You Don't Need Furniture

Furniture is...

• expensive
• bulky
• heavy
• inflexible
• a space hog
• a dust magnet
• a place to lose things
• something to stub your toe on
• something to clean
• something to clean around
• something to break

Seriously, what is any of it for? With so many downsides, any furniture you choose to keep must have massive utility to be worth the cost.

Are you sure that side table is worth it?

Let me convince you that you don't need furniture.

I split furniture into three categories: storage, surfaces, and seats. Some things overlap or have secondary purposes, but the arguments remain the same.

Storage

Storage is for putting things away. Besides locales where anything beyond bare walls is not part of standard construction, you have enough storage without additional furniture.

Most people don't wear more than a closet of clothes, or cook with more than a kitchen's worth of cookware. Even if you are the exception, it's only in one or two categories. You can overflow into the rest of your built-in storage space to compensate. If you're so space constrained you need more storage, you definitely should not be wasting space on big storage furniture.

Besides, most people have more stuff than they need. If you use more bathroom products than fit under the sink or in the bathroom cabinet, I have concerns. Trim down first and then you can decide if you still need more.

Surfaces

Surfaces are for doing things on.

Bathroom and kitchen counters are typically built in.

Beyond that? You'll need a raised work surface of some kind, there's no point in fighting the ergonomics of your head being above your arms. The kitchen counter can work, but you probably want a separate desk. Additionally perhaps a dining table if the kitchen counter is insufficient, and a coffee or side table for casual living space. Those are circumstantial.

The rest are excess. Bedside tables, entryway side tables, hallway consoles, they're all storage, not surfaces. They masquerade as surfaces because of their quick access usage, but you aren't using the surface itself to do anything.¹

Surfaces are terrible for storage.

A handful of mail takes up an entire table of space as a surface, but only a folder in vertical storage. Shelves maintain the convenience of surfaces, but are lighter and more space efficient than a table. Sets of drawers offer more organization and less visual clutter.

If you need storage, get actual storage. Empty surfaces are clutter magnets because they're bad storage. Better not to have them at all.

Seats

Seats are things you place your body on. Chairs, stools, sofas, beds.

Yes, I'm including beds.

There are many cultures without beds. You don't need one, though social norm or personal preference may encourage you to have one. Regardless, beds and mattresses are such a massive commitment that you should seriously consider the alternatives, even if having one is non-negotiable.

In general, you don't need any seats. Seats are pure convenience.

You can stand to reach all your surfaces and you can sit on the floor. The floor can be a wonderful alternative with a few blankets and cushions. It's not dirty if you put in the effort to keep it clean, and it's not hard to keep it clean if you don't have to constantly dodge around furniture. Quarantine shoes by the entrance, and toss the fabrics in the laundry and do a lap with the vacuum as needed. Takes ten minutes once a week, including getting out the vacuum and dealing with the laundry machine.

There's a bit of trickery with seats though. It's obvious why a standalone armchair is unnecessary if you have a suitable setup on the floor. It's the pairings which are a problem. If you have a dining table, you'll have chairs.

Seats and surfaces have a multiplicative effect. In general, if you have more working surfaces you need seats to use them comfortably, and if you have more seats you'll want surfaces at an appropriate height to reach.

Keep this in mind when considering if either is necessary. Bedside tables only exist because of raised beds.

The floor is just fine if you aren't lying two feet above it.

Alternatives

Some people do need furniture, whether because of physical constraints, disability, or social expectation. Regardless, most everyone would greatly benefit from some furniture.

But it's probably less than you have, or different than what you have. The bachelor pad single armchair pointed at TV is unlikely to be optimal, even if it's minimal.

So what's the goal?

Accumulate only what you need, without making expensive mistakes. Removing is rather self explanatory and sometimes profitable, so I leave that as an exercise to the reader.

Adding is the hard part. If you're adding, try lower commitment options first, swapping to full furniture only once you're sure there's no good alternative.

I don't mean using a cheap folding chair and table instead of a proper desk. There's plenty of beautiful, well made, portable options in the world.

Get a freestanding shelving unit for the closet instead of a chunky dresser, an exercise ball or a cushy stool instead of the bulky office chair. A few good floor cushions has more uses than than another sofa module. A sturdy tiered cart might serve you better than a flock of static side tables.

This is nowhere near a comprehensive list, it's to get you thinking about alternatives to the stock mainstream furniture setup.

Whether you love or hate the alternatives, you'll learn exactly what you want out of the expensive pieces in the process, and it'll be easier to adapt them to new uses (or carry them to the dumpster).

- Rew

Nightly Notes

The writing spark returns at last. I'm feeling good.

I was feeling worse earlier. Funny how that works.

- Rew