Small Living Journal

I think the main financial benefits of small living are pretty apparent.

Built-in Savings

These are the obvious up-front savings you should expect to see with decreased rent or purchase/construction cost. Add to that (or subtract from it!) the limited utility and maintenance costs associated with small living, and we’ve got most of the financial benefits of small living accounted for.

So much money can be saved right here that I can say with some certainty that there are loads of people out there who don’t identify as small-housers, (or even know that such a thing as the small-living movement exists) who nevertheless choose to rent or purchase tiny apartments or houses simply because they cost less; the money they’re not spending is instead salted away or put to better use.

Minimized Consumer Spending

This is probably the second biggest financial benefit to small living. The small house, as we have all no doubt observed, offers scant quarter for superfluous items, (so little in fact that it may present a bit of a problem when Christmas or birthdays roll around, because one can begin to dread the presents purchases by clueless but well-intentioned loved ones.

“Um. Thanks?”

So obviously, the small-houser is prohibited from excessive consumer spending simply by virtue of space issues. This should contribute to financial strength.

Simple Living, Organization, and Finance

I’d LIKE to think that the practical steps taken when moving towards the simplicity and organization that the small house demands would have salutary consequences in the realm of financial organization, budgeting, and spending etc. This is however, merely a speculation on my part. Financial discipline is it’s own realm, but I can see it going hand-in-hand with the discipline of small-living.

The problem with DIY projects is that they can seemingly drag on forever. My tiny house is over a year old and only half done, but that hasn’t stopped us from taking her out on adventures!

The biggest challenge in this project is not having adequate space and tools to get the job done. We’ve been borrowing driveways, garages and backyards, and the tools that come with them. Next weekend Michael and I will be planning a work weekend at Michael’s father’s house to finish the interior walls of the trailer.

You can read here to get a glimpse of all the options we explored, and find out next week what we finally ended up deciding on. Until then, you can catch up with the top 10 the highlights of my trailer project:

1. The Christmas present finally arrives [Jan] – I finally bought a trailer. This was written back when I thought a complete renovation would be a cinch…
2. Gutted and primed [Feb] – I wasted no time in ripping out the guts of the camper, leaving only a shell behind.
3. She’s got color and personality [Feb] – Fearing another rainstorm we reinstalled the windows. Michael meticulously painted the trailer in the color of my choosing and I gave her a name: Calliope.
4. We have a floor to stand on [Mar] – We varnished and reinstalled the floor with a beautiful new piece of plywood. We’re both wanting the project to be done. We dilly-dally for the next 3 months…
5. Indoor plumbing, yay! [Jul] – Michael, AKA my hero, re-installs the original sink and stove. Here I explain the simple plumbing system we decided on.
6. Sizing ourselves for solar [Oct] – Summer vacations out of the way, we get down to business measuring our appliances and planning our ideal photovoltaic power setup.
7. Maiden Voyage, continued [Oct] - We knew she was road-ready, and though we didn’t have the interior walls done, Michael and I traveled around Northern California for a month living in this unfinished trailer.
8. Our visit with Tumbleweed Tiny House Company [Nov] – During our month-long journey, we visited our friend Jay Shafer, designer and founder of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, at his home in Sebastopol.
9. How our house compares to a Tumbleweed House [Nov] - Michael gets a job offer. We move ourselves back down to San Diego. Surprisingly, the house we rent has a striking similarity to Jay Shafer’s Enesti design.
10. Tiny house gets a new roof [Dec] - Our tiny trailer just barely fits in our new garage. Hopefully not for long, as she is itching to do some more traveling!

Hillary lives in a 677 sq. ft. historic home with her partner while renovating a 50 sq. ft. tiny trailer. Her blog is located at thistinyhouse.com. She is a freelance writer and consultant.

Downsizing, made notorious by bloated and struggling businesses is not always a bad word.  The quest for a simpler, more organized and fulfilling life may begin with downsizing and decluttering your own homes and schedule.  When you are feeling out of control, actively downsizing may be the best way to feel like you are taking back the helm of your life.

In the past, I was a big shopper. I didn’t always shop expensive stores.  It was mostly second hand shops and inexpensive box stores full of fun but unnecessary items.  However, if I had the money, I would spend it.  It never occurred to me that I would need savings or some sort of back up plan.  I just always assumed that I would always have money coming in.  The stuff slowly began to pile up.  I will never forget moving my dozens of boxes into my college dorm room while most of the students only had a suitcase or two.

I existed this way for several years, constantly looking for the next item that I thought I “needed”.  I never got into debt, but carried a different kind of balance.

Then I lost my job.

I had just returned from a camping trip to Oregon with my then-boyfriend that really opened up my eyes.  We stayed in a tent for two weeks, and on a night at the Heceta Head Lighthouse, we proposed to each other.  On the trip, we even discovered a small community of park model homes, both of us realizing that this type of house appealed more to us than our large, exorbitant rental back home.

As soon as we got back, my work laid me off.  I realized that I had been unhappy at the job and began to look closely at what I was doing, with our lovely vacation for reference.  It we could live wonderfully and cheaply for a few weeks in a tent, maybe we could apply that to the rest of our lives.

We moved into the bottom part of my mother’s large house in the country.  She needed lots of help to get it back in shape and we wanted to start over.  During a wonderful month of unemployment, I discovered my first tiny houses: the Ross Chapin cottages of the Pacific Northwest.  I was so used to living in such a large space my whole life, that I finally realized that this was what I have always wanted.  I just didn’t know it.  I also read the book, The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs, and became an active member on the Simple Living Network.

I envisioned myself living in a smaller space and then began to ruthlessly rid myself of all unwanted items in my life.  I discarded at least 75 percent of what I owned, clothes, shoes, books, videos, knickknacks, games, furniture, you name it.  Anything that did not fit our new life was gone.  I sold stuff on Ebay, at garage sales, gave away to friends and family and thrift stores.  Each item that was jettisoned, made me feel 10 pounds lighter.

Now I realized that because I was not shopping, I had more money.  I began to live on only 50 percent of my income and have been doing that for the past eight years.  Any extra money is now used for smart investments, savings and traveling the world.

Of course, downsizing does not always mean disposing of material items.  Maybe you have too many commitments, time hogs like computers or televisions, or too many scheduled events. I have also learned how to downsize my work and commitments and upsize time for myself, friends and family.  It also helps that I am not spending time shopping.

Downsizing is not entirely easy.  In this society of overindulgence and the “stay busy” factor, it is difficult sometimes to remove yourself from all the wants.  The wants are unlimited and staying downsized is a constant but rewarding job.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR DOWNSIZING

When deciding to purchase something, ask yourself: Do I absolutely love this item?  Can I afford it?  Can I do without it? Then wait a day, if you still feel you want it, then get it.

Go throughout your house and look at each item.  Do you love it?  Does it make you feel happy or guilty?  Can you see yourself in it?  If not, goodbye!

Be mindful of eliminating your excess.  Take it to a local charity or thrift store (and then walk away!).  Give it to a friend or sell it on Ebay or Craigslist.  I had a habit for a while of keeping digital photos of the items that I sold or gave away and when I went back to look at them, I couldn’t remember why I had them in the first place.  (By the way, those photos have also been purged).

Sometimes you have to see your stuff in a new light.  Move everything from one room into another room.  What do you see as excess?

Ask yourself if you would rather have stuff or freedom?

Imagine if you lost everything in a fire.  What would you miss most?

Imagine what it would be like to live in a tiny house, a boat or a trailer.  How would you fit everything in it?  Imagine what you would bring with you.

Christina is a graphic and web designer living in Washoe Valley, NV.  She also writes for local publications and for Kent Griswold’s Tiny House Blog. Her design work and blog can be found at www.felinedesigninc.com and her decluttering and organization blog can be found at www.declutterlife.blogspot.com.

The Power of Convergence and Shrinking. In the world of technology, there are two forces at work that are reducing the space we need to live: shrinking and convergence. When the things in our life become smaller, the space we require becomes smaller. Convergence is what happens when a single device replaces several such as a fax, scanner, copier, printer. When convergence is combined with a reduction in size, a powerful thing happens. One such example is the Apple iPhone. Not long ago, the multi-touch screen incorporated in the iPhone was limited to special effects in science fiction movies, like Minority Report. Today, anyone with $200 can have an iPhone that replaces the digital camera, telephone, portable computer, and thousands of other tools available as applications for the iPhone.

The Entertainment Center is Gone. Some people reading this article may not know that there was once something called the entertainment center. It might have contained a stereo, a television, and bookshelves of DVDs and music CDs. Today, the entertainment center has been replaced by the computer.

The Books, Magazines, and Newspapers Are Gone. In the past we identified generations based on the wars they lived through. In the absence of wars, we now identify generations based on the technology they grew up with. Up to the 1970s, the primary source of music was 8-track tapes, cassette tapes, or records. These were soon replaced by CDs. Today, CDs have been replaced by downloadable music, and the generation of people growing up today may look upon CDs as some adults recall the days of records. Similarly, a new generation is growing up without books, magazines, or newspapers. We take for granted that homes will have bookshelves and the clutter of numerous printed materials. However, the next generation will get their news and read their books on iPhones, Kindles, and other such devices.

The Postal Mail and Bills are Gone. Many of the printed material things most of us grew up with are now dissapearing. Postal mail has been replaced by email. Printed bills are no longer received in the mail, but instead bills are received electronically.

The Checkbook is Gone. Online banking, electronic payments, and the use of credit cards are replacing the paperwork of paying bills. The use of automated financial reporting, and downloading of transactions makes checkbook registers obsolete.

The Miniaturized Life. Despite the seeming disappearance of a familiar technologies and clutter in our lives, these things still exist in their electronic forms. All of the above mentioned items can now fit in something the size of a notebook computer or smaller device. As a result, downsizing doesn’t necessarily mean giving up an abundant life.

Lighter Technologies for a Lighter and Smaller Footprint. I enjoy playing and composing music. In the past, I had a recording studio with racks of equipment and a multi-track digital recording system. The components and equipment were very power hungry. All of this has been reduced to a notebook computer less than an inch high (2.41 cm). My keyboard is powered from the USB port on the notebook computer. So, I can actually record multi-track digital music in the middle of a field if I want, or in my off-the grid home.

Outsourcing. Perhaps the 24-hour copy center was one of the first businesses to inspire outsourcing of services rather than trying to own everything in-house. What has worked for businesses also works for individuals. People are beginning to realize that it’s better to rent and outsource products and services rather than trying to take ownership of them. Outsourcing your life means less to keep track of, less upkeep, and fewer bills.