​Barn-dwellings were usually built along the north-south axis with the chambers at the south end of the building. Such an orientation was necessary for various reasons: firstly, this allowed the chambers to benefit from the sun shining in the south, and secondly, this allowed the eastern and western winds to blow through the threshing room when the doors in the opposite walls were opened. Ancient Estonians had noticed that westerly and easterly winds were the most common ones. The grain was winnowed on the open gates of the threshing room and this could not be done without the wind blowing.

Grain and other farm property was kept in the barn. An Estonian farm had at least two barns — one for grain, where other foodstuff was also stored, and the other for clothes. Quite often there was a third for storing meat and fish, milk and dairy products. Stables usually consisted of several rooms designated for different animals and hay. The location of other household buildings like a summer kitchen and a more rare smithy was not so fixed.