Do you get the kitchn emails? (Sign up here if you'd like to subscribe.) Recently, Sara-Kate posted about the only tools you really need in your kitchen; it boiled down to three. Maybe it's because it feels like we're going into a belt-tightening time but we've been having similar thoughts about what we really need in our home and in our life. Sure, we like a lot of things and covet others, but as to need?...
What Do You Really Need In Each Room?
So, we made a list for each room and pared it down to the bare essentials. Here's our list:
- Bedroom: A good mattress is essential. Nice: a bed frame with a headboard, one nightstand and one lamp for each side of the bed, a dresser (unless there's room to put your folded clothing in the closet), a chair for sitting in or for putting on your shoes, a rug so your bare feet have someplace soft to land.
- Dining Room: a table and a chair. More if you have company. Nice: a place to store dishes, silverware, serving pieces and linens that can also hold hot or cold food.
- Living Room: a place for two people to sit comfortably, preferably facing each other or at a three-quarter angle. A place to put a drink. Nice: room to hold more people. a place to put something down by each seating area.
- Bathroom: toilet, sink, shower or tub. Nice: double sink, bidet, extra deep tub, steam shower.
Paring it down makes us more grateful for what we have and gives us a little perspective. What's your list look like? What's the least you think you could live with?
[image: Ben's Mid-Century Mecca]
Comments (12)
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Love that alarm clock! I'm assuming it's vintage--does anyone know where I might find something similar for a reasonable price? (An alarm clock is one of those things that, for me, is really essential in the bedroom and my old one recently bit the dust.)
view nicolson's profile
I love the alarm clock too
In my room I have a small lamp, a night stand for my laptop, a chair and a bed, it's nice to live simple
view La loca's profile
I would like to see some posts on people in apartments with all carpet. I have never lived in a hardwood place, ever, and this comment on the bedroom, " a rug so your bare feet have someplace soft to land" just does not apply to me.
What do you do for wall to wall beige apartment carpeting?
view protogarrett's profile
protogarrett: area rugs! i know it seems kind of redundant to put rugs on carpet, but i do it because i can't stand the beige wall-to-wall in my rental and using rugs makes my spaces feel more personalized.
view thenewmrsw's profile
I can't find the kichn article, what 3 items, I'd like to read, Thanks
view atomicranch79's profile
We don't "need" much to live comfortably - but as to your question, I would have difficulty living without art, especially my son's drawings from elementary school, but also some pieces I have picked up at Paradise City, both oil paintings and small sculptures.
view zoo's profile
no one mentioned trash cans. I need trash cans in the most important rooms. Bed, bath, living room and kitchen
view chusmabilly's profile
I could live with those minimums; I have lived with less.
That said, I consider book storage, at least one clock (preferably with alarm function), and a mirror (I've got to do my hair) pretty essential.
view Stiletto's profile
My company, Lifestyle Space Design, focusses on designing and renovating small Manhattan apartments to fit my clients' lifestyles. Our words-to-live-by are:
"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" William Morris, 1882.
The honest simplicity of this truth is my guideline for helping my clients re-evaluate what is really essential to how they live in their space. It's ALWAYS less stuff than they imagine they need!
view everydaydiva's profile
atomicranch79, it was in an email: a chef's knife, a frying pan, and a wooden spoon.
I think lists like these are kind of stupid.
view jamiealyse's profile
Anybody know where to find a similar alarm clock? I've been looking for an orange one just like that!
view ipitythefoo's profile
i'm with atomicranch79 (and thanks, jamiealyse, for clearing that up). please don't do snipe hunt posts where people have to poke around in vain for something that isn't there. geesh.
view loislane's profile