Any Tips for Downsizing My Tech? (Insufficient Space)

[Issac Zachary]

As the world gets more expensive the more some of us have to cram our families in small homes, or even tiny homes. Currently we are a family of 4 (two adults, two teens) in a 550 sqft. mobile home.

• I have a "desk" (actually a sewing machine table) with my keyboard and mouse on it and the 40" non-smart 1080p TV attached to the wall just above it.
• To the side I have a color ink printer/scanner (Brother LC404) and a B&W laser printer/scanner (ImageCLASS MF 242dw) and my desktop (horizontal design with DVD and Floppy) all stacked on each other on a filing cabinet.
  • The desktop is a Core i5 12th gen Intel with 2GB (was for 4 users but I'm the one who uses it mostly) and 16GB RAM, although it's probably more than we/I actually need.
• My portable computer is a Microsoft Surface Go 2.

Some changes I want to make:

• Getting a briefcase for important papers and getting rid of the filing cabinet. I've largely stopped working self employed so don't need it as much.
• The "desk" sewing machine has to go. We've never used the sewing part of it.
• I love this keyboard (split ergonomic design) and mouse, but both are wired, so I guess they need to go too.

Some thoughts/issues I'm having or may end up dealing with (looking for tips/thoughts):

• The Surface Go 2 just doesn't seem to have the umph for all I do. It's quite sluggish. I've been wanting a Framework 12 now that it's out. Having a 2-in-1 seems what I would benefit for the most. But then again, dropping some $1,000 after all accesories on a Framework seems a bit much. But maybe a cheaper 2-in-1 would work or a cheap laptop and a tablet. I guess I could keep the Go 2 for tablet only stuff and just get a faster, but not-so-expensive laptop??? I just need it for some YouTube and up to about Portal 2 level of performance. The Surface Go 2 is almost fast enough, except startup and when updating and such. The Surface Go 2 also has a 1TB micro SD card, but that has been kind of a pain at times as every once in a while it won't recognize it. It also will slow way down when using it for files used for certain apps for no apparent reason.
• Printing and scanning would be an issue. I wouldn't have the space for one now that the filing cabinet is going away. But I'd like to have a scanner and printer. I could always go to the library when I need to scan or print something, but it's kind of handy having something at home, even if it's only B&K. I don't know, I feel these, especially the Canon laser printer, are way too huge for our circumstances. Maybe there's some sort of small printer/scanner that would work?
  • I have had issues with ink drying up between days I need to print. I don't need it every day or every week. So I got this Canon laser printer. Later on we got a Brother LC404 at a garage sale, and so far it seems to do well with ink and doesn't dry up. I was thinking of getting rid of just the laser printer, but now I kind of need to get rid of both for maybe a smaller printer that I can stash more easily. Maybe even a scanner if there is something that can roll paper through it instead of laying it flat and taking up so much space. Thoughts?.
• The TV is both a TV (free OTA antenna, although there is the threat of that service being taken down in my area) and a monitor for my desktop, but is mainly the latter and not so much the former. The question is how do I continue using it as a monitor off a laptop? I do have ways of adapting to HDMI from the Surface and an HDMI port is possible on the Framwork. But that does mean having a cable running along the small kitchen/dining-room/living-room area. I don't know of any wireless ways of making it work, so I'm just at odds a bit with how to route the HDMI cable around to whatever area I'll have the laptop, probably in a chair I sit at with no table... Frustrating.
  • I also use the TV for retro gaming. I do have a MiSTer, although I also have a few older consoles. I guess I'm going to have to stick with the MiSTer for most of my gaming. I was using a VGA CRT, also a CRT TV that I haven't used in a while but all that, with a very broken heart, needs to go too. So flat panel it is. I don't know whether to change for another more modern TV, this is an old Vizio D43n-E1, or maybe get a monitor and some sort of wall attached speakers, and maybe a TV tuner box. Thoughts?

[saintlouisbagels]

It's really hard to answer or give any suggestions since this is all entirely personal on your living arrangements, the layout of the house, and your own health (ergonomic keyboard, small screens).

 

Like, if it was me...
I would install something like a fold-out office desk that could also count as some storage for computer accessories and maybe papers.

https://pithandstem.com/fold-away-desk/
If I got a 16-inch laptop, I would do EVERYTHING on the laptop. If I needed multiple screens, I would get a portable 18-inch 2560x1600 screen and mount it inside the wall-mounted office desk. It would be powered by the laptop's Thunderbolt 4 port. I would also stop retro-gaming on a CRT and just use emulators.
https://www.amazon.com/UPERFECT-Portable-2560x1600-FreeSync-Frameless/dp/B0C7Z3ZY3P/

The fold out desktop would also allow you to still keep the split ergonomic keyboard right? Like you would just have each half on each side of the laptop?

 

I don't know about the printing/scanning issue. I guess I would try to keep the printer/scanner tucked away on a shelf or closet somewhere, and if I needed to use it, I would take it out each time.

[Blue4130]

In my opinion, If you aren't scanning/printing on at least a weekly basis, get rid of the printer scanner. For the computer. Get a wireless mouse and keyboard. Dock the laptop next to the tv. No cable mess that way. It is what I do and have done for years. It's great.

[Issac Zachary]

On 4/24/2025 at 9:21 PM, saintlouisbagels said:

I would install something like a fold-out office desk that could also count as some storage for computer accessories and maybe papers.

I've been thinking about doing Murphy beds for the same reason. Maybe I could make a Murphy computer. Jokes aside, that might work, having a slim sort of something that can be easily set up or folded down. I wonder if I could keep my desktop guts and transfer them to a smaller case (the MoBo is Mini-ITX).

 

On 4/24/2025 at 9:21 PM, saintlouisbagels said:

I would also stop retro-gaming on a CRT and just use emulators.

I've just never had a great experience with emulators. Usually I feel the input lag and walk away saying I'll never use an emulator. That and the pixelated look, or trying to get a decent filter to look right that takes more time than playing the actual game. Then again, beggars can't be choosers I guess.

 

On 4/24/2025 at 9:21 PM, saintlouisbagels said:

https://www.amazon.com/UPERFECT-Portable-2560x1600-FreeSync-Frameless/dp/B0C7Z3ZY3P/

THIS looks very promissing. Being able to also take my setup somewhere else might be exactly what I'm looking for, and having this second screen would be a great addition. The question I have is what kind of battery would I need to make it truely portable. Or is there a screen with a built-in battery?

On 4/24/2025 at 9:21 PM, saintlouisbagels said:

The fold out desktop would also allow you to still keep the split ergonomic keyboard right? Like you would just have each half on each side of the laptop?

My current keyboard and mouse are stuck with this desktop mother board. The keyboard is PS2 and the mouse is a serial ball mouse. I guess I could get adapters to go to USB, but I haven't found one that turns on the lights for the Num, Caps, and Scroll lock. Decisions, decisions...

On 4/25/2025 at 1:29 AM, Blue4130 said:

In my opinion, If you aren't scanning/printing on at least a weekly basis, get rid of the printer scanner.

Yeah, at least I could keep one in storage for a just-in-case scenario.

 

On 4/25/2025 at 1:29 AM, Blue4130 said:

For the computer. Get a wireless mouse and keyboard. Dock the laptop next to the tv. No cable mess that way.

Thanks! I'm thinking I'll have to go this route. I'll see what I can do. Now to find that Surface docking station I lost in storage somewhere...

[saintlouisbagels]

12 hours ago, Issac Zachary said:

THIS looks very promissing. Being able to also take my setup somewhere else might be exactly what I'm looking for, and having this second screen would be a great addition. The question I have is what kind of battery would I need to make it truely portable. Or is there a screen with a built-in battery?

The monitor has no internal battery. It's entirely powered via its USB ports. If you're using display cables, it needs to be powered by a USB-C wall adapter. If using a TB3/TB4 port, the device will power the monitor.

I currently use mine (same model) as a small 18-inch vertical monitor to complement my 40-inch 5K2K ultrawide and it's connected to my Mac Studio's TB4 port. No external power. Same thing with my MacBook Pro. No external power necessary.

 

12 hours ago, Issac Zachary said:

My current keyboard and mouse are stuck with this desktop mother board. The keyboard is PS2 and the mouse is a serial ball mouse. I guess I could get adapters to go to USB, but I haven't found one that turns on the lights for the Num, Caps, and Scroll lock. Decisions, decisions...

I see. I thought you were talking about something like the ErgoDox EZ
https://ergodox-ez.com/

 

12 hours ago, Issac Zachary said:

I've been thinking about doing Murphy beds for the same reason. Maybe I could make a Murphy computer. Jokes aside, that might work, having a slim sort of something that can be easily set up or folded down. I wonder if I could keep my desktop guts and transfer them to a smaller case (the MoBo is Mini-ITX).

Or go full DIY Perks and mount the PC components on an open-frame style mount

Time-code is at 10:28 if the embed doesn't work.

 

[Caroline]

I get 51 m² must be minuscule for the american way of living, I have a friend living in one that's 50 and there's enough space for everyone, but it's a whole different culture, for example she sleeps with her 2 sisters in the same room sharing a 3x bunk bed, so you have 3 beds in the space only 1 takes.

The 2 teens could perfectly sleep in a double bunk bed. And most come with room for an extra mattress below, that can also be used as a storage area for clothes, backpacks, etc.

 

The layout is standard for those apartments, living room is the largest, small kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. When in a house like that you gotta start thinking vertically, stack things, get shelves and boxes, if you don't need the filing cabinet sell it.

 

My friend has a desktop PC on top of an old desk+bookshelf combo, case on the floor, monitor and peripherals on the desk, and a printer/scanner on one of the shelves, the rest is populated by her sisters' school stuff like books, notebooks, pencil cases, etc. that computer is used by everyone, anything tech is obscenely expensive in my country so not everyone can have that kind of stuff at home, let alone a computer for each member of the family, or stuff like a media HTPC, a NAS, etc. anyway, that same desk has 2 drawers below so there's room for stuff like phone chargers, a hairdryer, whatever.

Her peripherals are wired so I'm not sure why you say they have to go? no problems if you keep them in one place, DON'T constantly move around stuff, it creates chaos and suddenly you're covered in random shit you don't need.

You could get something like she has for a desk, even if you don't have books you can use the shelves for other stuff. I like order so I keep everything in plastic containers or boxes, labeled, don't start placing random items on the shelves because it makes it a literal jenga game where you have to go through 10 things to remove one that's at the back.

 

Been there this week so I remember the layout, checked the TV because it was acting up (plug issue), it's an older wall mounted 36" plasma, the image quality is peak tho, a coffee table with the cable TV receiver and a DVD player below, 2 seater couch in front. The router is also hanging from the wall where the service entrance is, everything is connected via wifi. The same could work for your TV, no receiver if you do OTA so that's one device less to worry about.

 

Keep a single printer, you don't need both. I'd keep the one with the scanner and ditch the other. Don't use the TV as a monitor, the TV belongs in the living room and the computer somewhere else, it's not meant to be used that way, it's also comically big for a monitor, I pity your eyes.

 

CRT depends, I've seen small apartments with up to 30" tube TVs, but they're used as actual TVs, not retro vidya monitors. If you don't use it sell it, they're overpriced as fuck nowadays because all the hipsters want one to feel the nostalgia of a bygone era, they believe replaying older games will reignite that spark they had as kids and lost after decades of corporate grinding, but the world they grew up in no longer exists. You could get 300+ if it's something like a Sony.

 

Optimise lighting, you don't need a plethora of floor and desk lamps in every room, a centre ceiling light and 1-2 dimmer wall sconces or directional lights on each room will work better and prevent both surface and visual cluttering, tube lights also work but I doubt they're really popular in the US. This is also tech.

 

Check what furniture you have, sometimes people have a ton of furniture that can be reduced to just a single larger piece, say for example you have both an armoire and a dresser, there's no need, you get a larger (taller) armoire with drawers and you have both at once for half the space.

 

Chairs. Did you know most people have at least 2 chairs they NEVER use? only keep enough chairs for all the members of all the house, if you're 4 then you don't need 2 extra chairs "just in case aunt Marie from Arizona comes to visit", that never happens. idk if this applies to you but I'm just firing all the shots I can rn.

 

If you like retro gaming and using the computer get a CRT monitor, it's bulky but it'll be barely noticeable if the rest of the room isn't a complete mess, I have a 20" and it works just fine for what I do, oddly enough I don't do retro gaming, I'm playing Cyberpunk and Train Sim on this bad boy.

 

There's so much more you can do instead of getting rid of everything and using a laptop. Getting a laptop is the easy temporary fix.

 

[Issac Zachary]

2 hours ago, Caroline said:

When in a house like that you gotta start thinking vertically, stack things, get shelves and boxes,

How tall is it in your friend's house? From floor to ceiling it's about 6' 6" or around only 2 meters tall in our house in every single room.

 

The boys have been in a bunk bed, but that's not going to continue to work. The house is designed with a larger bedroom and a 6' x 6' bedroom that our social worker won't let us put both boys in there, bunk bed or not. The wife and I have been sleeping in that smaller bedroom but she wants the bigger one even if that means installing a temporary wall and dividing the living/dining/kitchen room to even smaller.

 

Lots of good ideas.

 

2 hours ago, Caroline said:

If you like retro gaming and using the computer get a CRT monitor,

I have one. I've been wanting to use it with the desktop since my case, keyboard and mouse are all retro beige. The mouse is a serial port Microsoft Intellimouse with scroll wheel. It would be so retro with the beige CRT 1080P monitor on there too. It works well with the MiSTer. I can't say I've gotten it to work with actual retro consoles though.

 

2 hours ago, Caroline said:

Don't use the TV as a monitor, the TV belongs in the living room and the computer somewhere else, it's not meant to be used that way, it's also comically big for a monitor, I pity your eyes.

The thing is we use the computer both for computer stuff as well as it's our entertainment source other than occasionally watching the free 480i OTA channels. We don't have a smart TV, nor a Roku or anything of the like. On the computer we can both watch YouTube as well as ripped DVDs. I guess we could get a DVD player and pull out the actual DVDs from storage. As far as Netflix, Hulu and the like, we've largely given up on all those, hence why we have no interest in a smart TV.

 

Having a 40" TV also makes it easier for me when I'm doing several spreadsheets and other documents all at the same time. That way I don't need several monitors, just one big one. It is 1080p, but it's still big enough for at least 4 windows open all at the same time.

 

The thing is, if we have the TV on one side and the CRT monitor on the other, it kind of makes it hard to set furniture up for watching both. I guess we could and should get rid of the couch. It takes up lots of space! Oddly, we don't have any chairs, just a couch at the moment.

 

 

[Caroline]

Her house has low ceilings as well, I'd say about 2.2m, it's an apartment block complex with 201 housing units, you can imagine what's it like to be inside, tin of beans. But it's better than shacks. The #201 is for the keeper/maintenance guy's family, buildings are all oddly numbered because apparently even numbers are bad luck, sort of like the missing 13th floor thing in Las Vegas and other places.

 

Bookshelf is 2m tall and I'd say 85cm wide, 70 deep. Monitor is an LCD and the case a regular one, no gaming stuff.

 

There are wireless HDMI tx/rx kits that allow you to have the TV in a different room without running wiring through walls. It's not smart or anything, you pair it and it keeps the settings in its memory until you unplug it or the TV loses power.

We don't have smart either, it's pricey and the content is garbage tbh, not to mention the spying/vulnerabilities. The TV is in my room because my parents don't watch, I keep it to watch old series and movies from time to time.

 

idk about getting rid of the couch, where are you gonna sit to watch a movie? there are compact wooden sofas that take up less space compared to a full size couch.

[DeerDK]

Regarding desk, I can recommend building one with flip table into a wall mounted cupboard/closet. 

We are 4 people on 81 square meters

[Issac Zachary]

I like it!

 

12 hours ago, DeerDK said:

Regarding desk, I can recommend building one with flip table into a wall mounted cupboard/closet. 

We are 4 people on 81 square meters

 

[DeerDK]

1 hour ago, Issac Zachary said:

I like it!

 

 

It works really well. I've run cables through the backside of the cupboard, and the pc is in the lower cabinet on the left. You just need a case with the right footprint, and keep the door open when using it.