Secrets of Small-House Living

By Claire Middleton

The McMansion era is over! Today’s home buyers are snapping up small houses while McMansions linger on the market. People are tired of caring for (and paying for) far more space than they really need, and they’re learning that a small house is the answer to a financial reversal, an empty nest or simply a desire to live sustainably.

In Secrets of Small-House Living, Claire Middleton (author of Downsizing Your Life for Freedom, Flexibility and Financial Peace) shows you how to take advantage of the small-house trend so you can have more free time to do what you enjoy...and more money left over at the end of each month.

Even if you’ve lived in large homes for years, you’ll love the ease and convenience of having just enough space to be comfortable, once you learn a few new habits.

In Secrets of Small-House Living, you’ll discover:

The advantages of living in a small house
How to find the right small house for your needs
How to choose which furnishings to take with you
Decorating tips to make any small house feel comfy yet roomy
Strategies for living well in a small house

If you’re tired of the work and expense involved in living large, let Secrets of Small-House Living encourage you: click the “Buy” button at the top of this page.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Claire Middleton
• Release date: Aug 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311099259

Book preview

Secrets of Small-House Living

Claire Middleton

Copyright 2014 by Claire Middleton

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover illustration used with permission of Shutterstock.com.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the copyright owner and publisher of this book, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. The author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at the time of initial publication; however, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Names and identifying details of some persons described in this book have been changed to protect their privacy.

Published by:

Parker-Elgin Press, an imprint of Cardamom Publishers

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Joy of Small House Living

Small House Advantages

Small House = Financial Peace of Mind

Small House = More Time for Yourself

Small House = Less Clutter

Small House = Easier Resale

How to Find the Right Small House for You

Let There Be Light

Stay Plugged In

What Do You Need?

Garages and Basements

Outdoor Living Space

Location is Important

Moving From a Large House to a Small House

Making Your Small House a Home

Decorating Your Small House

Storage

Making a Small House a Home, Room by Room

The Living Room

The Kitchen

The Eating Area

The Bedrooms

The Home Office

A Word of Caution about Multipurpose Furniture

Living Well in a Small House

Be Proactive about Preventing Cabin Fever

Don't Compare Yourself to Others… Unless You Do It Completely

A note from Claire

Excerpt: Downsizing Your Life for Freedom, Flexibility and Financial Peace

Introduction

The McMansion Era is over! We’ve learned that a big house may look impressive and feel spacious, but in a lousy economy, its negatives really stand out. They include higher taxes, higher heating and cooling costs, and higher decorating costs. Worst of all, McMansions eat up a lot of their owners’ free time because there are so many rooms to clean (and keep clean). Even when a cleaning crew does the housework, someone has to work to pay the cleaning crew.

No wonder more and more people have decided that they want to live in a small house. Whether it’s due to a financial reversal, an empty nest or a desire to live sustainably, today’s home buyers are snapping up small houses while McMansions linger on the market.

I’m one of those people. Several years ago, my family and I sold our large house with its two-story foyer and 42’-long kitchen/family room combo. Now we own a 1,000 square foot ranch, and we’re very happy with our little home.

But it wasn’t a seamless transition, logistically or psychologically. It took time to downsize our possessions so we could fit in a smaller home, and it also took time to get our brains around the idea of living small. But it’s been well worth the effort. We now have a much more manageable cost of living. We’re no longer burdened by too much stuff. And we finally have time to relax because there’s far less upkeep around here than there was at the big house we lived in for years.

Some people don’t need this book. They’ve always lived in small places and know how to do so successfully.

No, this book is for people who don’t know or don’t remember what it’s like to live in a small space. Maybe you were raised in a large house, or you’ve been living in one for years. Now, you want to downsize, and you’re just starting to realize that living small requires a completely different mindset. In fact, it’s actually a different lifestyle than the one you’re accustomed to living. But you want the freedom that comes with living in a small house. You just need some help making the adjustment.

I’ve been in your shoes, and I’ll share more of my own story shortly. But first, let’s look at what you’ll learn in this book. You’ll discover:

 • The advantages of living in a small house.

 • How to choose the right small house.

 • How to move from a large house to a small house.

 • How to make your small house a home.

 • Living well in a small house

There are things you can do to make life in a small house very enjoyable. As you read this book, you’ll find