Clara - Looks like you are certainly pumping out the lumens, and plants look happy. Two questions to ponder though: at $45 a pop, these 85W CFLs + fixture are well-beyond chump change, at least for me. At some point, it must make sense to switch over to a HID lighting system. A ceiling mounted 1000W HPS, for example, would probably irradiate a good portion of your grow space, and they can't be more than a couple of hundred bucks. Second, the size of those 85W CFLs in the HD brooder lamp seems to ensure a lot of wasted lumens, and they stick out so far, a strip of Al-foil won't do much. As someone previously said, those gigantic CFLs seem much better suited to horizontal mounting in a "wing" or "half-tube" style fixture. I think the same poster described making a simple one with a double-ended screw-in socket, 8' heating duct cut in two lengthwise, and a couple of sheet metal screws. That said, the brooder lamps _are_ very flexible in their placement. Personally, I don't exceed a 55W bulb (linked below) in this fixture because, as you pointed out, I don't like my retinas fried just walking around the room. Nice thing about this particular 55W is the squat design that just about fits inside the 10.5" hemisphere. And not too shabby at 3600 lumens and $16. Here is a link that might be useful: fat 55W CFL

Thanks for all of the ideas. I will look into the cord winders, cable ties, etc. Jeannine, the computer is on the left side. You can see the monitor if you look closely - just a sliver as it is a side view. All of the "stuff" is to the left of that. Ideefixe, yes I did plant the flag. I have made several changes since this pic. I bought a new desk lamp ("antique" apothecary), put a different lamp behind the desk, filled in the credenza, bought a tropical palm for the area between the credenza and the window. Right now it might be the baskets to start. That would be pretty easy. DS just bought a house and tonight I am going to help him strip 100 years of paint off the woodwork - so not much time this weekend -- but I do want to get all of these cords tucked away.

Stringweaver, thanks so much for the info on the streamlined refrigerators! When I save up enough to remodel the kitchen in a few years, I definitely want to consider smaller appliances, both to gain counter space and to save energy. I'm afraid my picture was a bit misleading, though. Joy and I had actually pulled the refrigerator out a few feet when the circuit blew and we had to access the plug so we could plug it into an extension cord in a working outlet. Then we left it out so we could paint. It's now back in its designated space. Kathy, I hear you about being strategic with small cabinet space. I have ONE lower cabinet that has to hold my steamer, electric skillet, mixing and serving bowls, baking dishes, cutting boards, and colanders/strainer. Right now everything's in there and juuuuust barely fits, but I know I've got a set of Pyrex mixing/storage bowls I haven't yet unpacked. And I've missed them because I can't microwave or bake or freeze anything in the Chefmate melamine bowls...so even though I love them, I'm probably going to toss them. I like your idea of keeping seldom used appliances out of the kitchen. I think Shades does that too. Speaking of Shades, thanks Chris, for the pic of the built-in around a low window. I love that! It really frames the window beautifully! Also, THANK YOU for measuring your suitcases!! That is so kind of you! I'm guessing your hunch is right, and those were standard sizes. Missouribound, no, the minisplit will go on the main (only) living room wall. Smaller units in the bedrooms. What is above the ceiling in the pop out? The sky, lol. :-) A pop out in an old manufactured home is like ones you may have seen in RVs or travel trailers. The RV is driven to its camping spot and then, like an accordion, the owner pulls out (pops out) another little section from its side. If I ever moved this MH, they would literally fold it back into the house in order to be able to drive it without wind sheer. I'll try to remember to take some pics of the outside and post them. It's an inexpensive way of giving people a little more square footage, in my case 35 more sq ft makes a big difference. By the way, I really love your basket idea! I'm going to try that! Time for bed. Goodnight everyone! :-)

I'm with you about decorative pillows. But i also think adding one normal bed pillow so you have two would make the room look more finished. You don't have to sleep with it. I think the bike where it is in the last pic is probably a good idea. It's far less obtrusive. The other thing I'd do is to pull that table and chairs out from the wall by about 6 inches, maybe 4 inches. And maybe angle the table and put the chairs so they're facing in to the table on the front two edges (and slightly away from the rest of the room). It looks like of uptight right now, with all the furniture pushed flat against the wall.