I often think about home and what that word means. I know it can mean very different things to different people. I feel bad for the people who feel fearful in their own homes because to me, wherever I’ve lived, it was a place of solace–a place where the things and people I loved lived. As we’ve said, for all of our married life, home has been a very small place. I have always loved small and cozy homes. Others might feel that a large house is the perfect home–this is not the blog for those people ; ) So…for you lovers of the small…
Close your eyes and say the word “Home.” {or don’t close your eyes–whatever–I can’t see you.} Pay attention to what pops into your head when you say home.
What did you see? What did you feel? The home you saw may have been small, or perhaps it was large. If you thought of a large house, maybe you should think about why you are considering a tiny or small house. Would you be happy living that way? Whatever you imagined, that’s what you should create for yourself. You should also think about some other things.
Do you want to live in a tiny house in the Caribbean? Or maybe your image of a perfect tiny house is a place nestled among the mountains of Wyoming. Wherever you feel the best is the perfect place for you. Although home is where the heart is, the surroundings of your home are very important to your emotional well-being. It doesn’t matter how comfortable your tiny home is if you live in the middle of a war zone or gang territory. I know there are people who feel that they don’t have a choice and must live that way. If you are one of those people, ask yourself if there is a way you can get to this sweet, little house in the middle of a Caribbean beach, and do what it takes to make it happen! What did you have surrounding you in your home? Did you have all of your favorite things surrounding you, or was it a minimal space with very little things in it? Did you have enough room for your lion, tinman and scarecrow, or will you have to leave them in Oz? Above all, is this a place you want to click your heels and return to?
According to the American Time Use Survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend an average of 7.7 hours sleeping. If you subtract the 8.7 hours we spend working, 7.6 hours are spent doing a variety of other things. I would guess, particularly in the winter, that a majority of those things are done at home, especially for older people. That would be a possible 15.3 hours at home. If we truly spend that much time at home, we better be pretty comfortable there. We should be able to feel that we can move around in it comfortably, and that it is not just a place that shelters us, but an extension of us.
Sherry from Alaska, one of our readers, wrote this as a comment to an earlier post. I asked her permission to include it here because it fits so perfectly with this topic. I never really considered whether it was small or large. It was and is home. It is comfortable and welcoming and has everything I need. I am no minimalist so it contains books, collections and whatever else I truly love. This home has been my sanctuary through the loss of my husband and mother and a gathering place for celebrations of marriages and triumphs with friends. It shelters, nourishes and soothes my body and my soul. And it does all that in just those few square feet. It may sound strange or silly to some, but I have a relationship with my home that runs very deep. This place has a nourishing aura.
Think about your home now. Are you happy there? If so, why do you want to change it? If not, consider what would be a better fit for you. If a tiny or small house is what you think about, then start today to plan to make that happen.
While you’re doing that, you can listen to Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros sing Home.
Live Small and Prosper,
~Sue
Share your idea of a perfect home. We’d love to hear from you!
