Thinking Allowed: Furniture for the transient

When we furnished our partially furnished apartment we decided it wasn't worth the hassle and money to buy two night tables. One seemed plenty as it would be one less thing to get rid of later on. I graciously gave Jakob the night table as he often works from bed and needed somewhere to put his computer. At some point he took pity on me and moved the table to my side. And so for a few months the table migrated back and forth. But with kids coming in and out of our bed at night I really didn't like the idea of computers and phones lying on the floor. So when a friend taught me how to make things out of paper mache I seized on the chance to use my new skill.

Jakobs new bedside table likely cost about as much as a cheap or used night table when you factor in the cost of paint and glue and such. However, it is entirely recyclable. Having been constructed from cardboard pulled out of the recycling bin, newspaper salvaged from the library, and glue made from water and flour it is the ideal type of furniture for our current lifestyle. Beautiful, functional, lots of fun to make, and easy to dispose of without feeling wasteful. The kids really enjoyed the project and Tova has turned into an expert at applying flour paste to paper. So now we are living the luxurious life of being a two night table family.