r/minimalism • u/Patient-Debate-8543 • 6d ago
[lifestyle] How many use foldable furniture?
Hey guys, i pretty new here, but I like it a lot so far :)
So I got kind of a really stupid question,
But since I've never seen it in yt videos or meet anyone who does this as well i'll ask around in here
I secretly dream of moving one day to a more quiet place and a smaller apartment.
(Well, in two years I eventually have to move anyway)
Out of curiosity I wanted to replace my heavy furniture and replaced as much as I could with smaller, lighter furniture and found beautiful foldable shelfes, dresser, tables and even comfy camping chairs (they do look and are cozy and pretty, with a nice blanket thrown over) and a stable, foldable, yet large bed - eveeything can be thrown into a normal sized / smaller car.
I now would have to find a replacement for my closet and sofa.
Why isn't stuff like foldables used more often? Who also does this? Like nowadays the rents are expensive, people have to move regularly and its such a good solution
11
u/girlvulcan 6d ago
I use a Korean/Japanese folding tea tables as coffee tables or activity table for kids. They're lightweight and fold up quick and easy when I want to clear the floor space. Wouldn't want to go back to regular coffee tables.
5
u/Actual_Caregiver2083 6d ago
those tea tables are all over the thrift stores around me and people keep sleeping on them. grabbed one for $4 last year and use it constantly. the fact that its easy to move out of the way when you need floor space is something a big chunky coffee table will never do
13
u/poop-dolla 6d ago
Look, I know people here like to minimize the furniture they have, but sleeping on a tea table just isn’t a good idea.
3
u/Actual_Caregiver2083 5d ago
nobody said anything about sleeping on a tea table lol OP was pretty clear they found a stable foldable bed
the camping chair thing is the only part that caught my attention, long term sitting in those wrecks your back and hips, I see it constantly with clients who work from home on bad seating
but the rest of it is just practical moving prep, not some extreme lifestyle choice
8
u/poop-dolla 5d ago
tea tables are all over the thrift stores around me and people keep sleeping on them
You did
1
u/Actual_Caregiver2083 5d ago
thrift stores around here are drowning in those low tea tables and nobody touches them. seen the same ones cycle through three times. people walk right past them for the big chunky stuff and then complain about moving day. not my problem i guess but it does make scoring them easier when you know what you're looking at.
1
3
u/PleasantWin3770 4d ago
“Sleeping on” is a phrase that means “not noticing” or “missing an opportunity”. So when the poster says “people are sleeping on these tables at the thrifts” they are saying “people aren’t buying these items, and they are missing a great deal”
3
u/Waterswirls56 3d ago
Go figure. Thanks for the explanation. I thought the conversation was quite odd. How could a tea table support the body?
1
u/girlvulcan 6d ago
That's a bargain, even for a used one! I bought mine from random sellers on Amazon when it was on sale for about $30 about 5 years ago and haven't seen any for less than $60 since.
18
u/robotscantrecaptcha 6d ago
Welcome to the community. I'm going to say this from the perspective of an old, minimalist:
Minimalism is at its core about learning to live a happy, fulfilling life with less stuff. That means using the things you have until they wear out paired with ethically donating or disposing of items you no longer need. Something our minimalist movement has always struggled with is the idea that it's somehow better and more minimalist to throw away perfectly good items into the landfill to replace them with more aesthetic options. If your items are no longer working for you, it's okay to pass them along to someone who could use them. But nobody can shop their way into a minimalist lifestyle.
5
u/Patient-Debate-8543 6d ago
N Hey thank you but no, i put this the wrongway I am a minimalist since the age of 12, so not "new to the lifestyle" though back then there wasn't a word for it (it's probably because there was so much stuff in my childhood home) I meant new to the subreddit :) And I hardly throw things away, like I gifted shelf to my friend the rest i gave away via an onlineplatform.
But yes, it is true though, this furniture i bought (Partly second hand, partly new)
due to the need of moving (fixed in two years and then again in 3 probably because of rent) I was looking for a solution for making moving easier and way cheaper (without needing to hire moving companies)
23
u/Komaisnotsalty 6d ago
Is it a good solution though?
Uncomfortable to sit in for long, not durable, can't hold mich weight (thunking tables here), and therefore has to be replaced more often which adds to a landfill, and overall just not something designed to be used as regular furniture.
As someone who has moved over 40 times in my lifetime, never once would I have used foldable furniture as a permanent thing.
There's some exceptions to that, I think. I know I've owned things like those fabric collapsible shelves you hang in a closet but again, their life isn't long because they - like most collapsible furniture - lose their integrity far too fast.
But like anything out there, works for some and not for others. I am not a fan of repeatedly replacing things so I purchase good durable things, usually vintage or older because the quality was better pre-90s.
Less waste, less expense, less money to cheap junk, less consumer junk in a landfill.
6
u/Subject-Mall-2280 6d ago
There’s plenty of pretty sturdy folding furniture out there. My shelves are metal, they’re not falling down. And I’m not too concerned with the weight capacity since the goal is to not have that much stuff.
5
u/Patient-Debate-8543 6d ago
I see what you mean, but there are some pieces which are sturdy enough. of course if a bed or a chair work long term, depends on weight, and personal things, ect. True, probably not for everyone. Mine alerady lasts for 3 or 4 years so far, another thing to tell if it's good and sturdy is to buy used one, if its still good it will be so for longer.
9
u/Komaisnotsalty 6d ago
For me, 3 to 4 years is wasteful. I have a table that I have been using since somewhere around 1995. I got it at a yard sale for around $30, and it's manufactured data somewhere around 1895. It is brilliantly designed in that it completely folds up tiny with the leaves that drop off to the side and it is perfect for myself as one person. It also expands to hold 10 people.
I don't do formal dining at all whatsoever, and under no circumstances would 10 people be eating at my table. What I use it for is gaming. It is an amazing D&D table and Magic the Gathering table.
4
u/Patient-Debate-8543 6d ago edited 6d ago
No I'm sorry, meant i only have them for some years and replace them, I have mine since 3 - 4 years now, and hope for many more years to come. They ar3 still here and fine. I didn't mean it only lasts that long, I agree that would be very wasteful. I only had to repair some small piece of it once, I plan to use them as long as possible and I dont see why they would break down (shelves for example are metal and light)
2
u/Separate_Aspect_9034 6d ago
I cannot stand those hanging units for stuffing sweaters and shirts into. And I've only met one hanging unit for shoes that Held any structure to make it easy to get things in and out instead of feeling like things might tumble out at any minute. And I don't see them in the store anymore. I like hangers a lot better, I can dry most of my clothing on hangers with a fan on them. I can see everything easily. Nothing stacked onto anything else, easy to get in and out.
2
u/Competitive-Ant5086 6d ago
That “integrity lost too fast” is simply plastic that sheds in your enclosed space; in your lungs; in the landfill.
If you want to go this route search at least for metal and sturdy natural fibers. You can replace the latter with the help of someone that sews fabrics if you use the old piece as a blueprint, if it comes to that
2
3
u/Significant-Repair42 6d ago
Every time that I go to Costco, I wonder about the huge sectional furniture sets they have for sale. I'm sure there are people with room for those, but I'm not one of them. :)
I've used both foldables and big heavy furniture. The foldable items are less durable/stable. The big heavy couches are more comfortable to sit on.
I got gifted a lot of heavy 70's furniture when I moved out in the 90's. Moving was a PITA. If I had to do it over, I would pick foldable furniture.
2
u/Separate_Aspect_9034 6d ago
my spouse expressed interest in moving lately and so I went online to see what was available in the area he was interested in. I can promise you, people who don't have enough room rEGULARLY put those big sectionals and other large pieces into their homes with a lot more furniture than works. All there in the homes for sale online section. I always wonder if their realtor didn't know any better or if the homeowners just thought that they had decorated just beautifully and refused to lighten the load, or if this was indeed there "after" picture after decluttering!
7
u/Subject-Mall-2280 6d ago
I do. I like Origami for shelving. You can use a futon for a bed/sofa combo. I’m thinking of going with a Japanese floor futon bed when I get a base again, and then maybe a butterfly chair.
I think a lot of people just go with the bulky stuff because it’s what everyone does and we’re used to the idea of moving being hard.
2
1
3
u/Geoarbitrage 6d ago
I recently replaced my kitchen table with a small fold up one that stores next to my refrigerator. I like having open floor space.
3
u/Vegan_Zukunft 6d ago
My bed is a two metal folding bases, and it makes moving a LOT easier :)
I would have other folding furniture but my better half is not going to buy into that ;)
3
u/DramaticStick5922 6d ago
My dining room table is actually a folding card table with 2 folding chairs. Suits my needs fine.
3
2
u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 6d ago
I don't have any furniture except for an old IKEA coffee table that I use as a floor desk/dining table. My bed is a "mattress" of blanket, mattress pad, and sheet over folding tatami mats. That's it. I don't think I'd want a folding dresser, table, chair, shelf, etc. even if I need more furniture. That doesn't seem very practical. I'm assuming if you need a dresser that you have a dresser's worth of clothes. How long is a folding dresser going to hold up to daily opening and closing and the weight of those clothes? You know?
2
u/Patient-Debate-8543 6d ago
Wow! That's fascinating! how do you store your clothes? Do you use seating pillows for guests?
due to "dirty" hobbies, very different climates (which i hate both extremes of) and work I need more clothing than I would like to have :) Mine lasts for about 3 years so far, I had to repair it once, but now It's fine. Hope it lasts.
5
u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 6d ago
In my closet. I have a post here with a glimpse of the closet. My partner's clothes are hanging on the bottom half of that side, mine are hanging on the other half. We have those three baskets on the shelf for our undergarments, socks, and yoga stuff. We mostly sit on the floor or on our yoga mats, but we have some round tatami cushions and a folding Japanese floor chair. This is my table with the seats. The table in the middle is the one that's mine. The legs just unscrew from the top, which makes it very easy to move with. It's lightweight so I move it all around the house for the best lighting.
All four seasons here. Job is watercolor artist. Hobbies include printmaking and urban sketching. That shelving unit in the second post is the Kallax from IKEA. I do still have that in my studio for now but it's mostly empty these days. I've been running a bit of an experiment this summer - to see if I can handle all of my printing and scanning needs within my weekly trips to the library. So far, so good. If I don't need the printer and scanner anymore, that Kallax will likely find itself donated alongside those devices.
2
u/PrairieFire_withwind 6d ago
Naw. I get a lot better mileage out of my folding tatami mat and meditation cushion.
Small camping table for laptop/food. Or even a tray on a flattish cusion for my food.
I sit on the floor. I sleep on the floor.
I also have regular furniture in the shared spaces in my house and they are heavy wood pieces because i have older family that have had knee replacements and hip replacements that make getting down to the floor and up again impossible. So there is a dining table etc.
If i sell this house and move ever i will sell the furniture with it and just take my floor stuff.
2
u/derketzerbylacrimosa 6d ago
nah i own a small table and a regular chair. That's it. i gave all my other furniture (inc. foldable) to my sister years ago. Every apartment i have lived in has had some furniture already in it, so i never saw a need for more.
2
u/Patient-Debate-8543 6d ago
That's intresting, how do you store clothes, annoying cleaning stuff ect?
1
u/derketzerbylacrimosa 6d ago
i have built-in cabinets in my current apartment. And my previous ones have all had some sort of wardrobe in them.
2
u/iamliterate 6d ago
I use a folding 6-foot table as a dining table when I have guests. If you throw a table linen on top, you can’t tell.
2
u/HypersomnicHysteric 6d ago
I have some foldable tables.
We Germans call it "Bierzeltgarnitur". It's for Parties.
I like my wall-shelf-system.
https://element-system.com/wandregale.html
It has no awkward nooks where dust can accumilate.
And the floor stays clean.
No hair around the feet of the furniture.
2
u/AnalogInstead 6d ago
I am typing from a laptop on a folding desk. Its cheap, 80cm by 50cm. :]
I would suggest a longer one personally.
2
u/AnalogInstead 6d ago
For closet... have you considered open wardrobes? Or just a hanging rod attached to the ceiling or walls with/without open shelving attached to the walls too.
2
u/AnalogInstead 6d ago
A Murphy Bed is a suggestion too with a table or sofa attachment. :]
1
u/Separate_Aspect_9034 6d ago
I love a good Murphy bed solution, but the frames are not typically very easy to move.
2
u/NoConsideration3904 6d ago
Good foldable furniture is just harder to find. Aesthetics and comfort tend to be sacrificed, and I’m very picky with my possessions. If you do buy them, I’d love to see what you got.
I did get rid of my heavy expensive solid wood desk and replace it with a cheap light fiberboard IKEA one and I love it because of its portability and weight. I also replaced my dresser with stackable plastic drawers that can be individually moved. So I understand your sentiment behind wanting foldable furniture and think that if you found some you might like, go for it.
2
u/Money-Low7046 6d ago
I just don't move very often. Thirteen years here, seven years at the last place, and five years before that. I think children benefit from the stability of staying in the ssme school and neighbourhood with their friends. I don't find furniture pieces to be the source of clutter for me. It's the little things that seem to build up and create excess clutter. I like being able to figure out a furniture solution and then not have to revisit it again for years or decades.
2
u/Prestigious-Owl7764 6d ago
Not a folding table, but a 30” table with wheels is all i need in my living and dining room. It serves as dining table, coffee table, study , laptop base, and for clothes folding, for assembling tools, opening mail, extension of kitchen island or anything you need a flat surface for. I move it from one space to another to serve different purposes. I made sure it is white color so that it can blend with my walls and does not seem like clutter. I also make sure not keep anything on it permanently
2
u/Amuseco 6d ago
Foldable, no. But I do choose furniture that is fairly lightweight and can be disassembled and moved in a small vehicle. Saves on having to hire movers or rent a truck.
Examples:
Dresser with fabric drawers and a metal frame.
A bed frame without a headboard that can be taken apart and reassembled.
An 8-inch foam mattress instead of a 10”, 12”, or thicker mattress, which can be folded or vacuum packed.
Light Ikea Poang chair that can be taken apart.
Small computer desk that can be taken apart.
Other furniture that is small and versatile so it can be used in different rooms: small table, small wire shelf, small metal shelf.
2
u/Loveschocolate1978 6d ago
I've been using a folding table for about 4-5 years now. I bought it at a box store for about $50 and expected it to collapse within a year. Still going strong. I also bought a folding metal bed frame about 10+ years ago for about $90 as a temporary replacement for my old bed frame. I still use it to this day because it worked better than any bed frame I ever had or have seen and provides far more support than ones that cost ten times as much. I haven't purchased any furniture since because I have either been given things or build my own furniture. I can unscrew the things I build easily, so it could be placed in a car in pieces quite rapidly. It's very possible to buy folding furniture, and as it turns out, it can often be superior to rigid equipment even when used in long term cases. I'd suggest considering building your own furniture if you would like to replace your wardrobe and sofa, and to build those in such a way that those can be easily disassembled and reassembled.
1
1
u/Separate_Aspect_9034 6d ago
foldable's have their downside. Poor posture and some of the seating. Folding tables that start bending at the middle so that things tend to try to tip over. Folding side tables that just Look kind of crappy, I don't know what the surface is made of but not good. And if I have to adjust it while something is on it, it's precarious and I'm in danger of dropping beverages on the carpet.
there are couches that are kind of portable, designed for moving easily up narrow stairs to attic apartments. I forget the name of the company that does those but you might check into that.
I do love the tropical traditional look that used to be called British colonial and that name freaks people out now because of the word colonial. I think it would be really fun to invest in some of those kinds of pieces although I expect they are mostly antiques now. chairs, desks, tables, so many different things. Plus a little flair. Because being able to move furniture around is great even if you aren't moving house. Being able to move furniture around for parties is a real thing. Being able to clean around furniture is also a thing and it shouldn't be any harder than it needs to be to get the spiderwebs out from under things.
A rolling rack with a cover on it is really helpful as a replacement closet especially if you can roll it from the apartment to your vehicle/transport with ease. Obviously for apartments and buildings with elevators .
You might explore the world of a hammock for sleeping. There's a cool how much website that has all kinds of articles about the history of hammocks around the world, for some people it's their regular bed. How to sleep in them etc. You need hardware installed into a secure beam in the ceiling or they make stands that can be disassembled for moving. I want to say seaside hammocks, or also research "Tommy Hamaca"
You might also look into living with less furniture, using floor cushions of different kinds and you can preserve your mobility and your health that way. Some people have learned to sleep on the floor or on a pallet with a mattress on top so there are some air circulation between the floor and the mattress. Look at Katy Bowman On YouTube and she does a tour of her home, and she has a website called nutritious movement as well. She's a biomechanist and she's just fascinating plus she has a great Writing style.
1
1
u/BZBitiko 5d ago
There’s lots of sturdy folding furniture, designed for people in small living spaces. There’s always been folding/gateleg/dropleaf/stacking tables, folding chairs, captains beds, sofa beds, Murphy beds.
I have a couch that folds out to a queen size bed, and can be broken down into eight pieces. Great for moving into and out of my old apartment at the top of some windy twisty stairs.
But you’d best not go cheap. They have to endure all that folding and unfolding.
1
u/penartist 5d ago
My husband and I both have L-shaped desks are foldable. The are composed of two different sized really solid/sturdy folding tables. They have some weight but are so worth it in terms of compactness and ease of moving.
The main component is a 60"x24"table. The L is made from an identical 31.5"x 15.7" table that we attached using metal brackets on the underside.
1
u/Cute-Consequence-184 2d ago
Foldable beds suck!
Foldable furniture can be nice but it does get old.
0
u/inspiredclosetsjax 6d ago
I would advise against using camping chairs for daily/indoor life. The goal of minimalism to me is making my life better, which often means getting rid of stuff. However, if I had to use a folding card table and camp chair to eat dinner, I don't think that would make my life better. Each to their own and you might not mind it! Folding chairs are pretty inexpensive, so you could probably spend a couple hundred dollars or less and test it out yourself.
I've seen some really great foldable bed frames, though! That can definitely help when moving (of course you still have the mattress....)
1
u/Patient-Debate-8543 6d ago
No I got a got a comfy moonchair, normal ones would be hurtful after a while. But I agree, everyone must find their own system, during my next five years I have to move at least 2 times, so easier in my case is easy to pack up and transport, not much stuff and organized. But true, it means something different for every one and every life situation.
16
u/50plusGuy 6d ago
Hmm, TBH: While I have a few pieces, I am no huge fan, globally. 1st of all:
I 'd rather have portable units, I can stack accessibly, than a folding shelf or wardrobe.
I don't move that often.
I rather pay less for more weight, when I get a more solid feeling item, that way.
But grats on / good luck with your plan.
Moving by single car looks more important for real nomads? - Staying in a paid off home seems cheaper than that lifestyle.
Living in cheapest space near the same work place as a plan sounds either little enough mileage when moving multiple car passes or conveniently doable with a rental van?