Tiny House Part 5: The Chair

I moved with an office chair in tow. It had been serving ok, but there were some things I hadn’t considered, had failed to comprehend until I was actually living in my one-room apartment with my single chair. The reality was that in my previous apartment I’d reached the point where I hardly used it at all.

When you live in a larger home, you don’t think much about where you sit. You just get up and move if for any reason you’re uncomfortable. Without realizing why, I had taken to doing a large part of my work on the sofa. It didn’t take many days of living with my worn out desk chair to see the problem. It was wreaking havoc with my back. My budget was limited enough that I couldn’t purchase a new one right away, but that did allow me time to do the proper research.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I had a “New Apartment” wish list. (I still do, actually.) I put it to work where this chair was concerned, moving potential options onto the list and back off as I compared specs and product reviews. After many days of scouring Amazon and reading reviews, first deciding one way and then another, I finally settled on three that seemed best, and used Amazon’s feature that lets you “see” an item in your home. I quickly realized that two of the chairs I was looking at were too big for the space. That was a challenge I’d not considered, and I am grateful to Amazon for the help!

So I settled on this ergonomic office desk chair, and it was totally the right move!

There were certain things I was specifically looking for in a new chair. Clearly, I wanted quality. I also knew I needed lumbar support, preferably adjustable support, and I wanted arm rests that flipped up. This, of course, enables me to push it under the desk when I’m not using it; regaining those few square feet is a plus. Lower on my list, but still necessary, was the ability to raise and lower the seat and the option of letting the chair rock if I wanted it to. (I do. Often.)

So, the fun stuff. I’ve been putting together my own furniture for a while, simple things anyway, so I wasn’t intimidated by this project. When it arrived, the box was a little heavy, but not so much that I couldn’t carry it safely (I’m not 20 anymore.). It was packed impeccably, with every part clearly labeled with a letter (A, B, C) and it came not only with printed instructions, but directions to a YouTube video that took care of every question I could have possibly had. Bonus? Angels started singing when I pulled out the supply kit and saw a REAL allen wrench. If you’ve dealt with many self-assembly items, you’ll understand my joy. The thing has an ergonomic handle that made putting the chair together easy. I will not be loaning it out; it’s mine.

So yes, I put the chair together myself with no problems. I’d tell you how long it took, but I didn’t pay a bit of attention to that. Just know that at no point did I suffer any level of frustration.

My new chair has been a true blessing. It’s sturdy, has great casters, offers an adjustable lumbar support (See photo above.), and has those arms that swing up out of the way. It is comfortable even after hours spent hard at work doing all of the things. It’s my dining room chair. It lets me kick back while chatting on the phone. It’s great. Regardless of the hours I spend in this chair, my back is now happy.

Finding just the right chair when you’ll only have one to use is a big deal. I’m so happy I discovered the right chair on the first try! In case you want this one, here’s the link again. And once more I share the legal disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Next week, we start discussing the center of my home: The Office.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

THE Best Pizza Cutter

Ok, I’ve made it clear in other posts that I’m an Amazon Associate now. So you can expect to see more product reviews from me and this is the first.

Knowing I wouldn’t have a true kitchen, I got rid of almost all of my cooking & baking supplies. This was NOT one of them. I may or may not be cooking pizzas in my microwave, but there are plenty of other things I’ll be able to cut up with this lovely thing.

The Kitchy Pizza Cutter cuts like a charm and is truly ergonomic. That’s not what really sets it apart for me, though. One of my biggest gripes with most pizza cutters is cleaning. This one solves all cleaning issues. Just pop open the flap and it comes apart into three pieces: plastic cover, clear plastic blade shield, and blade. Wash, dry, and pop it back together.

You can’t see much of the blade shield in this picture, but it’s the clear plastic part on the left, right below the blue. It rolls around and shields the blade in your drawer, which also protects unwary fingers. If you cook pizzas (Or cut up any number of other things.) You would love this.

Kitchy Pizza Cutter Wheel with Protective Blade Cover, Ergonomic Pizza Slicer

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Neck Pain, Meet the Power Team

Wow, you can tell from the photo that I’m not a pro at this!

I had scoliosis as a child. Thankfully, my chiropractor was able to straighten my spine, but the lingering effects mean I visit him several times a year. In the past year and a half or so, those visits have grown further apart thanks to two things.

One of my most consistent issues has always been neck pain. I’ve tried a variety of helpful tools through the years, including an inversion table. The inversion table worked wonders, and I highly recommend them, but I got rid of mine after my husband passed because I didn’t feel safe using it with no one around. (It was an old one; I’m sure the newer ones are fine, but now I have no space.)

But one day, while watching a TikTok of a mobility coach I’d been following (Yes, TikTok made me buy it!), I learned about Restcloud’s Neck and Shoulder Relaxer. It’s the funny-looking blue thing in the photo, and it’s essentially a cervical traction device. It’s super easy to use and only takes about twenty minutes – ten lying on it one way to help the muscles start to relax and ten more lying on it after having flipped it around so it can actually stretch your neck.

That’s a super simple explanation but let me assure you it’s a wonderful thing! Even before I got the Sutera pillow you also see in the photo, this was helping me so much that I was encouraging my relatives to buy it!

I’d been looking at the Sutera pillow for a while, but was hesitant to spend the money without talking to someone who actually slept on one. Then a fabulous friend bought a two-pack and gave me one of hers. Oh. My.

I’ve lost track of the number of pillows I’ve tried through the years, most of them rather pricey, only to find that they weren’t so wonderful after a few weeks. The goal was always to get rid of neck pain, and it seemed most of them didn’t help at best and, in some cases, made it worse. Granted, we are each unique individuals with our own sleep styles; I knew it would take some searching, and I’m glad the search is over.

I’ve had this Sutera pillow for five months now and let me tell you… As odd looking as it is, it is uniquely helpful. I flip flop all night, switching from side to side to back, and this pillow serves in all positions. According to what I’ve read, it’s also great for stomach sleepers if that happens to be you.

So these two odd ducks are my pain-fighting power team. If I come home from work with a neck that is tense after hours of computer use, I’ll take a “blue thing” break and feel the stress slip away. I also use it at night a lot as a preventative. I don’t want pressure building up, so when I get in bed I’ll do the twenty minutes, then set it aside and pull my pillow into place. I get so relaxed on the stretcher that I’ve caught myself drifting off a few times. (Note: They do NOT recommend sleeping on it!)

So yes, if you suffer from neck pain or tension headaches, these two.

If you can only get one, start with the neck stretcher. At least, that’s what I suggest.

When I first thought to share about these, I was just going to share, but I’ve since learned about the Amazon Associates program, that I can earn a little extra money that way. You’ll actually read more about that in a Tiny Home Life post that I’ve scheduled for early October, but I want to share these now.

RESTCLOUD Neck and Shoulder Relaxer

SUTERA Contour Memory Foam Pillow

Here’s to less neck pain and zzzzzzzful sleep!

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C