Will Americans Go Small?
Trends Research Institutes predicts Americans will go smaller in everything:
“About two-thirds of Americans are Too Big (TB) for their own good and everyone else’s. We forecast a massed revulsion for TB in all its manifestations – obesity is only the most obvious.
Everything in America is TB . Houses, cars, debt loads, deficits, state budgets, the states themselves, foreign aid, military budgets, bureaucracies local, state, federal and “too big to fail” businesses – they’re all Too Big.
Apart from government action, the “Shape Up” trend will provide a wide array of business opportunities…..”
From Trends Research Institute www.trendsresearch.com
Hopefully the “getting back to normal proportions” in everything will catch on in housing. I live in the land of McMansions here in Northern Virginia. I am a single mom who had to sell the median-sized family home because I could not afford to pay for it after my husband left our marriage.
I “down-sized” from a 2800 sq ft home to a 2200 sq ft townhome rental. I was trying to make the transition easier on my daughters by renting in the same neighborhood, so that they could still be near their friends and go to the same schools. I was putting off the inevitable. The rent around here is very high and rentals are now in high demand.
One thing that I do not see enough of around here is affordable and humble-sized homes. Most of the homes around here are huge! The property taxes, the cost to heat, cool, and maintain these homes is astounding to me. It’s curious to me how people are making so much money to afford this lifestyle.
Well, I could not afford to rent that townhome anymore and down-sized again to a two bedroom apartment, and have been living there for over a year now. It was really hard work to part with so many things from the family home down to where we are now, but I am actually relieved. It’s been somewhat cathartic and has really simplified out lives.
The apartment is a little over 1000 sq. feet. Each of my two daughters has their own bedroom (to keep the peace)and I sleep on the couch which I love! Our dog keeps me company in the living room and our brisk 2-mile walks everyday keep us in shape.
I was never much of a clothes horse and I can wear jeans to work every day (only a 4-mile commute!) so I have pared my clothes down to the limits of the hall closet!
I have definitely kept only what I love and that’s enough for me! I imagine this abode being like our little cottage with a tree-top view (3rd floor) and I am grateful to the Lord for providing day-to-day!