Small Space, Big Litter Box

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We're sharing about our big litter box thanks to sponsor Mirum

A few people have asked how we manage all the rescue cats that I impulsively adopt. The answer? A BIG litter box! We have an auto-feeder and one of those self-changing litter box things, so the cats are pretty self-sufficient. As I said, though, the box is large. And the inside of our one-level farm house is pretty small. Ongoing renovations have shrunk our useable space even more lately, so the only place for our big litter box to go right now is a few feet from our dining room table.

Big litter box by the dining table

Putting a litter box in our open-space kitchen is certainly less than ideal, but we've actually found some benefits to it. Here's how we made our unconventional setup work.

Handling a Big Litter Box in a Small Home

What to do with a big litter box in a small space

Size can simplify

I've had a friends who have kept several smaller litter boxes in multiple spaces throughout the house, to make sure that the cats always have fresh litter options and box availability. Keeping track of litter box changes and cleanliness with that setup can be challenging, though. With our one big litter box placed where we see it multiple times per day, it always gets the care and attention it needs. It also reduces potential confusion for cats, ensuring that they'll quickly master where their box is and won't use random corners for their potty needs.

Litter box with cat litter

Cat litter is key

We kissed a lot of cat litter frogs before crowning our prince. Tidy Cats with Glade brings together the powerful odor control of one of the most trusted cat litters in the industry, effectively latching onto odor and wetness while infusing it with the freshness of Glade Clear Springs scent. The natural clay product forms strong, tight clumps for easy scooping – it was made for multiple cats and specifically designed to have low tracking impact throughout the house. We used to plug in a Glade scent system next to our litter box to achieve this effect, but now we just have to get one product. We buy our Tidy Cats with Glade in-store at Sam's Club to stay stocked-up on this household essential at a great value.

Regular maintenance matters

Scoop the waste away daily for regular boxes or change the bag as often as necessary for self-changing litter boxes. We keep the litter level at 3-4 inches so our cats can comfortably scoop it around, and we do a completely litter change plus box wipe-down with soap and water every other week to keep things fresh.

Litter box closet

Supply stock

Our litter box is conveniently located by our organization cabinet/command station area, so the cleaning closet is right next to it. This is the perfect place to stash extra litter, trash bags, and all the products that we use to clean up around the litter box. I've found that we're much more likely to keep the area neat and tidy if all of this stuff is within arm's reach. We also have the vacuum mounted right next to the litter box, and that's proven to be absolutely essential in cleaning up after the cats.

Tidy Cats with Glade

Our big litter box will be moving to Nate's office as soon as we're done renovating that area, which speaks volumes to how effective this litter is at controlling odors. Nate's not a cat guy and he's definitely not a cat odor guy (he's pretty sensitive to smells) but after experiencing this setup for awhile, he was convinced. With the right litter and proper care, a cat litter box really can go just about anywhere.

If you get a bag in-store or online from Sam's Club, you can also save with Swagbucks and MyPoints incentives, and there's a Sam's Club Instant Savings Offer through November 25th that'll score you a $3 discount.

Do you have a big litter box? Where in the house do you keep it?

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