Tiny Houses Have A Big Impact
80
It started in 1997 in Iowa City when Jay Shafer built his first tiny house. An artist and designer with an interest in sustainable architecture, he figured he could design a comfortable living space for himself in an area about the size of some people's closets. At just 89 square feet, Jay's house was was too small to be allowed on a city lot, so he put it on wheels and named it " Tumbleweed" and figured he could park it on a lot somewhere in town.
But you know how it goes-- The city fathers said the wheels made it a trailer and sorry, no trailers allowed within the city limits. So, at a time when builders were thinking about 4000 square ft. meadow mansions and buyers were slavering over granite counters and great rooms, Jay Shafer bought a house with a big back yard in Iowa City just so he could park his "Tumbleweed" house there and live in it.The main house? well, he rented it out for income and thus Jay found his life's work and the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company was born.
Today, from his headquarters in Sebastapol California, Jay offers a variety of designs for living in spaces between 65 and 875 square feet. He'll sell you the plans or build the house for you-- or he'll custom design something and you can hire a local builder or build it yourself. More and more tiny houses dot the American landscape-these days. There are more being erected in other parts of the world too.They come in a variety of sizes. Some are on wheels and can be moved from place to place. Others are set on a fixed foundation. Some are deep in the woods. Others are part of "pocket neighborhoods" springing up on empty urban lots. Tiny houses are also used as guest houses, offices, studios, and workshops on larger properties. They make great vacation homes. They are perfect too for co-housing groups such as seniors or artists and writers who want to live together but have their independence and their own private spaces. No matter what they are used for, tiny houses are cheaper to buy and maintain than ordinary dwellings and create a much smaller carbon footprint for their owners. No wonder they are growing in popularity.
The Tiny House Movement
The tiny house movement is definitely taking off bigtime in the wake of the economic downturn and the upturn in environmental awareness. And make no mistake. It is definitely a movement. In 2002 Jay Shafer and three friends started the Small House Society whose mission is: " to support the research, development, and use of smaller living spaces
that foster sustainable living for individuals, families, and
communities worldwide." In the seven years of its existance it has garnered an enthusiastic worldwide membership and become an important voice for environmentally responsible small house living across the globe.
The society maintains a website of small house resources, and its active and ever growing membership provides networking and help for those who own tiny houses or want to. The society is on Facebook and maintains a Yahoo group as well. There are even a number of tiny house bloggers who outline the details and various aspects of tiny house living with great style and panache.
Here are a few of my favorites
Tiny House Blogs
Rowdykittens is written by Tammy, a sprightly advocate of tiny homes and simple living. She writes about both with wit and charm.
Coming Unmoored Don't miss this one. The subtitle is " life in a tiny floating home." Need I say more?
The Tiny House Blog is a wonderful compendium of information for anyone considering this lifestyle. It examines all the options, contains tons of wonderful photos and is very well done.
Tiny House Design is full of kits, plans, design tips and much more. It is a terrific design resource. The latest post features the details of building a passive solar tiny house. What more could anyone want?
Minimal Mansion is a step by step documentation of the construction of a tiny house loosely based on a Jay Shafer design by the homeowner himself. The project and the blog have been going on for a year now. It's a fascinating read that is updated almost daily.
The Small Living Journal is an ezine that is just starting up. It's being done by writers and bloggers who are also tiny house owners and from the introductory issue it looks like a must read for anyone interested in the subject.
There is much more out there, including meet-ups, presentations, conventions,and the like.There are forums and discussions and much much more. Once you start exploring the web resources on tiny houses and tiny living, the enthusiasm gets to you. It is palpable. I keep thinking that this is just the beginning and I also think it is a very good and healthy idea.
Tiny House Books
|
Tiny Houses
Price: $17.17
List Price: $29.95 |
|
Tiny Houses: or How to Get Away From It All
Price: $20.27
List Price: $37.95 |
|
A Little House of My Own: 47 Grand Designs for 47 Tiny Houses
Price: $62.99
List Price: $24.95 |
|
The Small House Book
Price: $36.95
|
|
Treasures of the White House (Tiny Folios)
Price: $6.82
List Price: $11.95 |
The Future of Tiny Houses
The future looks bright for tiny houses. In the wake of the global financial meltdown and the collapse of the housing market, many people are re-thinking their priorities. As well they should. The American suburban lifestyle with cathedral ceilinged, multi-bathroomed, MacMansions on every cul-de-sac and three SUV's in the garage is unsustainable in today's world. You can practically hear consumer's wallets snapping shut as they search for a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle.Tiny houses are cheap to build, cheap to heat, and a snap to clean and maintain. Why buy a big house with a big mortgage and then work 30 years to pay it off? Why not go for a house you can build yourself in a couple of weeks and pay for with the eqivalent of a car loan?
The movement Jay Shaffer started in 1997 has grown exponentially. More and more builders are offering small and tiny houses as an option for customers. There's even a tiny house company in Texas. After hurricaine Katrina, some enterprising folks from New Orleans got in on the act and now build and sell their own version of tiny houses. Mark my words-- one of these days these mini mansions are going to have great re-sale value. Downsizing never looked so good.
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Thanks Tom--I totally agree. The uber-consumer American suburban lifestyle has got to go. We can't afford it anymore and it was insane anyway. I downsized about ten years ago and now live in a small, two bedroom house that is 750 square feet and I really love it.
what a wonderful hub! I'd not heard of them before, fascinating.
I was considering a tiny house but opted for the camper instead, because I might need to move it. But something tells me I might build one in the future. Great hub, very informative -- I didn't realize it was already so popular an alternative.
LondonGirl-- glad you liked it-- aren't they cute? Have a look at the video tour of Jay's house for an idea of the interior or a really teensy tiny house. Good to see you, as always:-) Teresa-- There are a bunch of people building their own tiny houses and blogging about it as they go. They are quite an enthusiastic crowd. I think these things are going to become more and more popular and if you build one yourself, it just might turn into a great investment as well-- what more could a girl want :-) Thanks for reading and commenting.
I think I'd feel a bit crowded in one with Isaac and my other half, though (-:
Since we own a bit of acreage- I always thought it would be a good idea to put a tiny house like a large motel room, on our property-- either for guests, a rental, or as a granny house for me in later years. I'm going to look at the plans.
well,LondonGirl, maybe not in one of the bigger ones but I have to admit they are more for solos and couples that families with children-- the largest of them is only@ 800 sq. ft. You might feel like the old woman who lived in a shoe with only one child:-)
800 sq. feet is large by central London flat standards, many 3 bed flats are that! Ours is 3 bed, and 1,000 sq. feet.
Hi Rochelle-- I think these things are perfect for guesthouse or granny cottage. Check out the link in my hub to the Small House Society for lots of great resources. I think one of the blogs has plans and design tips too. It's a fascinating phenom--and gaining traction. Good luck with it-- hope you do it:-)
ooops hi again LondonGirl-- yes , I think they call anything over 500 square feet a "small" rather than a "tiny" house and 800 sq. ft. doesn't really qualify as tiny--they do make one model that is that big but most are around 200 sql ft and some are much smaller.
Yup London must be like New York in terms of space-- it is the most expensive commodity in the big cities of the world. I live in a small town between New York and Philadelphia in a llittle Victorian worker-bee cottage that was built in 1870. It's just me and I have two bedrooms and 750 sq. ft. However, I am told that at the turn o the 20th century six or seven people lived in this house. I don't know how they managed LOL
for a while, during a university holiday, there were 8 people in this 1,000 sq. foot flat. Crowded, but students don't care (-:
crowded but fun I bet:-) OMG it's midnight-- time for me to turn into a pumpkin. Night LG going to z-z-z-z-z-z Thanks for the visit. I enjoyed it:-)
Very interesting concept. As energy costs keep rising, more and more people will be interested in downsizing.
Once again, robie, you've written a fascinating and informative hub! Tiny houses...what a concept!
I agree, Robie writes fascinating hubs.
Good morning Peggy, Jama and LG and thanks for all the kind words--they are going down well with my morning coffee:-)
So cool! When we moved to Michigan I noticed a spot on the back of our property, back in the woods, that looked perfect for a tiny house. I envisioned a workshop/studio space--somewhere to sit and write or put the kids up if they come to visit. I'm going to check out the resources you listed. Thank you so much for doing all this footwork!
Our house is about 1000 square feet but it feels smaller because half of that is a loft. and part of the downstairs is a mudroom where we don't really hang out--just hang our stuff. It's just the two of us so we like it fine, but it wouldn't count as tiny. Small, I guess. Ironically, right next door is a big mini-mansion development. I have to take some video clips and do a hub--I always mean to but never get around to it. Great stuff as usual robie--I'm always excited when I see you have written a new hub!
Hi PG-- always so good to see you and I feel the same way about your hubs, so thanks for the kind words. I can see you in a tiny house office on the back of your property writing away. Do go have a look at the blogs and websites. There is a lot out there and the enthusiasm is really amazing.
Take your camera next time you walk the dog-- I really want to read your hub on the development next door....sounds like just my meat. I hate Palladian windows and if I never see another granite kitchen counter it will be too soon for me LOL
my mother has a granite shelf in her larder cupboard to keep cheese and butter cool, and I think it's rather good.
A granite shelf is one thing, LG but here in the last few years, huge kitchens with massive stainless steel appliances and polished granite kitchen counters have become the last word in chic. Newly constructed pretentious suburban houses feature them along. They have to be seen to be believed and are a testament to American excess and conspicuous consumption-- that's what i hate--not the granite itself.
LOL! What's funny is that often people don't even COOK in them! They absolutely must have the giant stainless steel and granite kitchen with marble or wood floors, but then they just snack and go out to eat all the time. I read recently that some of these granite counters were found to be emiting dangerous levels of radon--I thought that was poetic justice of some sort. Yes I will definitely get on the Minimansions versus the Michganders hub. I've put it off too long. :)
With 4 kids, 2 dogs and a cat, a tiny house for us would probably be anything smaller than 1500 sq. feet. But I totally agree with the comments and the article itself. We have too much house than we can deal with. Its nice, but cleaning it takes forever (not going to pay someone to do that). If we could unload it in today's depressed market, I would in a heartbeat! I think the tiny houses have a ton of charm, let alone the positive envt impacts. Thumbs up!
PG thanks for the return visit-- I 'll be looking for your hub:-)
Hi Steph-- I agree that tiny houses are definitely not for big families. I downsized to my present 750 sq. feet and solo lifestyle from a 5 bedroom 4 bath old farmhouse about ten years ago and am still amazed at the difference in time and $$$ cost of cleaning, repair, and maintenance. I think the days of American excess are so over in lots of ways and small houses in older communities are going to make a real comeback in today's economic climate. Thanks for the comment and good to see you.
As for your housecleaning efforts-- makes me think of your vacuuming hub--one of the best around. Here's a link for those who missed it.
Fascinating subject and and you made it so interesting. I always look forward to your hubs, Robie2!
Why Kscharles-- how nice to see you and what a nice compliment. Thanks for reading and commenting and come back anytime:-)
The tiny houses are so cute! The city managers are predjudiced against affordable housing. The media enjoys calling mobile homes trailers. Trailers are not mobile homes. For a mobile home you need a professional truck with special permits to transport it and a state permit to get electricity just to flush the toilet!
A travel trailer can be hauled by a regular truck. Strangely, some people do live in those travel trailers year round.
Some people live in mobiles because that is all that they can afford. The media shouldn't make them feel bad for possibly living morgate free!
Well...GREAT HUB Robie2. :)
What a concept! Never heard of it before -- not sure I'm cut out for it, I'm a biggie house kind of girl, though I only found that out through living in tiny houses :-) Great going, robie!
LOL-- thanks Elena-- I wish you a great big house and a big domestic staff to clean and maintain it for you-- it's cleaning those biggies that gets to me:-) Thanks for reading and commenting.
Woooohoooo robie!!! Your new avatar and YOU are WONDERFUL!!!
Omygosh, Raven King-- how could I have missed you and your great comment. Thanks so much for stopping by. I think tiny houses are just great and BTW they really are trailers not mobile homes. They can be hauled behind a car or pick-up with a trailer hitch..the ones that have wheels of course. The larger ones tend to need a fixed foundation. But you are right about the prejudice about mobile homes--many of which are much larger and more comfortable than any tiny house. Good to see you:-)
I had no idea that "tiny houses" was a movement. In fact, when I saw the title of your new (and oh-so-long-awaited-for) Hub, I thought you were going to talk about your house. :)
Thank God there are plenty of places in the country where you can put up a tiny house or roll it in onto your property, without a bundle of laws to the contrary. One of my very special places on the earth exists about midway between the town of 1,000 motels and Bedford Springs, along the PA turnpike. There, off the beaten path, is a tiny house, in the crook of a road. It is just begging to be hit by a semi, but, thankfully, there is no such traffic on this quiet country road. This house looks amazingly like Jay's, but without the do-dads that make it cute.
It exists in peace, as does its occupant, until developers turn the cow country into shopping malls.
Oh, thumbs up, did I say?
Hi ST-- yes I know that town-- it's where I70 crosses the PA turnpike and it is a traffic nightmare, though the turnpike is beautiful there in the mountains. I hope your wee house avoids the semis and lives on in peace. Good to see you and thanks for the read and comment not to mention the thumb:-)
Hi again Elena I'm getting comments all out of sequence here--sorry-- I took your real me on week-ends idea seriously so here I am just for today. I think I will turn back into my avatar tomorrow though--not gonna wait for the full moon that's for sure-- thanks for the enthusiastic response LOL
Another great hub robie2. These tiny dwellings are a great idea for retired people who often no longer need a full size house. I am going to build one for myself in a few years time when I no longer need the extra room.
Hi earnestshub. Absolutly a great option for empty nesters IMHO, especially with the really nice supportive community of tiny house people to network with. Good luckl with yours and thanks for the comment.
WOW, and I thought my 1076ft² house was small... now thanks to you I feel like I live in a mansion LOL.
It's all relative, Funride :-) Thanks for stopping by. Always good to see you.
Intriguing hub you have here. It seems aimed at people wanting to downsize their living arrangements, or go for simple lives under economical living conditions. Hence, the small house movements featured. This got me thinking, though. What about families who'd like to try out these small houses? Any tips for them, or are these small houses for single people only?
Although the videos embedded here seem to suggest some disdain towards debt, would it be too much to think that some affordable real estate for families could be possible, that's also environmentally sound and 'downsized'?
Hi RE-UK-- your points are well taken and I'll try to address them. Really tiny houses are under 500 sq.ft. and probably are not enough space for a family with several children. There is a second category of "small houses" which includes dwellings up to 850 sq. ft. which maximize use of space and are built to the greenest of environmental standards. Some of these might suit young families who want to lower their carbon footprint and live more simply.
As for "trying out" tiny or small hoouses, I think some of them can be rented which would be a good way to get a feel for the lifestyle. I would suggest checking some of the tiny house websites and Craigs list for rental possibilities. I'm not sure if the tiny house movement has gotten to the UK yet or not-- I think the website of the Small House Society could be helpful on that one. In any case, thank you for such a thoughtful and good comment.
Very nice hub. I really enjoyed it.
Glad you liked it, JPSO138-- thanks for stopping by:-)
Love the idea, except we had four kids. 6 people might be a bit cramped in one. Maybe we would need three, two of us in each.
Definately agree with no mortgage or debt and being in nature instead of in front of a tv
Hello jennifer-- yes I think 6 people is too many for a tiny house LOL They are being used by "co-housing" groups who want to live together though--like a writers colony or a group of retired seniors so your two two and two idea is a good one I guess.
I like the no mortgage part too. Thanks for reading and commenting:-)
A wonderful hub. I have seen and heard about bonzai, it take lots of time to grow it, atlist about 10 years or aboue. But your Tiny House is a wonderful idea. It will save money, space and time too. And also its maintenens will be vary low. A happy couple will be vary happy to have it. It also can be use as a weekend joy.
thank you.
Hi Robie2, I am going through Top Hubs this morning and thrilled to find this article. Tiny houses! I scratch my head at my parents' lifestyle - they are still in a 3800 square foot house. Why not a condo? Why not a tiny house? Then my mom complains about the cost of her heating bills. I'm going to forward your hub to her.
Yash24-- I'm so glad you like the tiny house idea. I had never thought of it but you are right-- they are the bonzai of houses--very nice analigy:-)
New Day--hope your parents like the idea--just perfect for empty nesters don't you think? And there is a whole community of people who are doing it to get involverd with too which is another plus for retired folks. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Tiny houses would be novel in many countries, but they are common in under-privileged ones. great hub and nice photos, thanks.
True enough, Melody....one reason why we Americans should scale back a bit:-)
Thanks pk-- the Tiny Houses are having a bigger and bigger impact all the time. I think it's a good trend:-)
Like the hub. I now live in a 940 sq. ft house and feel quite comfortable. My wife and I are empty nesters however. At one point we lived in a 3000 sq ft house, rarely used the third floor or much of the second floor. We rattled around in it. It was hard to keep clean and the heating bills were horrendous. Small is definitely beautiful at this point.
Hello Barranca, nice to see you and thanks for sharing yur personal downsizing experience. Small really is beautiful isn't it?
Hi robie2! Great idea & cute little house, you can call sweet home. If it were I, I would have made a living, dining & kitchen on the ground floor & a nice bedroom on the first floor. That way you don't have to sleep in the attic.
However, you can use the attic as a storage room. Someone else made a dome house I don’t remember where. That house looked great too because I saw the actual plan. Thanks for sharing the information about this cute tiny house.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Mr. Nice
What can I say that hasn't already been said, just that I think the concept is a good idea. After all how much of the space we have do we actually use? Great for reducing outgoings too.
Hi Hawkesdream.... it is an interesting concept isn't it and one that is really gaining traction -- I think it's an idea whose time has come:-)
A tiny house in my dream house, robie2. I lived in a "small" house, only 730 square feet of living space -- and that was much too big for me, although all the rooms were small. I always wanted to live in a motel room, but it never occurred to me that a tiny house was possible. Of course, a motel room comes with maid service. What a great idea! And a great hub, too.
Hi William-- well you could hire a maid to clean your tiny house too and tiny houses are much cuter than motel rooms IMHO:-) Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I think the tiny houses are a good alternative for someone living alone and doesn't need a lot of room. Quite economical I may add. Great Hub.
Hi Laringo-- I agree and also think they make sense for some couples and for co-housing groups. Not only easier and cheaper but much less impact on the environment which is the factor that is getting a lot of notice these days. Thanks for reading and commenting:-)
I'm not crazy about little houses but you have a great HubPage and I applaude you and your work.
Well thanks, mwp44-- I'm glad you had an enjoyable read and i absolutely agree that tiny houses are not for everyone--but they are an interesting new wrinkle in the houseing market for sure. Thanks for stopping by:-)
This is amazing, Really for the true minimalist. I enjoyed the video tour of Jay's house. He has a lot more stuff than I expected to see (books, dishes, etc) and everything has its place. It is an interesting way to live. -Journey*
The true minimalist hits the nail on the head-- well said, Journey* Thanks for the comment:-)
Love your Hub Robie! I could see myself living alone there; however, I don't know if I could be that close to my husband on a full-time basis. One of us would definitely kill the other!
Love your honesty DarleneMarie-- and your sense of humor:-) I also love your HP profile and am your newest fan.
That tiny house is so adorable it kind of makes me want to move out of my regular size house and live in one of those - just because it's cute. :)
Not heard of Tiny House movement before - very interesting - would be good to try one out and experiment with a decluttered lifestyle - Great Hub!
Great article with lots of helpful info.
Hello Lisa and Rik-- Tiny houses are appealing, aren't they? I see a business for someone as a rental agent for them. I too would want to rent before buying or just use one as a vacation home or something..... but it is quite a growing movement and there wiol be more and more tiny houses around in the future.
Thanks Paul:-)
I guess he changed his opinion, or his translator software.
Robie, I LOVE these bitchin' little places! My dream home/apt. has always been a loft - or something like that. My last place (pre-injuries) was half of a converted basement (which I searched long and hard for), my 'subterranian loft' - as I called it, and I really liked it. Just one big room with everything there, all contained in one living space. The small bathroom even had a urinal!
The last actual apartment I had was set up the same way: the bedroom was only used for storage and to hang my clothes. I lived and slept (futon) in the living room and kitchen.
I've been looking around the Tumbleweed site and have already picked out a place: the Loring ... subject to change.
Hi Ashley, Rochelle and CW--thanks for stopping by and commenting-- and CW good luck with getting a tiny house of your own:-)
Rochelle-- not quite sure what that was all about LOL
Wonderful hub Robie. I'd like to link this to http://granniesgreenliving.com/ as a resource for green builders. I think this is the wave of the future, for sure.
Way thumbs up!
I have been thinking about a tiny house for sometime now, good hub, helped me take another look.
Dorsi-- so glad you liked this and of course, I'd be honored to be linked to your site--thanks. I think whatever the future holds, the day of the McMansion is over--thank God:-)
Bob-- I know that if you get a tiny house it will have a big, beautiful garden:-) Thanks for your input.
Your article is linked to my latest post on page 1- this is just so interesting and I'm so glad this concept is gaining ground!
Thanks Dorsi-- love your site BTW--very nice:-)
I came to this hub using Dorsi's link and I am very glad I did. I love small places. In Israel we lived (three of us, not counting the dog) in a 452 sq.f. apartment and there was enough room for everyone, and no ground for collecting junk. In WI we live in a comparatively large house (1150 sq.f) but it is easier to clean it than my former apartment (difference is in the nature outside- here it is trees and grass, in Israel- sand of a Mediterranean beach).
Thank you for great information, I'm going to consider it seriously for future options
HIi Reuvera-- I'm glad you found your way here however and thanks for sharing your personal experience with small living spaces. Glad you find this hub useful
Cool! I love the tour of Jake's Tiny House. I think that I am too messy to live in a tiny house. The other Patricia works at home (with a Pilates Reformer) - so between us there is not much hope. But I could have one in my garden - it would look cute. And maybe I could use it to practice being tidy. Or put guests (or should that be guest singlar) in it.
LOL I( could use one to practice being tidy in too-- I just love that image. Always a pleasure to see you 2patricias:-)
Hubby and I downsized from a 3500 sf free standing house to a 1900 sf condo with two common walls! And it's perfect! Plus a daughter's now in a 400 sf apt. in Boston and it's also 'perfect'! Loved the column...and thanks for listing the blogs and ezines about small house living. Hubby and I even talk about how we could go even smaller with much less angst than we had with this first downsize!
Hi desert blondie--nice to see you. It's been awhile. I'm downsized too and really like having less space to clean and pay for:-) the tiny house thing is sooooo appealing in so many ways.
Hi there! Just wanted to say thank you so much for the mention. It's great to see the growing interest in smaller homes.
Thanks for stopping by, Stephanie, and for the great blog you do. I really enjoy it --hooray for you and for tiny houses:-)
Just how much space does one man need. This is the ideal example of how wasteful we can get even with something as trivial as space. Love the sound of these tiny houses. More power to them.
I love the sound of them too, cashmere. Thanks for stopping by:-)
This is rather parallel to my life. I recently downsized big time to fulfill my dream of living at the beach. I now have a room mate which is something I thought I would never do at the age of 39. You know what...getting rid of all that "stuff" feels great. I have what I need and I am HAPPY! Me and my friends talk about having "tiny houses" on a large piece of land creating a community that is close but spread out. Thanks for the great hub!
Thanks OptimisticOnly, for sharing that great personal story. More power to you. Lots of people are doing what you are talking about. There is lots of info on the internet. Explore some of the links in the hub and you'll see. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I love this hub and I love the concept of small houses - i currently live in a 29 square metre appartment - (9 of those square metres are terrace) - and I love it. For me it keeps things rel - and I've never hung onto possessions so I don't need the space. The only drawback is how to accomodate guests ....
You mirror my feelings exactly Iphigenia-- good to see you and thanks for commenting.
Just a shade too small. I would suffocate! But is soooo cute!
LOL well they come bigger i think-- up to 500 sq. ft. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your opinion:-)
I feel it's like a playhouse for kids. LOL So cute! In the Philippines, there are housing projects of tiny houses for folks who want to rent and own. It's more affordable this way. :-)
sounds very sensible, ripplemaker-- yes they do look like playhouses, don't they. LOL
Yes they do. Makes me wish we could have playhouses like that esp for our toddlers. LOL
what a great idea!!! and a great promotion for the manufacturer IMHO
A wonderful idea! I have to confess this is the first time I have heard of this and I'm impressed. Makes such a lot of sense.
Love and peace
Tony
Hi robie2;)
cute but not very useful! I like to have enough room to swing a cat!........Not literally!! lol
you gotta stop swinging those cat compu-smart-- oops forgot you are a cat-- or at least your avatar is
Tom Cornett says:
8 months ago
Very smart hub.....we're downsizing from a large house to an apartment. I use to paint very large houses....most were 3500sq. ft. or larger. Many had 4 baths and 5 bedrooms on average. The owners usually had one or two children and many times had no children or their children were raised.
I think that we all are going to have to downsize sooner or later. It is just getting far too expensive to maintain large homes. Great hub...thanks! :)