Smaller Is Better

I realize that the trend toward larger homes overtook the population in the last decade. This is evidenced all around my neighborhood, where small cottages once resided now stand concrete and stucco behemoths. You also see it in the size of the new home developments in outlying counties. Back in the 1970s, when Fremont and Newark were beginning to take off and grow, new homes had 3 bedrooms, but were usually in the 1,500-1,800 square foot range, more than enough for a growing family. Now it seems 2,400 square feet is the norm, and it goes up from there. But given an aging population, the need to be greener, and the current housing crunch, I should think that downsizing is in the future for many of us.

If you are thinking about such a plan—buying a smaller house, building a smaller house—you should check out The Small House Society over at Resources for Life.com. The Small House Society is an “organization dedicated to the promotion of smaller housing alternatives which can be more affordable and ecological.” Co-founded by Jay Shafer (owner of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company that we wrote about last year), Shay Salomon and Nigel Valdez (authors of Little House on a Small Planet), and Paul Johnson (from Resources for Life.com), these four lead the charge in the Small House Movement.

The site encourages membership (for a very small fee) and has an online discussion group and Resource Section. You can buy books, find architects/builders/small building materials, get ready-made plans, chat with other like-minded individuals, and generally be encouraged to pursue a small home lifestyle. Even if you are not quite ready for this step in your life, I encourage you to check out the website and think about your future. Imagine: Less space, less clutter, less “stuff”, less clean up, more time and money to do other things. What a concept!

Photos Courtesy of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.