I just finished reading this book by Jay Shafer:
In it, Jay walks you through his journey of downsizing and tells his story of why less is more. I was truly inspired ... here in America, we've been (willingly) led down the path of "bigger is better" and "more is better" without exercising any independent thought as to why we seem to readily believe that we need more. We are encouraged to buy the biggest car (and drive it in the fastest lane) sleep in the biggest bed, order the bigger plate of food, and buy the biggest house we can afford. It makes me green, and that's in a nauseous way, not in an environmental way...
For me, the book is thought provoking and compelling. It's opened my eyes to the fact that although my house is already quite small by most people's standards, it now seems too large for me. I mostly only live in half of it. What changes can I make? How can I reverse the trend in my life?
It also outlines the nuts and bolts side of things -- how zoning is the biggest roadblock, and let's talk about plumbing and storage! I found it to be full of valuable nuggets of practical information as well as beautiful photos and sample floor plans. Hmmmmm intriguing.
The book is available for purchase here http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/books/
1 comment:
Sounds like a very well written book. I so much agree with you about the flaws in American thinking regarding size and quantity. I think realizing that is key to successful simple living.
Our home isn't large compared to many, but larger than a lot too. We do have some really small areas to deal with (kitchen, closets, bathrooms), so I think I'll try to get ahold of this book.
Post a Comment