I confess that big houses give me the willies. I don't like visiting huge homes, and I especially don't like sleeping in them. I think this is because I was born in Germany and grew up there, and most of my family had normal German homes - that is to say, quite small. My Oma lived in two rooms for her entire retirement and shared a bathroom with two neighbors who were also elders. Nobody complained. Even in modern-day Germany, homes tend to be the size of what many Americans would call "efficiencies" or "starters". This scenario is the standard in most of Europe. Needless to say, the environmental footprint of those countries is much smaller than in the United States. Americans have few bragging rights when it comes to downsizing for the sake of the planet.
Just for fun, I thought I'd share some very creative and beautiful little homes that you might not think you can live in full-time, but could consider as small offices or studios. I'm more of a monk and would certainly live in one of these full-time, and maybe someday, you will consider it too:
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| A converted caboose |
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| A yurt imported from Mongolia This is my favorite and I was able to find more information online. Google as authentic yurts are now on sale in the U.S. and Australia. |
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| Under 500 s.f. |
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| A posh interior |
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| Victorian charm |
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| Converted metal storage container |
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| Only 312 s.f. |
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| Very tiny |
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| When the garden takes top honors |
Are these clever, or what? There is truly a tiny style for everyone. You can find more listings at Tiny House Listings and on their Facebook page. All their homes are under 500 s.f. Most of the ones pictured here are 200-300 s.f.
And if you're now as yurt-obsessed as I am, click here. And here. And here. And here for the one above. We actually considered buying a yurt about ten years ago, but the selections weren't nearly as handsome as the real Mongolian yurts on these pages!
Have you ever considered downsizing your lifestyle by choosing a smaller home? How small do you think you could go? Please leave me a comment!
