Small Living

Well, it's been a little motherhood-heavy here lately.  Let's talk about something else.

Let's talk about how some people are deliberately living smaller these days, and I love it.  Utah isn't exactly the place to find and live the trend, however, unless you can find a circa-1940s home. Oh wait. I already did.  And standard mattresses, clothes hangers, vacuums, toys, and bathroom products don't fit into it.
I've had to pick up some tricks (all hail Pinterest!) and manage our consumption carefully along the way to make our home more livable.  These are some of the best tips I've found:

Vertical space - this is a no-brainer. Curtains that draw the eye up, storage space over the doorways and bookshelves, organizers in every closet and entryway.  Bed risers under the beds, tall skinny dressers and nighstands (or no nightstands), coat and towel hangers on the walls and doors, you get it.

Tension rods and magnetic strips - I have one or both of these in all two of my storage cabinets. Tension rods are my new best friends.

Clear shower curtain - I've used a couple different curtains in my bathroom and finally decided to leave a clear liner (thanks Jo!).  Et voila!  Doubled the size of the room.

Mirrors - everyone knows.  I have a mirror in almost every room including the hall, and the difference a mirror makes in a small space cannot be overstated.

Window shades - curtains take up wall space, yo.  But I need thermal window coverings because of my old windows and terrible insulation (and living in the oft-coldest spot in the 48 contiguous states).  After three tries I found some Roman window shades for my bedroom which fit inside the window well, and make me feel a little less claustrophobic than the previous curtains.  I think they're staying.

Smaller beds - you know I'll keep talking about that mini crib. Babies do NOT need all that space in a normal size crib.  MG is nearing 18 months and I think she'll be fine in her mini crib for another 6.  She sleeps perfectly in a pack and play (Liam never did) because it's the same size.  Also, toddler beds.  If we stay in this house Liam will be in a toddler bed until the last possible minute.
I wish I could say we moved back to a full-size bed, but no.  My sleep is more precious to me than that.

I rotate the toys in my kids' room regularly, and the clothes by season, of course. Fortunately my kitchen is well-planned and spacious enough for us, and I've never been a beauty product hoarder.  If you have any more revolutionary ideas for maximizing space, please, let me know.

Finally, some questions for you.  If your bedroom is small enough, do you put your shared bed in a corner? If so, who sleeps on the edge?  Does the wall-sleeper climb over or just shimmy to the end of the bed to get out?  And can you ever switch sides of the bed?
Such dilemmas.