So I've been sleeping in the living room for a while now. My mattress is on the floor, basically in the middle of the room, with pillows and CPAP spending most of their time on the couch. It hasn't been bad, but it hasn't been exactly comfortable either.
However, it has given us a chance to evaluate how my room is functioning and decide what changes need to be made. We discussed, made plans, and gathered material. Now it's just a matter of things cooling down enough to make it happen.
I know I talk about this a lot, but one of the keys to having a progressively less frustrating life is being willing to make changes to your environment as you can. This isn't always easy (or even possible) because so many of us move so often or find ourselves in limited space. However, if you working and reasonable list of your priorities, making changes in even the smallest of spaces is easier.
WHAT MATTERS MOST
I think whenever we address the concept of living space, we should always have a working list of our wants, needs, and priorities. People can over-complicate these things, so I try to go with just six. Actually, I go with three groups of two. HAS TO BE THERE. WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HAVE THERE. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, BUT IT'S LESS IMPORTANT.
I'll use my bedroom as an example of this.
HAS TO BE THERE.
1. Comfort
2. Navigation.
The MAIN THING I need is for my bedroom to be comfortable and easily navigated.
The bedroom is for sleeping, so comfort is my main priority. I need the bed to be easy to sleep on, easy to get on and off of, and easy to maintain. With this in mind, we got the strongest bed frame we could find. We adjusted my furniture around so I could use it to keep pillows in place, and have easy access to my CPAP. We arranged for the bed to be away from the windows so I don't freeze in the winter. We also made sure I had shades on said windows so the sun doesn't blind me in the morning.
The navigation is important because when I don't see clear paths through a room, I start getting really agitated. I'm also fat and clumsy and have a tendency to run into things. We moved the furnishings in a way that allows me to have the safest route through the room.
WILL DO WHATEVER POSSIBLE TO HAVE THERE
3. Storage
4. Multipurpose functioning.
The room also serves as the place where I keep my clothing and hair supplies, as well as serving as storage for my music collection, video collection, and as an exercise area.
Storage is a goal I'm always working towards. The room only has one tiny, useless closet. I store things in there that I don't want to throw away, but don't need around me all the time. I keep a working series of baskets for currently worn clothes and keep seasonal clothes in two drawer chests. The room also contains a desk that serves as my night stand and storage for medical supplies and everyday personal items. Oh, and there are a lot of blankets.
I also use the bedroom for working out, listening to music, and lately, meditation. I keep my items related to theses tasks out of the way, and will be addressing one of them (the music storage) in this latest room alteration.
WOULD LIKE
5. Personality
6. Attractiveness
The room is white paneling with a white ceiling and nasty old 1980s sky blue carpet. I can't afford to change any of this at the moment, so I work around it. I mostly ignore the floor and just pretend like it's attractive. I try to add personality by my choice of sheet colors and the art work. Just to keep from being bored, I change this up sometimes.
You'll notice that many things one would want in a bedroom don't make my list. I don't mention privacy, because it's really not that important to me. I didn't try to put a TV in there, because I knew I would never ever find myself watching it. I also didn't prioritize a reading area, because if I read, I know it will be in the living room, on the porch, or in the car.
However, these points (and even many I didn't mention) may be the points most important to you. There is no right or wrong in deciding what is important in room design. It is completely dependent on your needs.
I really have high hopes for the room changes. I think they'll make for more happiness in my life. If not, I can always change it back, or change it in a new way. It really just depends on what I end up needing. As, in a bedroom, it always should.
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