How to fit technology into a small space!

Feeling a little crowded?  Have too much stuff but still want it all?  Sharing an apartment with a friend?  Let's talk about living a studio/loft apartment or even in your bedroom.

My first apartment was a studio on the top floor of an apartment house in La Grande, Oregon. I had a view down the alley of Mount Emily. I loved that apartment with it's drop leaf table and small alcove that served as our bedroom.

I wonder now why we ever thought we needed more. Had it not been for children we could have spent our entire life in that apartment. We could have upgraded the furniture and painted the occasional wall.  That small space was so perfect for all ages. I have a feeling I might live in something like it again before I am gone.

However, the next time I live in that kind of space, I will find a way to fit in my computer.  Things have changed a lot in the last 50 years. In fact, in the world of technology, a lot has changed in the last 6 months. It is hard to keep up with the trends.

Here are two toys I spotted at the Apple Store the other day.

1. There is a device called Eye TV out now that allows you to watch TV wirelessly on any computer in your house.  The device works through your outlet for your cable. Imagine yourself in a very small space with only enough room for one TV.  Now imagine you have to share that one TV. Yuck!  My husband loves sports and I don't so much. One or the other of us will retire to the bedroom where our second TV is located. But, what if we did not have a second TV or even a separate bedroom?  Wouldn't it be wonderful if our computer station would become a second place to watch TV? We could add noise canceling head phones and pull up a very comfortable desk chair.  Bang! We have a second TV. I can see it now.



image from engadget

2. I talked about the magic track pad for my Mac computer the other day...I want it now. All the space I would need near my computer keyboard would be the space the track pad consumes.  My mouse requires a pretty large surface. These little babies sit next to the keyboard seamlessly.  Not only do they do what I would want, they also look good. I like that a lot.

I have also seen a few other ideas that would make small space living techno cool. It is all about finding room for all your toys. Making it beautiful is nice too.

Apartment Therapy Cable Decor

• Apartment Therapy's idea for making all those cords work for you in the small space...gorgeous. It is called Cable Decor. You can create this look by taking that very long unsightly cord and painting it. Then you create a design on the wall using clips that you can buy at your hardware store.  I think those clips we use for the lighted cords would work. If you don't want to make a sculpture on the wall the cute little Power Curls help keeping the cords corralled.
• While we're at it, let's talk again about the ipad keyboard dock. You can make that ipad your only computer with this device.  When you need to type on your computer, your ipad converts with the keyboard dock. While it is charging, you can type away.  It is small and works like a charm. We gave one of these to my son as a gift.  He is using it while he works on his masters program.

It is raining here (still) in Portland Oregon.  I have spent the week shopping and dreaming about what we might do next in our smallish home and computer life.  It has been lots of fun.  AND tomorrow is another day.  Friday dreams are the best of all.

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