Most people in the Elizabethan era lived in small, crowded homes. The average home had two or three rooms and was shared by a family of five or six people. The main room was the kitchen, which was also used for eating and sleeping. The other room(s) were usually used as bedrooms.
Houses were often built of wood or stone, with a thatched roof. They had few windows, and the ones that did exist were small and covered with shutters. This meant that the homes were dark and poorly ventilated.
Furniture
Furniture was sparse in Elizabethan homes. The most common pieces of furniture were a table, a few chairs, and a bed. The bed was usually a large, wooden frame with a straw mattress. Most people slept on straw pallets on the floor.
Food
The diet of the average Elizabethan was simple and monotonous. The main food was bread, which was made from wheat, barley, or rye. Bread was often supplemented with cheese, eggs, and vegetables. Meat was a rare luxury, and when it was available, it was usually salted or smoked.
Clothing
Clothing was also simple and functional. Most people wore tunics or smocks made of wool or linen. The wealthy wore more elaborate clothing, made from silk or velvet.
Sanitation
Sanitation was poor in the Elizabethan era. There was no such thing as a sewer system, and people simply threw their waste into the streets. This led to the spread of disease, such as cholera and typhoid fever.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy in the Elizabethan era was short. The average person died in their early thirties.