Filed under: Small housing ideas
We have decided that we want to live with a smaller footprint, however, there has not been an easy solution to that wish.
As I wrote before, we first wanted to live in a tiny house (120 square feet), but found city restrictions (at least what we think we understand so far) to not allow us to live in our backyard in it since it would be mobile.
Then we thought let’s sell the house and buy something smaller. Smaller gives a very small range of opportunities these days, unless you want to rent an apartment.
Now, we are considering renting out part of our home.
First, we would be downsizing by the amount of room we would be renting (2 full bedrooms, a full bath, and a hallway closet).
Second, we would be sharing the kitchen, dining room and living room.
Third, this would leave us with 2 bedrooms and a full bathroom upstairs.
We are not entirely sure how we feel about this, as this throws in another person into the dynamics of living. We both feel that if we could find the right person, that it would not be bad, and in fact would be sharing resources of home and land.
Sometimes it is hard to think that we may be moving backwards. Are we simply reverting to the days when you are young and can’t afford to live alone? Or, are we maybe moving forwards, as land and resources become more limited? Is this the future? Smaller dwellings, or more shared living?
A neighbor of ours has a roomate, and finds it very rewarding by reducing his cost of living. In fact, his roomate will soon have his fiance join him to live there as well. She actually comes from Portugal, where she lives with her parents in a very small home (from what I have heard, I’m guessing 500 square feet).
Is it simply the American culture that demands large homes for everybody? I’m certain there are large homes all over the world, but what is average? I’m particularly interested in trying to find out more about what average square footage is in developed countries. The little I know about living conditions in Europe, suggest a smaller home (such as Paris).
Is there a reasonable amount of space that is enough for a person to live in, and how would that be effected by adding a significant other, or children?
