Why Small Living Might Be the Thing for You
Six Reasons to Downsize
When we are young, for most of us, the ultimate dream is to live in a big house with a large garden when we grow up. But when we find ourselves living in cities like Singapore, New York or Tokyo, this dream turns out to be unrealistic. Ironically, living in a big city means living in small apartments, but is this really that undesirable?
I have always preferred living in small places, my dream when I was young was to live on a yacht. Having given the matter some thought, I believe small living might actually be the better option, below are six reasons why:
1 – A small apartment is easier to maintain and keep clean
Well, this is obvious! Living in a small space means there’s less to clean and it’s easier to keep things organised, no matter how chaotic you are.
2 – Small living is mentally freeing and better for your health
The more stuff we own, the more the stuff owns us! Small living naturally limits the amount of stuff we can own and so frees us from the addictive consumer treadmill modern society keeps us on.
In addition to this, the sometimes claustrophobic feeling of a small apartment will encourage you to go out more, which, if you’re lucky enough to live in a green and pedestrian-friendly city like Singapore, will be beneficial for your overall health and free your mind.
3 – Less environmental impact
Another obvious reason. Small homes require less energy to be kept warm in winter and cool in summer.
4- Small living encourages family bonding
A family living together in a small home tends to have more social interaction among its members. For some this prospect might actually be the reason to purchase bigger homes, I think just the opposite should be true.
5 – Small living justifies some splurging on a few key furniture pieces
My favourite! Because there’s only room for a limited amount of furniture pieces, you can easily justify to yourself that it’s worth splurging on that designer sofa or coffee table.
6 – Small living brings out your Creative Self
Perhaps the most important reason, a small apartment will wake up your creative organisation skills. Bookshelves that are built-in to what normally would be a bare wall can make any space into an instant library. Vertical organization in a small closet can be enhanced with split areas for folded, hung, and drawer wardrobe storage. Small living will have you get rid of the clutter and will help you organise only what is essential.
All in all, I firmly believe that small living is something to be embraced rather than shunned, so don’t look down on your microscopic apartment, use it to unleash your Creative Self!
[T]here you are.
