Wait for the sales. Plan your work around what’s on sale and around sale dates. That way, you can probably get away with buying hardly anything at the full price. Look for used items. There are plenty of excellent places to source secondhand goods that will make your room work well. Check out the local thrift stores, used furniture stores, online auctions, Craigslist, and the Freecycle network. Do your wallet and the planet a favor by giving old things another chance. Look around the whole house. There might be items nobody else wants, but be sure to ask first so you don’t inadvertently adopt something someone else was using. If you’ve left home, there’s still no harm in asking your parents what they’ve got spare to donate to you. If you’re still in your parents’ home, rummage around for unused items and decorative things. Take stock of what you already have. Can you rearrange or repurpose the things you already own? Should you spend some time removing clutter and cleaning up?
Draw your room shape on paper or in a computer drawing program. On paper, arrange the room in the way that you’d like to see it. Put the furniture you already have into position and work from there. What’s missing? What else will you need to create the various functions within the room such as mini-kitchenette, TV viewing space, study corner, and peaceful sleep zone? Where will you hang clothes to dry? If you have an en-suite sink or bathroom, include this in your design too. An en-suite allows you to not only maintain your own hygiene but also becomes a clothes washing and drying space, a plant growing area (sprouts are great!), and a dish washing area using the basin. How will you incorporate these different activities within the en-suite space you’ve got?
Consider using different colors within the room. Try painting the principal wall one color (usually the one a bedhead rests against) and paint the other three walls a slightly lighter shade of the same color group. Or, you might even want to paint a small area of wall marking out a corner for sitting, TV or games. Use your imagination.
Curtains or drapes work well on windows that are 5 by 6 feet (150 by 180 cm) in size.
A comfortable but compact chair or two will make a nice addition when you have guests, plus it’s a great place to sit and read. Get a comfortable ergonomic chair for the computer desk. You can also sit in it to eat, or use it as an additional chair when you have guests. Consider getting a table that folds down or folds onto the wall for a dining table. It doesn’t need to be huge, as it’ll usually only be you eating at it, but it’s better than eating over your keyboard at the computer desk. Try making a sitting corner with bean bags, a large armchair, or a group of large pillows and cushions.
Try moving a small desk lamp between the desk and the bedside table.
Get a microwave. Any size will do, depending on what you are planning to cook in it, although the bigger it gets, obviously the more space it needs. You will need to have at least a good sized table or desk placed in your room for this, since you probably don’t want your microwave on the floor. Add a mini fridge. You can get these at just about any store that sells kitchen appliances. If you can find one with a good sized freezer, that will let you keep frozen dinners and ice handy. You can put your microwave on top of this if it’s the right size. It’s not good for heat transfer, but it will save space. Anything small enough works. Size your appliances for one person. You might try a Foreman Grill, crock pot, or small toaster oven. Coffee makers and/or kettles are good, too, if you can’t live without your morning coffee. Get some reusable kitchenware such as bowls and flatware. You can rinse them out in the bathroom sink. Get a covered trash can, and don’t let your garbage pile up. It is stinky, attracts bugs and is unsanitary. Plus, its just plain gross. Empty it regularly.
Get shelving and cabinets. If you plan on keeping canned foods or boxed snacks in your room, shelves and cabinets are ideal. Bookshelves and cubbyholes in desks work well for books, games, knickknacks and small electronics like cords, USBs, cameras, and MP3 players. Try some invisible shelves for something different and conversation-starting. Have somewhere to hang and fold clothes if there isn’t already wardrobe space provided. Try to make use of every possible area for storage. A small room can look like a mess with just a small amount of floor clutter so keep everything tidy all the time.
Get shelving and cabinets. If you plan on keeping canned foods or boxed snacks in your room, shelves and cabinets are ideal. Bookshelves and cubbyholes in desks work well for books, games, knickknacks and small electronics like cords, USBs, cameras, and MP3 players. Try some invisible shelves for something different and conversation-starting. Have somewhere to hang and fold clothes if there isn’t already wardrobe space provided. Try to make use of every possible area for storage. A small room can look like a mess with just a small amount of floor clutter so keep everything tidy all the time.
A hand-held video game system fits anywhere. A standard TV-connected console gives much more realistic graphics and can often be played with a friend. A well-equipped gaming computer leaps yet further ahead, and can be played online for hours without end - but don’t overdo it. Games a few years old are generally very inexpensive. Many free games are available for computers. A few-years-old game on a computer with a good video card will generally look better than a new game on a console. Avoid amassing a huge DVD or CD collection. Rely on downloading your music and movies instead and using laptop and MP3 connections to play your downloads. If you don’t want to pay all the time, hire DVDs from the local video store and remember to return them on time, or have them mailed to you if your area offers rentals by mail. Or see if your local library lends CDs and DVDs. If you can, add a ceiling fan. [8] X Research source You might not have complete control over the household thermostat. When it’s too hot in the room, set the fan to pull air up towards the ceiling (or blow down on you) on high speed. When it’s too cold in the room, set the fan to blow warm air down from the ceiling on low speed to mix it in without wind-chill. If your housemates are polar bears that keep the temperature far too low for you, look for a small inexpensive space heater. Modern space heaters stay cool to the touch except for the front where the heat comes out. Don’t leave it on while you sleep though. Use it to heat the room and turn it off when you go to bed. Ensure that you can iron in your room. Get an iron, as well as a small ironing board and a mesh basket for taking clothes to the laundry and hanging outside if possible. Switch off all electronics at the wall at night. Any buzzing, humming, or blinking, will distract you when you’re trying to sleep and you can do without the electromagnetic interference too. Plus, turning appliances off at the wall saves money.
Realize that odors are going to be one big issue in your tiny home within a house. If you’re cooking in your bedroom, you’ll need to have the ability to open a window to let trapped smells outside and you may also need air fresheners to disguise the odors. It is also wise to eat food with strong odors outside or at the place you’ve bought them from rather than having them in your room. Bear in mind that you’ll have to sleep with the odors and that they’re permeating your clothing. Avoid smoking in your room for the same reason. A room that smells of stale cigarette smoke is unpleasant for everyone who visits, and it doesn’t do your health any good to be smoking in close confines. Consider opening your window for fresh air at least once a day, even during very cold weather (for a few minutes). Keep an eye out for ants and other pests. [10] X Research source They really like to get into areas with food. Keep ant traps handy and put one in each corner of your room before you can even see them.
