lifestyle

I live and work in a seventy square-foot (seven square meter), ten-foot (three meter) tall, round cob house with a loft for sleeping.  Bathroom facilities are in a separate green house. When people ask how I can live in something so small, I like to tell them that my house is actually 40 acres (0.16 square kilometers), it just happens that only parts of it are enclosed.

If I paid someone to rob a bank and they shot and killed someone in the process, should I share in the blame for the murder?  I think most societies would agree that I share in the responsibility, and at least some would treat me as though I had personally pulled the trigger.  Frankly, I tend to agree with the societies which would blame me just as much as the person who pulled the trigger, since I instigated the crime.  What are your feelings?  Have you even given any thought to the subject?  If you haven't I would encourage you to think about this a bit before continuing.

Do you have things you don't use but can't bring yourself to get rid of?  Perhaps you have read Downsizing Your Life and/or Downsizing 2 but find that you still have too much "stuff".  I have found the perfect storage facility!  It's available throughout the USA and in many other countries of the world.  They will store things for you like kitchen appliances, gadgets, plates, silverware, garden tools, clothing that no longer fits you, and many other items that you rarely or never use.  The best part? There are no monthly storage fees, items stored there often come back in better condition than when you left them, and clothing that didn't fit when put into storage always fits when you take it out!

How we live our lives makes a statement about who we are and who we aspire to be. It is a statement of what our values are and what we really believe is important. Think about the preceding!  Who are you really?  What you say is irrelevant, as is the church you attend, the clubs you belong to, etc.  How do you currently live your life? What really matters to you are those things which you are doing right now, not the things that you plan to do some day, or the person you plan to be some day.

In Downsizing Your Life many ways were discussed to shrink the amount of space you live in, but there is another approach which in recent years has helped me to shrink my footprint even further.  Take a trip, the longer the better, and better still, make it a hiking / camping trip where you have to carry everything on your back!