2020-04-01 Real Simple

6

YOU SHALL NOT HAVE

OFF-SITE STORAGE SPACE

The answer to your home’s

clutter woes is not an auxiliary

space that’s hard to access

and expensive to maintain.

7

YOU SHALL BUY ONLY

WHAT YOU NEED

Technology has made it easier

than ever to borrow many of

the things we use infrequently,

from books to power tools to

camping gear.

THE LITTLE-HOME

8

YOU SHALL TIDY AND

ORGANIZE DAILY

A house does not keep itself:

The secret to a happy home is

for everything to have a place

and to do the work to put those

things back in their place.

9

YOU SHALL CHERISH

YOUR HOME

Protect and care for the home

you have. The satisfaction

you’ll feel when you do will

reward you daily.

1

YOU SHALL HONOR

THE SPACE YOU HAVE

Show respect and remain

grateful for what you have—

even if it’s not much.

2

YOU SHALL NOT COVET

BIGGER HOUSES

Yes, you can keep your Pinterest

“Dream Houses” board, but

don’t long for more than you

need. Try dreaming about the

ideal tiny home instead.

3

YOU SHALL LIVE WITH

WHAT YOU LOVE

Edit the objects in your home

so only those that are useful or

adored (ideally both) remain.

4

YOU SHALL USE

RESOURCES WISELY

Living small is one way to reduce

your environmental impact, but

it doesn’t give you a free pass to

blast the AC, skip the recycling,

or drive a gas-guzzler.

5

YOU SHALL VALUE

QUALITY OVER

QUANTITY

“Want better, not more” are

words to live by in any walk of

life, but especially in a small

space where your possessions

are edited down to a minimum.

TUCK IN

Use a Murphy bed

to quickly convert a

living room into

a sleep space.

Your small space can be a white-walled

shrine to minimalism or a cozy den of

personal treasures. Whatever your style,

I do have a few firmly held beliefs—

commandments, if you will—that apply

to every small space.

COMMANDMENTS

126 REAL SIMPLE APRIL 2020

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