourcefurniture.com/), he brings new meaning to space saving furniture. As a kid, I always was amazed at the Murphy bed concept. How cool is that? A bed that I didn’t have to make and I could throw up into the wall! (wink wink smiley face) Resource Furniture has been around since 2000 and they have this great line of space saving furniture. It’s like “Transformers for adults”!

I’ve included a video that showcases this incredible furniture. I have to tell you, when I saw this I was amazed and yet fascinated on the details. The furniture itself is beautiful quality, the technical design is high end and incredible easy. Watch how they lift, turn and lower huge pieces of furniture with tips of their fingers. I went crazy, I looked up every video, went to their website, reached out to people that work there….I am crazy for this furniture!

For my East Coast readers (holler! Wink wink smiley face) you are in luck, they are located in NYC. They also have locations in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Hong Kong. I am writing at this moment to find out specifics for my West Coast readers (Yo!...sorry wink wink smiley face).

So now Juan and I are thinking, we can go smaller, we can move to the beach and live in a teeny tiny place and have this great space saving furniture for all out needs! Hmmmm gets me thinking.

Check out the video.

Now… are you amazed, like me, the beautiful craftsmanship AND how cool this furniture is? Share your thoughts?

Admit It! You Are the Proud Owner Of A Junk Drawer, Closet, Garage Or Room!

Admit it! We all have one of these things….Junk drawer where all the coupon clippings get thrown in plus other odds and ends like thread, a broken stapler and an earring missing its mate. A closet crammed with clothes you can't wear or don't wear often, old cheerleading uniform (I know), a knitting project that is nowhere near completed or some strange "object de art" that was given to you by your  Mother-in law that is stored away until she visits (no, not me wink wink smiley face). The garage, a perfect place to stash stuff especially when guests are coming in to visit and you do not wish for them to see how much of a hoarder you are with all that stuff! Me…I have the ultimate…the best of them all…. A whole room dedicated to storage.

I’m cheering and screaming from the rafters… “My name is Shawn and I am STILL a holder of stuff!” Yep, that’s me. I own this title right down to the gold star. (wink wink smiley face)

I really do not wish to be honored with such a title; I really want a new one like...”My name is Shawn and I am the proud member of simplifying my life and stuff-less!” (I know there is no such word) however, that is how I would like to be remembered by.

So that is what I am doing, I am going to lay it out there and show you (via video) my second bedroom that is supposed to be an office workspace and is really a “semi” office workspace or should I say “kinda, sorta” office with a little workspace and lots of STUFF around.

My challenge is to get rid of the stuff in here and make it the room I want it to be in and enjoy. A beautiful space I utilize when working at home AND a workspace for other various projects in my life. Also, if possible a bedroom at times for future guests. So check out my video and let me know your thoughts. Do you have a challenge on your hands? Like drawers, or closets or rooms like me? If so, tell me about it and most importantly when do you plan to take that challenge on?

The story will continue.....

Sometimes the simplest things in life….Are “Old School”

It’s kinda funny as I look back on this year and the changes we have made. This time a year ago we were in the beginning stages of discussion about what we are doing? Why are we doing it? And what are we going to gain from it? My “real role” is running a staffing and consulting firm. We place people across the US in all levels and all departments. (A shameless plug, Kellen James).

As I digress, Juan and I have talked with countless Managers, Hiring Authorities and people looking to make a move and there seems to be a common goal ever since this economy took a dive…A need for a simpler life….A need for quality time with family and friends as that is what is most important.

Going back to my original thought (I know Juan says I have three or four conversations going at once), it was a huge undertaking getting ourselves situated in a much smaller space. Yet, we are so much happier now than when we were in a larger home. I am not a slave to my house/pool/yard. It is like living in a vacation home! (No not as cool as Ileana’s beach house/Previous blog article) But…it’s close.

We find ourselves enjoying our home, hanging out with friends and family here. We enjoy creating cool bar-b-que dishes and sitting at our kitchen table with a cup of coffee and just chatting. We can step outside (when it is not 114+ degrees) and get on our bikes and cruise the canal trail or walk to several neighborhood haunts and enjoy wonderful cuisine of all kinds.

We have an urban space which is very new to me and this area has 71 of these cute 900 sqft “bungalow style homes. There is a sense of great friendship and community here much more than when I was up in the “burbs” where everyone waves but drives right into their garage and shuts the door behind them never to see them until the following morning. We get together as a community for impromptu “happy hour” celebrate a birthday or hang out at the clubhouse to watch a game. It’s truly a community of friendship.

If this is the cost of downsizing and moving to the city?....I wished I did it years ago. So now I will sit with Juan, drink a nice cool “Arnold Palmer” and enjoy “Old School Style” listening to records on my 1962 Fisher Electra Stereo.

A small "taste" of what I am enjoying! Cheers!