LIVING IN SMALL SPACES
To many people, owning a home is almost like an impossible dream. And yet, considering the amount of livable space and resources on earth, it becomes hard to imagine that people would find it quite a challenge to have a place to live in. Is the planet rea
Perhaps the problem is not space per se, but the popular concept of home space. For most people, home means bedrooms that can accommodate six people, living room that can allow for a neighborhood convention, dining room and a kitchen for a banquet. Truth is, such home space is not really required for everyday home life.
Okay, if it’s a new couple planning to own a home, the natural tendency is to look ahead to the future. They’ll want a home that has space comfortable for six kids, just in case they’ll have that many. And so, there has to be a girls’ room, a boys’ room, the couple’s room, the sala, the dining room and kitchen.
It really takes some space to have all those rooms under one roof. And since the house is to last “forever,” it has to be built of real durable materials, which often cost good money. No wonder owning a home these days is an impossible dream for many.
But a growing segment of the population is more practical-minded. More and more new couples, for example, are going for diminutive dwellings mainly just for two, with a little extra space for a kid. They think of a house that will last only for 10 years or so, knowing fully well that they’ll need a bigger space as the family grows.
And so, to these people, owning a home becomes a real possibility. They are willing to settle for little space according to their means for the time being. What they lack in financial resources they try to compensate with creativity.
A teensy 30-square-meter living space can be roomy enough for two or three people. It can already accommodate a kitchen, bathroom and sitting area, and space can be maximized by having a loft bedroom. The small place is easy to put in order and easy to clean.
Young people may find realization of their dream of home ownership by being practical. A small – even tiny – home is more affordable, more possible to acquire. And the idea quite fits with today’s fast- paced lifestyle, where there is too little time to spare for home maintenance.
The idea of living in small spaces has actually been around for many years now, albeit in a slightly different concept. Childless couples and people on the go have found living in condominiums just right for them. A small house packed like a condo unit can do the same.
The small-house concept may new in the Philippines, but it’s been around elsewhere and called micro residence. There, people are drawn to micro residences because of environmental concerns and the unit’s eco-friendliness. A tiny house leaves a lighter carbon footprint, and so homeowners feel they are making a positive contribution to the world.
Even among those who have the means for a bigger house, a small house can be part of a conscious shift toward a simpler life. With little space and limited storage, the house residents are prompted to simplify their lifestyle. It requires dramatic downsizing of clothing, housewares, furniture and other possessions.
A small house is a relatively lowcommitment venture that can be easily sold or rented out, if ever, when the owners come to have other plans and better means. In the meantime, it can mean lower housing payments and lower utility bills.