Some of you may already know about Tumbleweed Houses. I think I saw an article about them in Cottage Living a year or so ago. I love the idea of minimal living and if I didn't have kids, could see building one of these and plopping it down in the woods somewhere! When Craig and I built our "dream house" which was over 4,000 sq. ft., it was way too big and we felt like it became a monster to heat and to clean and it was big and lonely. When we moved into an apartment between houses, I enjoyed the coziness and having to really think about how to function as a family in small square footage. The house we are in now is perfect for all the things we do, but sometimes it feels rather large. It is true that the more space you have, the more stuff accumulates. And that doesn't make you happier necessarily. It's good to live with the things that you love and get rid of the rest. And to tread a little lighter on our environment...not cutting down lots of trees to make way for another McMansion. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for homes and alternative solutions for living.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
what size is your footprint?
Some of you may already know about Tumbleweed Houses. I think I saw an article about them in Cottage Living a year or so ago. I love the idea of minimal living and if I didn't have kids, could see building one of these and plopping it down in the woods somewhere! When Craig and I built our "dream house" which was over 4,000 sq. ft., it was way too big and we felt like it became a monster to heat and to clean and it was big and lonely. When we moved into an apartment between houses, I enjoyed the coziness and having to really think about how to function as a family in small square footage. The house we are in now is perfect for all the things we do, but sometimes it feels rather large. It is true that the more space you have, the more stuff accumulates. And that doesn't make you happier necessarily. It's good to live with the things that you love and get rid of the rest. And to tread a little lighter on our environment...not cutting down lots of trees to make way for another McMansion. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for homes and alternative solutions for living.
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6 comments:
I love the idea. Perhaps, it is a retirement adventure - many years from now!
I think I am going in the wrong direction as just today I was driving by a bigger house, thinking there might be potential. Then, I snapped back to reality. We have plenty of house, but a pool would be nice:)
I keep reminding myself that true happiness comes from living the Beatitudes. Now, that is a tough one!
I love it but the hubby couldn't fit his beloved big screen!
The Professor and I purposely chose to live smaller when we bought our place last year. Two bedrooms/two baths, no garage, just a carport. I am not sorry at all b/c I have had to look at everything I own and decide if I love it, think it's beautiful or if it is useful for us. I'm still letting things go and what is left is what I love. Downsizing is a good spiritual exercise. We have talked about living fulltime in an RV and traveling: he's all for it but I know I'd miss my garden.
You are so right about space- sometimes I wish I had more, but really, it would just be so I could accumulate more STUFF. I'm often glad for a small house when it comes to things like leaving a book or a project in another room- its never very far away. Sometimes in the evening, I think it would be better if the kitchen was a little farther away!
When I was a kid, we spent part of our summers in Charlevoix, Michigan at two little log cottages that my grandparents built back in the 1930's. They were the real deal--with a wood burning stove, knots in the walls and everything. The cottages were surrounded by tall pines and faced Lake Charlevoix. Having a place like that to go to made my childhood really special. I have the best memories of going down to the beach with a loaf of Wonder Bread and feeding the ducks, wading in the water with sneakers on, catching minnows, looking for Petoskey stones...they were some of the best days of my life.
I would be 100% content in a little cottage in the woods today. Thoreau is my hero. :)
Our house is over 4,000 sq ft too and I do love having space, but when we aren't having guests, I find that there are rooms I never go into and it feels like such a waste. And I can live in just one little area of the house (my studio) while my husband is out of town.
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