Minimalism and the Suburban Lifestyle
Much has been written about minimalism in the last few years. What used to be a pretty counter-culture concept has become a much more widely accepted idea recently. The reasons for this are myriad; the housing crash of 2008, the financial correction that followed and the long-term pressure on the job market have been a perfect storm of factors driving people to re-evaluate their lifestyle and financial choices.
Some examples of this push toward minimalism are the interest in the Tiny House movement and the popularity of The Minimalists documentary and lifestyle website. More and more people are making the choice to unfetter themselves from the things that weigh them down. Decluttering their lives of unnecessary belongings and asking the question, "do I really love this enough to keep it?".
According to the US Census Bureau, the median size of a newly constructed, single-family house was 2,422 square feet in 2016. More than half of these homes had four or more bedrooms and three or more bathrooms. It's no wonder people struggle with huge amounts of stuff in their lives. Filling every room with furniture and all the accoutrements that support an acceptable suburban lifestyle is harrowing.
So, can minimalism thrive within the suburban construct? Maybe... As individuals, we can certainly control our consumption and curb our consumerism, but that is only the first step. What if you want to live in a tiny house or even just find a house that isn't 2500 square feet? With developers and builders controlling what we can build or buy in our communities a tiny house or a well-designed small home is difficult at best and out of the question in many areas.
There is some good news on the housing front. Several states are adopting amendments to their building codes to allow flexibility for non-traditional houses. Just last week, Idaho became the first state to adopt the IRC Tiny House Appendix V, this codifies construction standards for tiny homes and will make it easier for local building authorities to allow non-traditional residential structures. It's a huge first step in addressing some prickly issues in the suburban housing markets.
Maybe it's time for all of us to consider downsizing, start asking yourself these questions: Do you really want to clean three bathrooms? How much is your stuff weighing you down? What do you really need? What really makes you happy? My guess is your answers might change your perspective on how you're living.
Some examples of this push toward minimalism are the interest in the Tiny House movement and the popularity of The Minimalists documentary and lifestyle website. More and more people are making the choice to unfetter themselves from the things that weigh them down. Decluttering their lives of unnecessary belongings and asking the question, "do I really love this enough to keep it?".
According to the US Census Bureau, the median size of a newly constructed, single-family house was 2,422 square feet in 2016. More than half of these homes had four or more bedrooms and three or more bathrooms. It's no wonder people struggle with huge amounts of stuff in their lives. Filling every room with furniture and all the accoutrements that support an acceptable suburban lifestyle is harrowing.
So, can minimalism thrive within the suburban construct? Maybe... As individuals, we can certainly control our consumption and curb our consumerism, but that is only the first step. What if you want to live in a tiny house or even just find a house that isn't 2500 square feet? With developers and builders controlling what we can build or buy in our communities a tiny house or a well-designed small home is difficult at best and out of the question in many areas.
There is some good news on the housing front. Several states are adopting amendments to their building codes to allow flexibility for non-traditional houses. Just last week, Idaho became the first state to adopt the IRC Tiny House Appendix V, this codifies construction standards for tiny homes and will make it easier for local building authorities to allow non-traditional residential structures. It's a huge first step in addressing some prickly issues in the suburban housing markets.
Maybe it's time for all of us to consider downsizing, start asking yourself these questions: Do you really want to clean three bathrooms? How much is your stuff weighing you down? What do you really need? What really makes you happy? My guess is your answers might change your perspective on how you're living.
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