Housing...Inside and Out

January 28, 2000
The Smaller House

In the past one of the solutions to achieving affordable housing has been for individuals to purchase a smaller home. Many families and singles now consider the options of smaller lots, more compact homes, manufactured homes and multi-family units including condominiums and townhouses. Many of these newly designed homes contain less than 1,200 square feet.

Adapting to smaller space is indeed a challenge, but it does not mean the situation has to be unpleasant. Small dwellings can be very comfortable and can offer as much livability as some large dwellings. Psychologically, some people prefer a smaller space because they feel it projects a feeling of closeness and warmth. Someone once said, "Small rooms or dwellings set the mind in the right path, larger ones cause it to go astray."

The key to small-spaced living is organization. Well-designed storage, structured work habits and an efficient use of floor space make the best use of available space.

Families living in smaller dwellings will find themselves facing many challenges. One of these is that of developing a respect for the people with which they live. Living closely in a confined space can cause many conflicts. Each person in the home needs a personalized space no matter how small it may be. The corner of one room may be sufficient. There should also be a conscious effort made to have many activity areas so that all family activities do not take place in the same location.

Another major challenge is that of mastering the art of storage. When an extra room is available in a house, it tends to serve as a catch-all. It is easy to get into the habit of piling objects in a room and shutting the door. Small space living does not allow for such disorganization. Families must make the best use of the storage space they have by organizing storage to the point where everything has a place. Each family member needs to use wall space to its best advantage by organizing closets and cabinets so they are more efficient. Purchases should also be planned so families only buy what they need. Multi-purpose items should be selected so that only one item would have to be stored rather than many.

Individuals who live in smaller dwellings will also have to become tidy workers. People should not allow objects to become scattered all over the house as they work. Many tasks will have to be concentrated at work centers and things will need to be put away immediately after being completed. Projects will have to be planned so they can be finished in an allotted time, and not left out to be finished at a later date.

Finally, when living in smaller areas, it is important to keep things simple. Areas that are over decorated or over crowded seem smaller. Highly patterned or detailed objects seem to consume more visual space than objects with a simple design. Expand the space visually by getting along with the essentials.


Written by Dr. Francis Graham (Retired)

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