Compact and Functional

Half the fun of moving into a new place, even a smaller new place, is searching out the gadgets and items that are perfectly designed and with the functionality this is just what you were looking for.

 

Two of the modifications I was thinking we would need in our Tiny House was bedside lighting and a charging and storage place for our iPhones/iPods.  And this OttLite POD lamp fits the bill.  I like that is folds up when not in use but opens to reveal a compact light with a place for our devices to charge all in one spot.  It even has cord management.   They're on sale now for $40.

 

 

 

 

 

Another item that we've been thinking about is a TV... or maybe an iPad... or something?  I like this mini-projector option from Optoma.

 

 

 

 

Per the site:

 

View video and images from personal media players, mobile phones, PDAs, cameras and gaming devices with ease and without recharging the battery for up to 2 hours.

 

Smaller than many digital cameras and smart phones, the Optoma PK100 Pico Pocket Projector enables users to share images and videos from their media devices at sizes up to 60" — incredible from a device small and light enough to be comfortably carried in a pocket or handbag.

 

Based upon the latest LED illumination advances and DLP® imaging technology, Optoma's PK100 Pico Pocket Projector combines clear, vivid, high contrast images with long-lasting durability and simple operation.

Features are:

• Easily share photos and videos from mobile devices
• Project images on any surface
• Ultra-light at 4 ounces including battery
• Image size up to 60 inches
• Vivid 1000:1 contrast ratio
• DLP® Pico technology
• LED light source lasts over 20,000 hours
• Recharge battery conveniently via USB or included AC power adaptor

Maybe we don't even need a TV.  And this could be a way we still can do our Movie Nights!

Book Review: Put Your Life on a Diet

Put Your Life on a Diet by Gregory Paul Johnson

I just finished this book the other day and thought it was very interesting.  Gregory Johnson is one of the founders of the Small Living movement and had some good tips for paring down.  I really like the idea of "outsourcing" your living space and needs.  For example, if you do your laundry at a laundromat of exercise at at gym, you don't need to own and maintain equipment that you don't use every day.  You are basically renting and sharing the upkeep of those services with others.

Not everything in his book, which is part workbook, is needed or applicable to us but it's a good first step if you are considering a small living type of change.

Here is an excerpt from the book via Natural Home's site.  You can also visit Gregory's site at Resources for Life.

Smaller Scale for Bigger Living

A big change happened the other day.  One that we knew would be coming sooner rather than later but is quite a transition nevertheless.

We got rid of our big TV.

Now our old TV was something around 60" wide.  Frankly, it was too big for the space that we had for it.  In our 110-year-old house it didn't really fit.  We had to sort of wedge it into a corner between the fireplace and the radiator box. It was very modern looking, dominated the room and, at times, seemed to dominate our lives as well.

But over the past few years we have been lessening it's hold on us.  I hate paying for cable and I really don't like much of what runs on TV and cable stations anyways.  If find it noisy and intrusive. So over a year we started cutting it out.  First we eliminated a bunch of stations then we decided to get rid of the cable altogether.   We still have the XBox game system which also allows us to stream the Instant View movies from NetFlix.  This is so great.  We have the most basic NetFlix rental and get the 1 DVD at a time which is plenty, but we can watch the Instant Queue movies over and over.  We have our DVD player too, streaming radio and Hulu and the free documentaries site too.   We definitely do not feel as if we are doing without entertainment wise.

The giant TV was still squatting there in the corner of the living room but it was on its last legs.  It had not been aging well. In the past few months the color had gone a bit wonky and the latest issue was that it would turn off repeatedly during a show.  It was not going to be long until we either had to pay to fix it or it died completely.

We decided it was time to find it a new home so we listed it and it's stand on CraigsList.  Of course we gave a full disclosure of the TV and it's problems but we also priced it very low.  We had a buyer that same day.  I'm not sure why we were surprised.  We've sold other equipment the same way that was even older.  Maybe these folks have better skills than we do!

So once the behemoth was out of the room, it did look a bit barren.  We did have a second TV, a 32" LCD (I think?!?) that was in the bedroom and was never used.  Once we had gotten rid of the cable we never bothered with it. That now was moved into the living room onto a much smaller TV stand that also goes better with the look of the house.

The smaller screen has taken some getting used to but that is offset by the much clearer picture... and the fact that it doesn't shut down 4 times within a 60 minute show.  We also have more space in the bedroom.  The smaller TV used to sit on top of my desk.  It now feels airier and more peaceful without it.

What's going next?