Stand back IKEA.... introducing Mr & Mrs M's storage solutions!!



 YAY... it's blog time!! apologies in advance for the photo overload!

Well the last 2 weeks have fairly flown by and we have been very busy and have achieved a lot!  We are very much enjoying living in our "tiny house" and in fact it isn't that tiny! 

We are almost completely unpacked and the spaces are perfect, our furniture fits really well, we were concerned it would be a bit cramped but it's actually the opposite, it's almost as if we had measured each piece of furniture and built to spec.  Me M is organized but not that organized!

The kitchen/dining room/utility space...

 



Living room complete with the comfiest sofa in the world!

My office space...

The bedroom...

And finally the littlest room in the house...

Mr M has spent most of the last 2 weeks working on our storage solutions!  We do have a storage space above the bathroom! For all those "things" you need, but you don't need right now!

But what about all that other stuff!

First things first was our bedroom closet, turned out pretty amazing and cost us $16 (bargain!)

 

Curtains were from our last house, save us having to make doors!  and the top is perfect for storing bags with our extra clothes.... y'know those things you might fit into again one day!

We used the off cuts of cedar from our cedar fencing and raised beds to box in our bedroom storage solution!

Then he put the shelves into our airing cupboard, I was able to then get everything unpacked and put away..

Next up was some additional kitchen storage, overhead cupboard above the fridge..

We also came up with an ingenious idea for our additional dining chairs - may as well use the upper eaves for something...

Whilst he was up there he fitted some ceiling fans..... these are a great addition!

 

He also fitted curtain rails, after pricing everything up we went with eyelets and conduit! work like a charm!  Curtains I have made for our last house are perfect for these windows!  I have been getting reacquainted with my sewing machine and I am making some additional curtain "doors" for our bedroom, bathroom and airing cupboard!  A less expensive option to actual doors, we have the most amazing quilting shop in town, so I went down and had a rummage through their end of line stock! 70% off, can't complain about that!

 



This week Mr M will be working on our kitchen cupboard doors, we are all unpacked bar 3 boxes that are in front of one of the cupboards, they are protecting the doglets food! no door = no food!

We have had some spectacular weather over the last few weeks and it would be a shame to just be working....

I have managed to get all of my raised beds completed and now we just await the results..

I have 8 potato bins this year, my triangle beds are planted with Nasturtiums and Sweet Williams and I have turnips, beets and parsnips coming up.  Peas are in, but still waiting for them to make an appearance, but we have been eating our lettuce mix for a few weeks now! nomnomnom!

Another week or so and my greenhouse will be a bit more empty, my corgettes (zuchinni's) are getting huge and need to be rehomed to their bed!'

Cucumbers, tomatoes and my very slow germinating peppers will all be filling the greenhouse...

Keeping up with the flora topic we are covered everywhere with Iris's, the ditch all along the front of our property is full of them, so so pretty!

There are wildflowers all over.. anyone able to identify!

Finally the BIG news is that sadly Bunty Chokin passed onto feather heaven Thankfully via natural causes! So we had a funeral and then the next day went out and brought 2 new chicks and 2 ducklings!

Welcome Fred & George (after the ginger Weasley twins in Harry Potter) and Dippy & Dozy Duck!

We have had them less than 2 weeks, Dippy (yellow duck) has at least doubled in size, I swear she is going to take over the world.... we aren't 100% sure what the ducklings are, but thinking Pekin and a Khaki Campbell.  They are in a big plastic container under a heat lamp during the night but during the day we are getting them outside as much as possible... So entertaining and So cute!!

See you in 2 weeks folks! Quack Quack!!

Big Bed, Comfy Bed, Box, Box, Box!

Evening all, or is it morning all?

Mr M has had another busy week, first job was to put the wall board on the dividing wall and then he taped and skimmed the joints!  I was able to get on with the painting after work, we went with white on the bedroom side and yellow on the living room side.. adding a splash of color!

Next job for Mr M was to build a corner cupboard for the kitchen! gotta have somewhere to keep the vittles!

No doors, they will follow later!

Then there were lots of finishing off jobs to be completed, trim around the doors, silicone, heated towel rail in the bathroom, shower curtain rail, blah, blah, blah...

 

Heated towel rails the BEST invention ever! 

And of course the customary cleaning.... we got the fridge unwrapped and plugged in!  The washer/drier is all plumbed in and working hard... well, lets face it who isn't!

So here it is, all empty, clean and ready! we did take down the rest of the garage door :)

Still a few things to finish off.... cupboard doors, more storage above the fridge, a closet in the bedroom and I am sure my list will continue to grow!

But did we wait for all those jobs to be completed? No, those are just aesthetic details....

So we have had a manic weekend moving all our stuff out of the container and into the barn, but we are in, our furniture fits perfectly and we have plenty of space - I might swing a cat around later!

We want to get properly moved in and unpacked before showing off  our "tiny home" so check back in two weeks time for our next installment, we are switching to fortnightly publications of the blog, assuming that life will be a bit quieter for a few weeks - or maybe not! my list is only getting longer!

But for now we are enjoying the spoils of a comfy couch....

Top Tips for Trailer Tenancy...

Well we are nearly there.... we are hoping this time next week we will be in situ or close to!

The start of the week and Mr M fitted the kitchen sink and the bathroom sink! both are plumbed in and working and not a leak to be seen!

 

Bucket is NOT required.

Kitchen is really coming along..... well actually it is finished and ready for us to move in... apart from cupboard doors - Oh and overhead cupboards - Oh and some shelves I have requested...  but apart from that it is ready!

We unpacked the oven this week too, just couldn't wait any longer, it is all very exciting, all works as far as we can tell! Got the clock set so how hard can the rest of it be?

Edit to add - the blue won't be staying, leaving it all wrapped up until the threat of dust has gone!

Mr M has been busy this week, he also got the floor down.  2 inch studs with insulation laid over the top and then we are using the least expensive plywood.  We will be putting down lots of rugs and hopefully keep the splinters at bay, but if the truth be told we won't be walking on too much of the floor as it will all be covered up with furniture :)

The floor is all completely finished and finally the last big task to be done is the bedroom wall, it all got framed this weekend! Mr M is going to need a holiday!  It is just an 8 foot dividing wall, open to the ceiling, we won't be having a door, I have some cute material to make a curtain!

Tomorrow he will be putting up the plasterboard and there is just 4 seams to tape! and then I will be cracking on and getting it painted.  Whilst I am doing that Mr M will be taking on all the finishing up items and then *fingers crossed* we will be on the move! 

I have already moved in, priorities of course being somewhere to hang my hat - or my pegs!!

So as we are coming to the end of this chapter in our adventure I thought I would share some tips on how to survive trailer living, in case anyone else's husband has a mad idea of quitting his job to become a bum self builder!

1. Gadgets - choose your gadgets wisely due to limited storage, make sure you have good versatile kitchen gadgets with you.  I couldn't have done without my bread maker, fresh bread on demand and also the perfect gadget for baking cakes!!!
2. Comfy bed - get one! it is the only way to make life bearable!
3. Shower - have one for your sake and your better halves! and make sure it has a good supply of hot water and plenty of water pressure!
4. Outside - get out in it rain or shine, otherwise cabin fever will take over!
5. Select your clothes wisely - with limited storage bring something for all weather!  Who knows how long you will be stuck living here.
6. Make your dogs sleep outside (rolls around on the floor laughing at my own humor) otherwise No.2 will be severely hampered - trust me, this is from experience!
7. Finally chose your housemate carefully! ensure he/she is hard working, not too smelly and focuses on the end result - focus focus focus! *cracks whip*

That's all for this week, we have been enjoying some glorious sunny weather ensuring that Bunty Chicken is still kicking up her heels!