020 - Tiny Homes and KonMari

🎙️ Midnight Cheesecake – Tiny Homes & Decluttering Chaos In this episode, hang out with Ruha and Bekah as we swap stories, laugh through some podcast bloopers, and take a dive into our real experiences with tiny house living, downsizing and minimalism. We kick things off with fantasy football night—Bekah found herself in a basement full of cave dwellers grunting over the big game while the other ladies were upstairs chatting about bugs and birds. Which is more your scene? From there, we talk about the little things that drive us nuts—like voicemails we never check and school emails we keep ignoring. Ruha blames spam calls, Bekah blames paperwork overload, and honestly, we take zero blame. Adulting is messy. Then Ruha shares a little about her journey with minimalism and tiny house life. She lived with her family in a 286 (or something)-square-foot home, yes really, and it was both challenging and beautiful. We talk joys of simple living, creative ways to make spaces work, and the reality of raising kids in such a tight squeeze. Bekah chimes in with her own attempts at decluttering, and we commiserate because letting go of stuff is way harder than it sounds. We then get into the weird world of consumerism—how we’re constantly tempted to buy things we don’t need, and how shows like Hoarders hit a little too close to home. Ruha and Bekah share stories about cords we keep “just in case,” impulse buys at the register, and guilt. It’s relatable but kind of eye-opening. Ruha talks about the bittersweet experience of moving out of the tiny house and ultimately selling it to an AirBnB group. She reflects on what she misses about simpler living and how we try to keep that spirit alive, even in bigger homes. There’s a lot of love for windows, natural light, and the kind of kitchen that warms the whole house in winter. We wrap things up with some cozy game talk—Bekah’s into Tales of the Shire, where she gets to live like a hobbit, and Ruha’s hooked on Tiny Bookshop, a game all about selling books from a mobile shop (speaking of tiny things on wheels!). It’s the perfect way to end an episode that’s all about finding joy in small things. Oh, and we hit a milestone—our 20th episode and 375 downloads! We’re feeling proud, a little goofy, and super grateful for everyone who’s been listening. If you’ve got a favorite episode, let us know. We’re ranking them soon and we want your input! Links: Ruha's Tiny House Story in the US Sun - The article that features Ruha’s journey and reflections on tiny living KonMari Method Official Site - Marie Kondo’s whole thing on decluttering and sparking joy Timbercraft Tiny Homes -  The Guntersville Alabama builder behind Tiny Blue - Ruha's old tiny house.   🎮 All the Cozy Video Games mentioned during Spot's Playground Ruha’s current obsession: a mobile bookshop with real-world literature: Tiny Bookshop Game Official Site and Tiny Bookshop on Steam Bekah’s current hobbit-life simulator, full of second breakfasts and garden quests: Tales of the Shire Game Site and Tales of the Shire on Steam For those ready to cozy up in Bywater.     Find Ruha & Bekah on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/midnightcheesecake/ and FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/people/Midnight-Cheesecake-Podcast/61577976430527/ also on TIKTOK at https://www.tiktok.com/@midnightcheesecak (there's no e, it wouldn't fit) EMAIL US at [email protected] Enjoying the show? Send your favorite episode to a friend!   Chapters 1:18  Podcast Intro: The Midnight Cheesecake 2:33  Fantasy Football Fun 2:38  Ladies in the Basement 5:16  Voicemail Dilemmas 7:32  The Art of Minimalism 8:45  Tiny House Dreams 21:07  Life in a Tiny House 25:47  The Journey of Downsizing 26:14  The Fate of the Tiny House 27:29  Consumerism and Its Effects 30:43  The Impulse Buy Dilemma 36:39  Video Games and Consumerism 42:49  Celebrating Milestones 45:07  Outro and Silent Dance