Now that there are so many options for affordable, available small homes, I'm fascinated with the idea of downsizing. I'm probably not ready for life with Hubs and two dogs in a house this small (or white), but I could learn to love the tiny house life...couldn't I? The biggest attraction is simplicity.
Less space requires less stuff. Less stuff takes less time to clean and maintain. Less time on housework means more time to do the things I enjoy. But where? Does my tiny home have room for a sewing machine or an artist's easel? And what about my books?
One solution is to make use of outdoor living space. Reading or hosting a dinner party on a patio or rooftop deck sound so inviting, but only in temperate weather - which happens approximately 30 days/year in Kansas and Nebraska. Could I move to a state that doesn't have four distinct seasons?
Speaking of less stuff, I have gone through my current home, which isn't exactly huge, and culled out everything I considered excess, but there's still a lot of stuff that isn't used daily. I struggle to let go of the "good" dishes or the "good" table linens. What do tiny-home owners do with Christmas decorations?
Maybe my perspective on "stuff" is what really needs to be purged. Maybe that al fresco dinner party would be just as enjoyable if served on the same dishes I use every day - or paper plates. If I could remove the sentiment from objects - see them as tools to accomplish the necessities of life rather than having intrinsic value - the downsizing process would be easier.
Living in a tiny home would be financially rewarding. The cut in mortgage/rent, utilities, upkeep and insurance would make funds available for travel, charity and upgrading our remaining possessions. If I only have space for dinnerware for 8, make them good quality and beautiful.
Then there's the issue of guests . . .
We probably won't start tiny-house hunting today, and "tiny" is relative - but it's an idea I can't completely escape.
I love tiny houses. They are the cutest!!
ReplyDeleteI also love tiny houses. But watching the TV show and I think they are awesome. Love all the things they fit inside of them. Not sure I could live in one but I do want a little house!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a tiny house, but I couldn't do it. At least not the sizes I see on TV. It's partly because I love my "stuff", but I also like my privacy/alone time/space to stretch out. Spending more time outside, just isn't practical for me. Summer and spring, yes. But not in the winter when it's -30C/-22F or when there's a blizzard. Nope, not for me.
ReplyDeleteThe house we live in now, though, is way too big for us. I can see us downsizing at some point. Just not to a tiny house.
Just think how spacious our homes would feel if we culled our "stuff" with the idea that we had to fit it all in a tiny home?! I happen to have four sets of china, all of which have been inherited and which I keep because someday the kids might want good china without having the expense of buying it. But what if I've stored it for all of these years and none of them ever want any to it? And how do I get rid of it then because all of it came from family? My sentimentality is the killer of me getting rid of so much!
ReplyDeleteA tiny house is not happening for me. We have a wee little camper, about 14 feet long and it works for a weekend with only a few books along and knitting, but not much more. we spend most of the time outside when it's nice. Horrible when it's raining.
ReplyDeleteAs for purging stuff, keep what you love and don't worry about it. i'm not going to stress too much about what I have. If I could only finish those lingering projects then it would seem as though I purged. until then, I'll just have to deal with it all.