Living Car Free - SImple living tips - especially futon

Ok so this thread can be absolutely general about simple living tips but I specifically want to mention the futon as I am considering one.

I want to make my life simpler.

I am car free
I do not watch television *watch dvds or videos if I am in the mood
I love martial arts, and wholesome health (balancing stretching with strength with diet etc.)
I love reading
I try not to have too much stupid crap eg. possessions, furniture etc.
I try to stay organised


I remember reading about some guy who lived with only the basic possessions and got down to some really small number. I wonder what he had.

I am considering replacing my current queen size western bed with a proper Japanese Futon.

Can anyone tell me about a proper Japanese Futon that you can fold up and put away during the day. Anyway have one of these? Sounds pretty good as better for your back and you get the extra space in the room when you are not using it. How much do the good ones cost?

Share your experiences with them and other simple living tips.

What kind of place do you live it? I used to live in a one room studio/ commercial apartment. I think this is the way to go. Right now I have a regular two bedroom place w/a roomate; it costs about the same, but the one room/one person setup is the best. I could have my workspace and my living space in one. Also, don't own a phone.

be aware that the japanese futon is designed to be laid out over a tatami floor, which is already resilient and giving in surface. We slept on Japanese futon over a wood floor at my cousin's and it was a bit less padding than I would have cared for. I sleep on the American kind, because I have them and they work well with my wood floors. Japanese apartments come with a large closet thingum to put the futons in, making it convenient to put them away.

If you have carpet a Japanese futon will likely serve you well. If not, and you want to be conserving space, consider setting your American style futon up where you can use it as a sitting futon. We have more space now, but in an old apartment we had our futons set up as couch space during the day; now we have a separate bedroom and our other room has a futon for sitting and guests to sleep on.

To be clear, I'm not talking about some convertible wooden futon frame; uncomfortable, bulky, too much furniture for the job. I mean pitching a futon in the corner and putting the bedclothes away during the day...maybe fold the futon in half to take up less room during the day and provide a higher seat, most likely just use as-is. You need a place to sit, lounge, read, compute, and an American style futon is good for that.

If you want to kit out a tatami room it's possible but not cheap...the good news is you'll then have a great space for yoga and martial arts. The companies importing Taiwanese tatami can offer much better prices than the companies importing Japanese; the Japanese import a lot of their tatami from Taiwan so this is a good choice.

What's the difference between a Japanese and an American-style futon?

What's the difference between a Japanese and an American-style futon?

Westerners call the small couch which turns into a bed a futon, but that is very different from the traditional Japanese futon. A traditional Japanese futon set includes shikibuton (under futon), kakebuton (comforters), and makura (pillow).

Shikibuton is usually stuffed with cotton batting and are wrapped in shikifu (sheets). Japanese uses different types of futon depending on the season, such as light ones in summer and heavy ones in winter. Futon made from down feathers is light and comfortable but is most expensive. Kakebuton is covered by kakebuton cover. The traditional Japanese pillow (makura) is filled with red beans, or buckwheat chaff.

Futon is usually put away during the day in the closet called oshiire.

http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanesefurniture/a/futon.htm

one room living is great! you really find out what you need and what you thought you needed!

I too essentially live in one room: I rent it in an apartment with three other guys, though we have a common area and a kitchen as well. I've found that since moving to the city (and indeed, out of my parent's house) that living an austere life is actually a lot more comfortable than being surrounded by needless possessions.

As of now, my current ranking for things that mean the most and that are the most necessary is as follows:
1. Laptop - my connection with the rest of the world.
2. Bike - Gets me nearly everywhere I want to go, and if not, I take the bus or train.
3. Bed - No-brainer...
4. Camera - My favourite hobby, I consider photography to be my absolute favourite way to relax and to express myself.
5. Car - yes, I know, this is supposed to be about living car-free, but I digress, Eleanor and I are inseperable, and seeing that I only drive her 1 or 2 times a week, I feel that it's ok.

Anyone round here a fan of IKEA? Their futons are lovely. I'm thinking of switching to one in lieu of my old double bed.

My husband and I have been sleeping on a Japanese futon on the floor for the whole 20 years of our marriage. I think it is the most comfortable way to sleep.

One room apt here, no futon or bed, floor with a pillow and comforter is more than adequate. All my possessions that mean anything to me would fit in the back of a car easily.

One room apt here, no futon or bed, floor with a pillow and comforter is more than adequate. All my possessions that mean anything to me would fit in the back of a car easily.

Can you elaborate on your experience with floor sleeping? I'm curious.

Can you elaborate on your experience with floor sleeping? I'm curious.

Well, most of my younger life on vacation was spent traveling by boat, I often slept while we were cruising from place to place(open water is boring to a kid), and that usually was inside a pile of coiled up rope on the deck somewhere usually in the shade and out of harms way. Then later as an adult I started backpacking alot, and slept on the ground in a bag on a foam mat. Never had a problem sleeping on hard surfaces, but at this point I had a bed and always had one at home. Long story short, got whacked in the small of my back by a tree when clearing a fallen one doing some trail work, result was back pain for months. Cure ended up being sleeping on the floor instead of nice soft bed. Havent had back pain since and I havent returned to sleeping in a bed. As far as my last MRI showed, my back has healed and is fine.

Its a low maintenance, cheap, and pretty natural way to sleep. I wake up refreshed and really dont have the tendency to oversleep. All the problems I once had sleeping on a bed are gone. As far as how I do it, lay comforter out flat, put pillow against the wall, and wrap myself up like a tootsie roll and go to sleep, rarely takes me more than about 2 minutes and Im asleep.

The older I get the more I realize how much we have hurt oursleves physically over the long term with many of our alleged steps up in "living standards". So many things we eat and do to ourselves are in direct contradiction to what we are designed for, we are animals afterall. We are not meant to be sedentary or eat lots of processed foods etc etc etc..........sleeping is no different.

I ditched my real bed and now sleep on the floor in my closet (not a walk-in) on top of a bunch of pillows and blankets. It is so comfy and makes me feel safer, plus my little room is now HUGE and is used as my personal den.

Futons are cool, but beware that they can get uncomfortable over time, especially if they have a metal frame. I've heard wooden ones are better for the mattress.

Its a low maintenance, cheap, and pretty natural way to sleep. I wake up refreshed and really dont have the tendency to oversleep. All the problems I once had sleeping on a bed are gone. As far as how I do it, lay comforter out flat, put pillow against the wall, and wrap myself up like a tootsie roll and go to sleep, rarely takes me more than about 2 minutes and Im asleep.
I assume your method is associated with sleeping by yourself. That would be a low maintenance way to sleep, and to live. If that's what floats your boat.

ever been abroad?especially to "poorer" countries? its quite common to sleep that way or some variation of, even with families

ever been abroad?especially to "poorer" countries? its quite common to sleep that way or some variation of, even with families
Is that your objective for a joyous, low maintenance "simple life". Emulate the lifestyle of the citizens in the slums of Calcutta?

Following the same method of sleeping no matter where you are, being comfortable with less, and putting your bedding away in the mornings so you can live more easily with less space? Sounds pretty simple to me.

What are you getting out of this conversation, I-Like-To-Bike?

My American style futon doesn't get uncomfortable over time because it lives on the floor, not on an uncomfortable and rickety frame that lets dust build up underneath and presses your body at various funny angles. Every month or so I move them, fluff them, sweep and mop the completely empty bedroom floor, and flip the futons over. They last years this way and stay comfortable, the most comfortable rest I know. We have the luxury of a bedroom as well as another room, and use it for mellow reading during the day time and as a smaller space to air condition in the depths of summer. If we had less room, bedding that puts away in the morning would be something to seriously consider.

Is that your objective for a joyous, low maintenance "simple life". Emulate the lifestyle of the citizens in the slums of Calcutta?

Nope, my goal was to be comfortable and sleep well, not taking up space in my apartment with a bed is just a nice bonus. My post was simply to illustrate that although this may be weird in the US, its quite normal across the globe. If I lived in Calcutta Id likely have a little shack with a dirt floor and no running water.

What are you getting out of this conversation, I-Like-To-Bike?
Some people on this forum for being car-free have a lot of personal lifestyle issues that go far beyond mode of transportation.

Who let the lifestyle cop in? Did he have a warrant?

Some people on this forum for being car-free have a lot of personal lifestyle issues that go far beyond mode of transportation.

and you expected what exactly? in the US at least its incredibly rare to go car-free by choice, after going car free other decisions arent hard to make

and you expected what exactly? in the US at least its incredibly rare to go car-free by choice, after going car free other decisions arent hard to make
Not that I really expected it but it would have been a pleasant surprise if people could discuss using a bicycle for practical day to day transportation purposes WITHOUT associating such a choice with asceticism and a whole slew of anti materialistic/counter culture ideology. Not to mention it would have been a pleasant surprise to read of car free people who could discuss their practical use of bicycles without naïve economic theories, without gross speculation and generalizations about the motives and morals of those who don't share their values, and without blatant schadenfreude over the economic difficulties of lower and middle people who raise families in the real world.

To ignore is to love:love:

Speaking of simple living arrangements - here is a floor plan that has really kept me intrigued.

http://www.metropolis-dc.com/langston/pdfs/cb.pdf

And an artist rendering:

http://www.metropolis-dc.com/images/ll_rendcb.jpg

... without gross speculation and generalizations about the motives and morals of those who don't share their values ...
What color is your kettle?

Not that I really expected it but it would have been a pleasant surprise if people could discuss using a bicycle for practical day to day transportation purposes WITHOUT associating such a choice with asceticism and a whole slew of anti materialistic/counter culture ideology. Not to mention it would have been a pleasant surprise to read of car free people who could discuss their practical use of bicycles without naïve economic theories, without gross speculation and generalizations about the motives and morals of those who don't share their values, and without blatant schadenfreude over the economic difficulties of lower and middle people who raise families in the real world.

There are plenty of threads on this forum that cover the practicalities of living car free quite well. In all fairness though, this thread is titled "simple living tips", sooo... ?

The "lifestyle choice" that has made the most difference in my life, besides bicycling, is my decision to remove meat from my diet.

My tip would be to try reducing/removing meat from your everyday food intake and just see what happens. It's easier to do than you think! (Trust me, I used to be a HUGE meat guy)

For me, within a few weeks, I began to feel stronger and "fresher", more alive. My avg. mph. on the way to work improved, my grocery bills went down, my energy went up, and even my sex life improved.

I feel that besides riding my bike, stopping eating meat was the best thing I could do for myself and for the rest of humanity and the environment.

BTW... I'm really interested in this Japanese futon thing! I have always felt like my beds are too soft and are contributing to some restless nights.

Can you elaborate on your experience with floor sleeping? I'm curious.
I began sleeping on a carpeted floor as a teenager. My family downsized to a smaller house and I volunteered to do without a bed. My experience was like Pedex's - no back problems, very simple, rollup the blankets and sheets and gain floor space for the day. On backpacking or biking trips I never used the foam pad but did use a hammock in the right weather. After college, I went back to floor sleeping. I had money for a bed but didn't see the point since I wasn't uncomfortable. But... some women didn't like sex on the floor so I spent money on various bed arrangements, water bed, foldout couch, and finally futon as a compromise. It wasn't so important too me to sleep on the floor, I sleep well on a firm matress and also I sleep well in hammocks so if some bed makes her happier why not? After years of futon sleeping I'll have to re-try the floor again. It might be that older people get constricted circulation or something.

So Pedex, do sex partners complain about doing the wild thing on the floor? I used to get that sometimes after only the second or third go. Maybe I attract whiners?

I use a small 30 year old aluminum beach chair, pillow, and blanket. It's all small, lightweight, compact, and most importantly, cheap! It's my sleeping/computer arrangments, but it'll probably take a few days to get used to sleeping on the floor. :)

So Pedex, do sex partners complain about doing the wild thing on the floor? I used to get that sometimes after only the second or third go. Maybe I attract whiners?

no, not yet, never had any complaints when backpacking and doing it in a tent on the cold hard ground either other than them beotching about the temp when its like 5F outside

really, a comforter on a carpeted and padded floor isnt really very hard, bare concrete would be a different story !!

I slept on a carpeted floor in my room when I was in my early 20s. The bonus part was that I could just move my bed aside real easy and voila, you are in the dart room. The only part that I did not like about sleeping on the floor is that if I slept too long on my side I would wake up with a sore shoulder. I did not mind sleeping on the floor but when someone gave me a single bed I was more than happy to take it.

whatever you do, DO NOT buy cheap imitations! I made that mistake, and now my back is paying for it. Some of the welds are also breaking. I had to put extra foam under my 'mattress'. Definately a bad decision on my part..."hey, let's save money and buy a cheapie!" :rolleyes: