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gutwetter1 Jul 2014 11:12Hello everyone,
does anyone know if there are lists available online or in book form that illustrate the typical household items (from furniture to tablecloths or soap) that need to be stored in a home? I understand that according to forum rules, posting links is not allowed for everyone (only after 150 posts), except through a moderator. We would need to keep that in mind.
Originally, we wanted to design a very compact home, but we are increasingly encountering "items" that we already need to consider today or will need to accommodate during our time living there.
For example, we hadn’t thought about the need to store a large number of coats and (dirty) shoes once children are involved. Or strollers, laundry with dirt on it (although dirty laundry is just laundry in a different condition), extension leaves for extendable tables, spare chairs. About 0.5 m² (5.4 sq ft) of bathroom space per teenager for perfumes, curling irons…
I’m not so interested in listing all the small items, even though I mentioned some examples above. It’s more about the volume or area required. I just found a cabinet in our apartment (once again) that is stuffed with tablecloths and bedding… we already sorted through some of it a few months ago, but it’s still quite full (about 0.25 m³ (9 cubic ft)).
Knowing this kind of information is useful for planning storage space wisely—like the footprints for cabinets or even the cabinets themselves. That also includes circulation paths inside the house, window placement, and so on. With a basement, you might be able to store a lot out of sight, but if everything has to fit within the main living areas…
Maybe there’s something like this in a “home planner’s handbook” 😉
I do look at real households and discuss this topic with friends and family, but that still doesn’t give me an open perspective on the many things that accumulate in houses.
Thanks very much for your tips.
does anyone know if there are lists available online or in book form that illustrate the typical household items (from furniture to tablecloths or soap) that need to be stored in a home? I understand that according to forum rules, posting links is not allowed for everyone (only after 150 posts), except through a moderator. We would need to keep that in mind.
Originally, we wanted to design a very compact home, but we are increasingly encountering "items" that we already need to consider today or will need to accommodate during our time living there.
For example, we hadn’t thought about the need to store a large number of coats and (dirty) shoes once children are involved. Or strollers, laundry with dirt on it (although dirty laundry is just laundry in a different condition), extension leaves for extendable tables, spare chairs. About 0.5 m² (5.4 sq ft) of bathroom space per teenager for perfumes, curling irons…
I’m not so interested in listing all the small items, even though I mentioned some examples above. It’s more about the volume or area required. I just found a cabinet in our apartment (once again) that is stuffed with tablecloths and bedding… we already sorted through some of it a few months ago, but it’s still quite full (about 0.25 m³ (9 cubic ft)).
Knowing this kind of information is useful for planning storage space wisely—like the footprints for cabinets or even the cabinets themselves. That also includes circulation paths inside the house, window placement, and so on. With a basement, you might be able to store a lot out of sight, but if everything has to fit within the main living areas…
Maybe there’s something like this in a “home planner’s handbook” 😉
I do look at real households and discuss this topic with friends and family, but that still doesn’t give me an open perspective on the many things that accumulate in houses.
Thanks very much for your tips.
Well, it really depends on the individual. At most, someone might have a personal checklist because they got bored and wrote everything down.
One person might get by with 2 sets of bedding per bed, while another needs 5. Soap is similar—does every family member use the same soap, or does everyone have their own? Some like to stock up on canned goods, toilet paper, batteries, etc., while others only buy when they need them.
It all depends on your lifestyle, so you can’t really make a universal list. One person needs a basement for all their stuff, another is fine with just a storage cupboard—even if both families have the same number of members. One person needs 1 meter (3 feet) of wardrobe space, another needs 3 meters (10 feet). Or do you want to know the exact space required for every shirt, pair of underwear, and pair of socks?
Just take the furniture you already have in your current place, look at it, and think about where you’d store it in the new house. Then add a few square meters (square feet) as a buffer, and that will give you a good idea of your space requirements.
One person might get by with 2 sets of bedding per bed, while another needs 5. Soap is similar—does every family member use the same soap, or does everyone have their own? Some like to stock up on canned goods, toilet paper, batteries, etc., while others only buy when they need them.
It all depends on your lifestyle, so you can’t really make a universal list. One person needs a basement for all their stuff, another is fine with just a storage cupboard—even if both families have the same number of members. One person needs 1 meter (3 feet) of wardrobe space, another needs 3 meters (10 feet). Or do you want to know the exact space required for every shirt, pair of underwear, and pair of socks?
Just take the furniture you already have in your current place, look at it, and think about where you’d store it in the new house. Then add a few square meters (square feet) as a buffer, and that will give you a good idea of your space requirements.
I also believe that this cannot be generalized. Whether there are lists for this, I have no idea, but with some effort, you can figure it out yourself. As a suggestion, I will list some larger items that often become an issue if you haven’t planned space for them (besides household items, also things needed around the garden):
- Suitcases, backpacks, and other bulky bags (if you can even still afford a vacation after building 🙂
- Strollers and all major baby equipment (car seats, bassinets, etc.)
- Vacuum cleaners, mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies
- Stocks of laundry detergents for various fabric types
- Tools, e.g., wet/dry vacuum cleaners, pressure washers, or multiple small machines (if you are a DIY enthusiast)
- Bicycles, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, scarifiers, wheelbarrows, and other garden tools that don’t all fit in the garage (if you have one); summer/winter tires (if you don’t store them elsewhere)
- Flower pots and containers not in use, supplies of garden fertilizer, potting soil, etc.
- Computer workstation (which is getting smaller, but a printer, for example, still needs space)
- Filing folders (for all sorts of documents like bills, etc.)
- Hobby items (for me, for example, camera equipment with tripod, etc.)
- Items for pets if you have or plan to have any (scratching posts, litter boxes, cages, etc.)
- Grills, patio furniture that should be stored indoors during winter
- Seasonal decorations (Christmas ornaments, etc.)
- Books and magazines you want to keep (every shelf eventually fills up)
- Boxes you want to keep (whether for warranties, resale, or packaging for the next online sale)
- …
That adds up, especially if you don’t consistently dispose of anything that you no longer or only maybe need. It might even be cheaper to replace some items occasionally instead of constantly setting aside space to store things for longer periods. I find it hard to part with such things myself, but maybe my personal motivation isn’t strong enough. For example, I still keep my older cameras that I no longer use because they don’t fetch much money anymore, they were expensive at the time, and I could use them as backups if a repair is needed… However, I don’t buy every new model, so it’s still manageable so far.
- Suitcases, backpacks, and other bulky bags (if you can even still afford a vacation after building 🙂
- Strollers and all major baby equipment (car seats, bassinets, etc.)
- Vacuum cleaners, mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies
- Stocks of laundry detergents for various fabric types
- Tools, e.g., wet/dry vacuum cleaners, pressure washers, or multiple small machines (if you are a DIY enthusiast)
- Bicycles, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, scarifiers, wheelbarrows, and other garden tools that don’t all fit in the garage (if you have one); summer/winter tires (if you don’t store them elsewhere)
- Flower pots and containers not in use, supplies of garden fertilizer, potting soil, etc.
- Computer workstation (which is getting smaller, but a printer, for example, still needs space)
- Filing folders (for all sorts of documents like bills, etc.)
- Hobby items (for me, for example, camera equipment with tripod, etc.)
- Items for pets if you have or plan to have any (scratching posts, litter boxes, cages, etc.)
- Grills, patio furniture that should be stored indoors during winter
- Seasonal decorations (Christmas ornaments, etc.)
- Books and magazines you want to keep (every shelf eventually fills up)
- Boxes you want to keep (whether for warranties, resale, or packaging for the next online sale)
- …
That adds up, especially if you don’t consistently dispose of anything that you no longer or only maybe need. It might even be cheaper to replace some items occasionally instead of constantly setting aside space to store things for longer periods. I find it hard to part with such things myself, but maybe my personal motivation isn’t strong enough. For example, I still keep my older cameras that I no longer use because they don’t fetch much money anymore, they were expensive at the time, and I could use them as backups if a repair is needed… However, I don’t buy every new model, so it’s still manageable so far.
For me, a small chest of drawers is enough for all my clothes (except jackets), meaning I currently don’t have a wardrobe at all.
However, I need an enormous amount of space for all the pet stuff, which makes living in a rental apartment practically impossible because the usual "standard layout" with living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom leaves no room for extra things.
I have six rabbits, three pairs that don’t get along with each other, and each pair has its own room with a rabbit hutch. Then there are the squirrels. Plus, a workout room for ballet and fitness equipment. There’s no basement to store anything like that.
My “normal” furniture and clothes, on the other hand, take up relatively little space. We moved into our house with 30 moving boxes from a 70 sqm (750 sq ft) apartment, most of which contained books and CDs.
As you can see, the amount of space someone needs is very relative and personal. It’s probably most visible when moving, as you get a clear idea of how many cubic meters of furniture and boxes you use. But even this changes over time. It’s difficult to make any general statements about it.
However, I need an enormous amount of space for all the pet stuff, which makes living in a rental apartment practically impossible because the usual "standard layout" with living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom leaves no room for extra things.
I have six rabbits, three pairs that don’t get along with each other, and each pair has its own room with a rabbit hutch. Then there are the squirrels. Plus, a workout room for ballet and fitness equipment. There’s no basement to store anything like that.
My “normal” furniture and clothes, on the other hand, take up relatively little space. We moved into our house with 30 moving boxes from a 70 sqm (750 sq ft) apartment, most of which contained books and CDs.
As you can see, the amount of space someone needs is very relative and personal. It’s probably most visible when moving, as you get a clear idea of how many cubic meters of furniture and boxes you use. But even this changes over time. It’s difficult to make any general statements about it.
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