My Life with a Systems Engineer: 5 Tips to Engineer Your Best Life at Home

They always tell you that the thing you love most about a person will eventually drive you crazy. I can tell you without exception that this has been true for us. This blog has “me” (Majhon) stamped all over it — culture analyzer, adventure-seeker, philosopher, optimistic, dreamer. I think it’s time to showcase my better half.

Noah is perfectionistic, calculated, careful, grounded, honest, analytical, and systematic. These traits make him an awesome systems engineer and manager at work. These traits also come home with him…

Our good friend Esha K. once described our home as being “Pinteresty.” I thought that description was hilarious! Others have said that our home is designer, “techie,” modern, luxurious, and over-the-top. And, if any of this is true, it’s because of Noah.

In our first year of marriage, I was shocked by his fascination with optimizing everything. If a strip plug didn’t perfect fit onto the wall or match the paint, it had to go. There was a better solution. If we had a spot in the house that caused us to stub our toe more than once, everything was moved around and changed to optimize the “flow” of the path.

Our pots and pans must fit perfectly stacked into their places. Our lights (and their color), thermostats, shopping lists, and door access are voice and app controlled. We have a robot that cleans our cat litter, another one that cleans our floors, and I haven’t been to a grocery store in years because of optimizing grocery delivery.

Ultimately, all of this has made our lives better. There are certainly times where the never-ending quest for perfection becomes tiresome (especially when he tries to optimize his wife…ahem…NOPE!), but he always means well.

But, what if you aren’t married to a systems engineer?

I’ve learned a lot in 10 years. And, I hope to share the best of it with you! Here are the top 5 things I’ve learned about engineering your best life at home.

• 1) Marie Kondo It!
  • Noah is the king of asking if we really “need” something. Do we “need” to have 50+ cocktail glasses? Do we “need” 20+ towels? Do we “need” five versions of the same skillet? No… We (meaning I) don’t. If you don’t need it, and if it doesn’t bring you joy – donate it, sell it, or toss it!
• 2) Measure, Measure, Measure!
  • I think that I’ve spent days of my life over the past 10 years measuring things. The best way to optimize a space is to use the space as efficiently as possible. And, that’s exactly what we’ve done in both 2300 sq. ft. spaces and 700 sq. ft. spaces. But, you MUST MEASURE!
• 3) Don’t Accept Annoyance!
  • Do you have a chair that gets in the way? Do you ALWAYS run into that wall? Do you crawl in the floor to reach your soup pot? Do you have back pain when sitting at your desk? WHY? Too many times in my life, I simply lived with an annoyance because I didn’t think about a way to fix it. There are ways to fix almost any frustration in your home. All you have to do is think about it, put in a little creativity and time, and voila – an optimized solution!
• 4) Research!
  • Has everything already been invented? It’s crazy to think about the items that exist in the world that could change your life, if you only thought about how to research them. There are strip plugs that plug flat into the wall and can run down and around a couch. There are sleek charging stations for multiple devices to keep you organized and full of power. Lighting got you bummed out? Check out Philips Hue to make every night a party. Use your virtual assistant to keep track of your to-do lists, shopping lists, and wish lists. Start a spreadsheet of home annoyances, research solutions, and budget your timeframe for fixing them.
• 5) Design Meets Function!
  • Traveling to Finland opened my eyes to the possibility of everything being beautiful AND functional. Viewing their design museum was one of the most fascinating experiences I’ve ever had. Why did I spend my entire life thinking that something was either “beautiful” or “functional,” when it should most certainly be both! When I shop for furniture or items for our home, I do my best to make sure it fits into both of those categories. Cat tree? Check – black, modern, dual-purpose bookcase/cat-tree. Media center? Check- fireplace, book shelves, showcase shelving, lighting – all-in-one! Whatever you need, do you best to bring design into functionality.

What are some ways that you have engineered your best life at home? I’d love to hear about them and learn from you!

Here’s to making our best home life in the year of “stay at home.” Use your time, your money, and your space wisely!

See you out there!

Cheers,
Noah and Majhon

P.S. New York is starting to cool down! And, with the perfect weather comes tons of fun on the streets and in the parks. This week was a trek to “Bibble and Sip,” “Stand Up New York” in the park, Sinigual Mexican, and Irish breakfast at “Molly’s (yes folks, that systems engineer eats black pudding. Don’t ask me why…).

P.P.S. Our Store is REVAMPED! Check it out here! Wherever you are – however you say it – Cheers and Good Health to you and yours!