When people think of second homes they often think big. Big houses, big projects, big costs, and big money. A second home is often seen as taking a big part of one's life in one way or another. So the idea of going small with a second home can seem counterintuitive at first. Yet, for a number of reasons, a small home might be something that matches some broader goals you have in life.
Perhaps most importantly, the smaller the home, the more environmentally-friendly it can be. A smaller house puts less stress on the environment in a number of different ways:
- Space. The less space a house takes in the ground, the more space there exists for something else -- from leaving more of nature intact to allowing more people and houses to exist in the same amount of space.
- Materials. You don't need as much lumber, bricks, siding, and other building materials to make your dream come true. That means using less of the earth's resources, which means leaving more of the earth intact and sustainable for future generations.
- Energy and electricity. Less space in a house means less air that needs to be warmed and cooled by energy-eating furnaces and air-conditioners. Nobody likes to pay an arm and a leg for their monthly bills. Building a smaller home solves that problem rather nicely, doesn't it?
- Cost. Put it altogether and building a smaller home costs you less on almost every front. By maximizing what you do with your space instead of maximizing the space itself, you can both enjoy the benefits of your home and the savings it generates in your bank account.
With all of these apparent benefits, it probably won't take long for some prospective homeowners to start realizing the obvious catch with the idea of going small. That is, big can sometimes be awfully nice. Not only is there the status that comes from others seeing just how big your living accommodations are, but big houses are usually-- by definition - luxurious. And luxuries are something we all enjoy from time to time, aren't they?
That's why the decision to go small should be undertaken as an exercise in cost-benefit analysis. As a prospective homeowner, you have to decide what it is you want in a home and weigh that in light of some of the sacrifices you can make to achieve it. If it's luxury at all costs that you're looking for, then small isn't something you would spend too much time contemplating. However, if sustainable living is of interest, then some combination of luxury and efficiency can always be achieved.
Perhaps the final question one might have about living small is this: can a person really live like that? Can we live the standard we've been accustomed to in modern societies while minimizing the space we live in? Won't it be cramped living taken to an extreme? And why should such sacrifices be necessary when we can afford otherwise?
The simple answer is that there's no reason to minimize the joy your house can bring you by minimizing its size. Much of the way many of us live involves unnecessary use of space. Once you begin the process of doing without space you don't need, it can be surprising just how small you can go without missing a beat. After a while, you won't even realize you've gone small. It's all just a matter of getting accustomed to a new way of utilizing space that also serves a useful purpose on a broader scale. A second home is an ideal place to put this in to practice. With a vacation home, we often find that having less around us feels better.
For a look at creative small houses, check out this website: Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. As the quote on his website says, You know you have reached perfection of design not when you have nothing more to add, but when you have nothing more to take away. --Antoine de Saint Exupéry. Now if we could only do the same with our energy consumption...
- Dennis Furlan is a freelance writer. You can visit his website at www.wordhunter.com.