Living smaller – how much space do you really need?

How much space do you really need? Could living smaller contribute not only to less consumerism but also to a more peaceful world?

I have lived in my home for 18 years. We built a 1900 square foot bungalow, the smallest we were allowed on our lot. Unfortunately that meant that with a fully developed basement, we have nearly 3800 sq ft of space. It’s about 1900 sq ft too much, and all around me there are much bigger houses erupting from the landscape. I have trouble understanding it.

Oh, I will admit that having a little extra space has had its advantages at times. After all, I have raised two boys and many days my house resonated with the explosions, gunfire and expletives of testosterone laded video games. Having that basement was a Godsend. But the problem with space is that when you have it, you use it. It doesn’t seem to matter how much you have, you will find some way to fill it up. Try to empty a drawer or closet and see how long it stays that way. Not long I’m betting.

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I don’t know if it is rampant consumerism, or if it is our natural desire to protect ourselves. (Closer spaces feel safer) I think it’s a combination of both. So what if we just built the walls closer to us? Less space to fill, more safety.

Worldwide, there is a movement, the Small House Movement, intended to address just this question. A whole group of people pushing the boundaries of anti-consumerism – living with less, using less, taking up less. There are websites, blogs and home builders dedicated to those who wish to see just how ‘little’ they can live.

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I love it, partly because I love the design puzzle. How to get everything one needs into 400, 200, even 150 square feet? There are some very creative designers out there.

Now don’t get me wrong, I like having a home and feel for those who don’t but it would be interesting to see what it would be like to live with just the basics. I bet it would be liberating.

I heard a quote recently (which I unfortunately did not properly write down). It was something to the effect of ‘the more a person has, the more need he has to defend it’. Perhaps, if the movement to smaller homes takes hold, it could actually contribute not only to less waste, but also to a more peaceful world.

Food for thought.

Mia