Multi-Purpose Activity Zones

Optimize limited space with an activity list, then adapt the space to each activity. From a default neutral mode, furniture and related items move into a designated activity zone on demand. An unconventional bed disappears or becomes seating when you’re not sleeping. Folding chairs and tables are rearranged or stored when not in use. Activity related items appear as needed.


Trays, totes, folding tables and chairs, unconventional beds and seating will be selected for versatility. Prerequisites are neatness and absence of clutter. Minimalize. Use vertical space. Use a netbook. Discover creative storage solutions. Build niches for electronics. Keep countertops clear. You can be miserable in a cramped and cluttered tiny space or you can eliminate unnecessary (most) possessions and keep only what is used regularly.

There are two types of activities. Shared, which include cooking, eating, entertaining. And private, such as sleep, bathing, work and study. The Pareto Principle translates to 20% cause produces 80% effect. This means 80% value residesĀ  within 20% of your possessions, e.g. twenty percent of your clothes receive 80% of the wear. When you cut away the unnecessary eighty percent, the remaining 20% becomes more powerful, more compelling. Every time you apply the principle you get more effect, more energy.

Space adaptation, decluttering and the Pareto Principle create energy principles that can be applied to any living space. Basic activities of sleeping, sitting, reading, work, exercise and other tasks can be combined in a small space using multi-functional furniture with reduction to essentials and on-demand space adaptation to do more in less space than imagined.

Cleaning Rules and Tools

In a small space cleaning, like decluttering, is essential. First, assemble a basic cleaning kit. I keep a bucket in a bucket as a tote, glass and spray cleaner, paper towels and towels, a swiffer, a cheap little vac, a duster and some trash bags.

Rule one is clean as you go. Make your bed as soon as you get up. Fold your laundry and put it away immediately. Clean dishes and put them away as you use them. When you’re done working on a project, break it down and put it away. Living in a small place requires versatile space. The only way your space stays versatile is if you clean as you go.

The most important cleaning rule you need to know is clean as you go. The dollar store has Amesome cleaner for a buck. I use it to clean brake dust off my wheels and for anything else that seems like an impossible cleaning job. Vinegar and water is a cheap cleaning solution. Newspaper with vinegar water makes glass spotless.

Painting is the next best thing to cleaning. Paint and supplies can be picked up very inexpensively and will transform your living space from dreary to cheery with minimal investment and time.