12-14-2008, 04:26 PM
Posted on Fri, Nov. 28, 2008
Nina Yun
When Dee Williams of Olympia, Wash., decided to leave her 1,500-square-foot craftsman bungalow home for about a 100 -square-foot home, there were very few people who could understand why.
"Even I was nervous. I kept on thinking, 'This is smaller than my dorm room in college! Am I going to be miserable?'" says Williams.
But Williams, inspired by a trip to Guatemala, decided she wanted to change her lifestyle and live the values that were important to her, so she adopted small house living.
According to Greg Johnson and Jay Shafer, co-founders of Iowa City, Iowa-based Small House Society, the small house movement is the use of smaller living spaces that foster sustainable living for individuals, families and communities, which has financial and ecological benefits. Small house living is not measured by square footage alone, and does not necessarily mean living in an estimated 100-square-foot home like Johnson and Shafer both do.
"Live simply so others may simply live," says Johnson. "Size is relative. Mainly we promote discussion about the ecological, economic and psychological toll that excessive housing takes on our lives, and what some of us are doing to live better. It's not a movement about people claiming to be 'tinier than thou,' but rather people making their own choices toward simpler and smaller living however they feel best fits their life."
And with the today's difficult financial times, small house living has some definite cost benefits. Johnson, who has no running water or electricity in his home, but uses these sources at work and at the gym, pays $6 a month for his only utility of gas. Williams, who lives in the backyard of another house, says she pays $8 a month for utilities.
And even as passionate as Johnson and Williams are of their way of living, you won't find them pointing a guilty finger.
"I don't necessarily advocate that everyone should live in a small house like me," Williams says. "I do advocate for people to live more intentionally. That's what I've been offered; that's how I live. I get to live my life and ... I'm not shackled to a mortgage or to excessive things."
With the financial crisis hitting many homes and the constant battle of limited resources, here are tips on how to live better without going tiny.
1. Use Your Community
Look for tool libraries and try to co-op as many tools and materials as possible. Items that you don't need on a daily basis like a steam cleaner, tractor or even maybe that big-screen TV can be shared among neighbors.
2. De-Clutter Your Life
Williams says to dig deep and examine the things you need and the things you want for every room you use. "Rethink that second car or that new pair of shoes," Williams says. "Marry your life between what you need and what you really need."
3. Maximize Space
Let one room do more than one job. Shafer, owner of Sebastopol, Calif.-based Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, plans and builds small homes to sustain a person's life. He recommends thinking of storage-like bookshelves or contractible furniture that can help put many activities in one space.
4. Go Local
Johnson says to invest in your local community assets, like a farmer's market or a grocery store that sells locally grown foods. Not only do you help support your neighbors, but you also cut back on fuels and transportation.
http://www.philly.com/philly/home/CTW_ho...rters.html
Nina Yun
When Dee Williams of Olympia, Wash., decided to leave her 1,500-square-foot craftsman bungalow home for about a 100 -square-foot home, there were very few people who could understand why.
"Even I was nervous. I kept on thinking, 'This is smaller than my dorm room in college! Am I going to be miserable?'" says Williams.
But Williams, inspired by a trip to Guatemala, decided she wanted to change her lifestyle and live the values that were important to her, so she adopted small house living.
According to Greg Johnson and Jay Shafer, co-founders of Iowa City, Iowa-based Small House Society, the small house movement is the use of smaller living spaces that foster sustainable living for individuals, families and communities, which has financial and ecological benefits. Small house living is not measured by square footage alone, and does not necessarily mean living in an estimated 100-square-foot home like Johnson and Shafer both do.
"Live simply so others may simply live," says Johnson. "Size is relative. Mainly we promote discussion about the ecological, economic and psychological toll that excessive housing takes on our lives, and what some of us are doing to live better. It's not a movement about people claiming to be 'tinier than thou,' but rather people making their own choices toward simpler and smaller living however they feel best fits their life."
And with the today's difficult financial times, small house living has some definite cost benefits. Johnson, who has no running water or electricity in his home, but uses these sources at work and at the gym, pays $6 a month for his only utility of gas. Williams, who lives in the backyard of another house, says she pays $8 a month for utilities.
And even as passionate as Johnson and Williams are of their way of living, you won't find them pointing a guilty finger.
"I don't necessarily advocate that everyone should live in a small house like me," Williams says. "I do advocate for people to live more intentionally. That's what I've been offered; that's how I live. I get to live my life and ... I'm not shackled to a mortgage or to excessive things."
With the financial crisis hitting many homes and the constant battle of limited resources, here are tips on how to live better without going tiny.
1. Use Your Community
Look for tool libraries and try to co-op as many tools and materials as possible. Items that you don't need on a daily basis like a steam cleaner, tractor or even maybe that big-screen TV can be shared among neighbors.
2. De-Clutter Your Life
Williams says to dig deep and examine the things you need and the things you want for every room you use. "Rethink that second car or that new pair of shoes," Williams says. "Marry your life between what you need and what you really need."
3. Maximize Space
Let one room do more than one job. Shafer, owner of Sebastopol, Calif.-based Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, plans and builds small homes to sustain a person's life. He recommends thinking of storage-like bookshelves or contractible furniture that can help put many activities in one space.
4. Go Local
Johnson says to invest in your local community assets, like a farmer's market or a grocery store that sells locally grown foods. Not only do you help support your neighbors, but you also cut back on fuels and transportation.
http://www.philly.com/philly/home/CTW_ho...rters.html
