The Small House Movement is in the news again. KXAN recently featured a story about “Tiny houses (that) stress reuse and energy efficiency.” Will recession and foreclosures in the news, even the mainstream media is starting to ask: “what if the homeowners had bought small houses instead?”
Granted, they would have had to make do with less space, but their mortgage payments would have been only a fraction of the owners’ current obligations and they would have saved big on energy costs and taxes, as well. If that realization spreads throughout the marketplace, America could be in for a “small revolution.” So say proponents of the something called the “Small House Movement.”
Check out the video (it will start after the ad):
Is it time to go down to the basics? Time to have a house that you can live in until the day you die, instead of having to get kicked out because you can’t pay the taxes, can’t afford the energy bill? Brad Kittel, the King of Texas Tiny Houses still says so. And small is definitely beautiful in his world.
If you are living in a Tiny Texas House, please drop us a line. We’d love to feature it in our new Small House Real Life column.
We all enjoy the dream houses that get featured here on Small House Style and other sites around the web but we hear you loud and clear: you want more posts about ‘real life’ small house experiences – small, modern, affordable residential housing like Pedro de la Montaña’s.
Got plans, book reviews, small house space saving ideas (small apartments, small cabins, yurts and others work too)? Are you using gadgets and hacks that can make small space living practical and fun? Are you a designer with a real world small house application? We are looking for submissions on anything small house and design.
Copy the questions below and send the answers (with any other pertinent info) back to editor (at) smallhousestyle.com with some high resolution images and if it is a fit, we’ll feature your small house experience on Small House Style. Let’s shoot for 1,200 sq. ft. and smaller but if you feel like you have something you must share send it anyway!
Questions:
Who?
What, How Big and How Much?
Where?
Why?
When?
Links?
We look forward to seeing your small house experience here.
Gaviotas, a village of about 200 people in Colombia, South America, is not necessarily about small houses but there are some there. It is about living with a small impact on the earth yet has a big impact as a model of sustainable living.
So far, few outsiders have managed to visit this special place. But public order is making a comeback in the region, making it possible for the village to invite 30 people for a fully hosted day visit. In addition, Gaviotas founder Paolo Lugari is inviting visitors to a second day of events in and around the Gaviotas office in Bogotá. As of 25 Jan there are 14 people signed up and 16 spots remaining. You can learn more about Gaviotas and the trip from the Friends of Gaviotas, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2002 to facilitate North-South research exchanges and get-togethers with Gaviotans. Read the rest of this entry »
We’ve all heard the devastating news – Haiti was struck by one of its worst natural disasters in the last 200 years.
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake shocked Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas on Tuesday just before 5 p.m., collapsing buildings and cutting water and electricity services. Literally millions of people have been affected.
Today, we’re asking that you contribute to relief efforts. A donation to Partners in Health and/or Concern Worldwide will provide emergency medical care, food, shelter, medicine, blankets and clean drinking water to those suffering from the destruction.
Learn more and contribute to Concern Worldwide here.
Learn more and contribute to Partners in Health here.
Google has published a comprehensive page crisis response/relief page (http://www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/) where you can find even more information about how you can help including donations to UNICEF, CARE, Direct Relief, Yele Haiti, Partners in Health, Red Cross, World Food Program, Mercy Corps (1-888-256-1900), Save the Children, Lambi Fund, and The International Rescue Committee.
We’ve been reading Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits for years. If you are looking to find simplicity in the daily chaos of your life then look no further than Zen Habits.
This ebook will help you:
Clear clutter and reduce your possessions
Figure out what’s necessary, and how to be content with less
Simplify your schedule, your work, and live a less stressful life
Create a minimalist workspace, home, computer, financial life, diet and fitness program
Go paperless and digitize your life
The PDF ebook is $9.95, is Uncopyrighted, and proceeds (up to $5,000) will go to benefit the non-profit Guampedia.com.
