tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post7462791118623999065..comments2023-07-30T06:46:55.146-03:00Comments on Happiness is a Dish Best Savoured Hot: The Less is More project: Week 7 - Your biggest investmentHappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-18122808263154805512015-03-03T15:34:13.588-04:002015-03-03T15:34:13.588-04:00Just a set of spare clothing like pyjamas, T shirt...Just a set of spare clothing like pyjamas, T shirt and shorts... As we have them here at least once a week it means nothing needs to be packed for them. Also their own toothbrush and cuddly toy. They have a drawer each in the spare room - works well for me but I realise everyone is different. They are such a big part of our family we always joke that they have two homes. Lyndahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06856015651957578791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-87887156982170341982015-03-03T02:23:14.293-04:002015-03-03T02:23:14.293-04:00Since my town is situated atop an area that floods...Since my town is situated atop an area that floods easily and is positioned on a fault line, it is unusual for homes to have multiple stories and/or basements.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01212228308225991239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-11437899732935036222015-02-26T10:28:18.860-04:002015-02-26T10:28:18.860-04:00The comparison of average house size in different ...The comparison of average house size in different countries is crazy! Our first house was 2,266 sqft on a half acre of land. It was WAY too big for us, so we downsized to our townhouse, which is 1,646 sqft on a 3,920 sqft lot—a much better fit. ;)Meredithhttp://www.unexpectedlymagnificent.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-6137158008878230792015-02-23T16:46:27.397-04:002015-02-23T16:46:27.397-04:00Well, with 8 children, I can only imagine! And I a...Well, with 8 children, I can only imagine! And I agree that I wouldn't be without my children either! :-)HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-60225517718640452232015-02-23T16:41:36.579-04:002015-02-23T16:41:36.579-04:00There are different seasons in life, each one has ...There are different seasons in life, each one has varying size requirements. We have 8 children, one bathroom, four bedrooms with every room in the house very well used. I look forward to the season when life will be simpler again but I would't want to be without any of those wonderful people in my family which make it what it is right now.Karen @ Pieces of Contentmenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00719349569606790410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-55899086245157445592015-02-23T14:22:42.273-04:002015-02-23T14:22:42.273-04:00Nice comment Daisy! There is a middle ground for s...Nice comment Daisy! There is a middle ground for storage. Right now, as I am getting rid of many things, I find that my house actually offers too much storage.HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-53658594512184876172015-02-23T13:22:22.654-04:002015-02-23T13:22:22.654-04:00Storage always seems to be the question! We live i...Storage always seems to be the question! We live in a small apartment and have no storage (as of right now) outside of our own unit. I think we just don't purchase things because we don't have a place to put them! That said, I much prefer my gym membership to owning lots of outdoor equipment. It's convenient that my hobbies take up very little space. ;) I loved reading this post! xo<br /><br />Daisy<br /><a href="http://simplicityrelished.com" rel="nofollow">Simplicity Relished</a>Daisy @ Simplicity Relishedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06858145168208872762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-7805747198713219432015-02-22T07:01:49.562-04:002015-02-22T07:01:49.562-04:00I guess the thing to do is to make a list of your ...I guess the thing to do is to make a list of your "must-haves", and find the smallest house that includes them all! Thanks for commenting.HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-38450643724369440272015-02-22T01:55:09.239-04:002015-02-22T01:55:09.239-04:00"That is exactly what I like about camping&qu..."That is exactly what I like about camping" - me too! Love it.<br /><br />We've lived in smaller scale living, but exactly as you said, we have bikes, sports gear (golf clubs, cricket bag) and lots of camping gear. Those hobbies bring so much to our life, but we do need space (like a garage) to store it all.<br /><br />I also desperately missed 'free play' space for our son. We have a smallish block now but 1 acre of wooded land next door. I don't want to move unless we can replace that.<br /><br />Everyone mentions 'electricity and mortgage costs' but my apartment living experiment showed us that we can have a higher electricity bill in a smaller place - most of it comes from usage patterns.<br /><br /><br />Mortgage is lower in our bigger house because it is further out of the city and not in a 'trendy' area.<br /><br />Maintenance is an issue but we try to pace it to times when there's less 'opportunity cost.' We are looking to downsize but only to move to better educational areas. I think I will miss our bigger house.Fionahttp://www.declutterer.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-38648406407712679242015-02-21T21:26:00.077-04:002015-02-21T21:26:00.077-04:00It must be very liberating! Keep us updated as to ...It must be very liberating! Keep us updated as to your RV living!HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-14977269263477635352015-02-21T20:33:28.467-04:002015-02-21T20:33:28.467-04:00I love your minimalist flair! I'm extremely p...I love your minimalist flair! I'm extremely pared down right now. Just moved into a rental house and still living like I'm in a hotel, right out of a suitcase. It's getting me ready for full time RV living! Love your blog! :)kay ~ lifestylevoices.comhttp://www.lifestylevoices.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-19349579587165294452015-02-21T07:57:44.728-04:002015-02-21T07:57:44.728-04:00Yes, that does sound very small... but doable I...Yes, that does sound very small... but doable I'm sure. I think the tent I use when I go camping is smaller than that! LOLHappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-82155192100563716782015-02-21T07:56:50.794-04:002015-02-21T07:56:50.794-04:00Good idea! About the books: I will be writing abou...Good idea! About the books: I will be writing about that... stay tuned!HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-52657291846761055132015-02-21T07:56:19.862-04:002015-02-21T07:56:19.862-04:00Same here: several spaces are oversized. It looks ...Same here: several spaces are oversized. It looks nice but does not serve any practical purpose.HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-1673963063943060812015-02-21T02:17:53.012-04:002015-02-21T02:17:53.012-04:00Love reading about people downsizing! It makes smi...Love reading about people downsizing! It makes smile big time to know there's decluttering happening out there.<br /><br />Our current apartment is about 82 square feet. It's a sweet little place, but a littler small even for us. We're looking for something slightly bigger, say around 148 (ish) square feet, but definitely no bigger than that. :)Ang!https://www.blogger.com/profile/06096167161384841489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-89047565455351331972015-02-20T21:29:00.320-04:002015-02-20T21:29:00.320-04:00PS, I planned on going through my "plastics&q...PS, I planned on going through my "plastics" this weekend, all the old tupperware and cheaper versions; I have so much from when I cooked in bulk and froze for future meals. I still do that but only for one and only have a tiny freezer, so don't need so many plastic containers. But that cupboard is out on the back porch and it's close to 40C out there, so that job will have to wait. I'll be weeding out the bookshelf again, although I do hate to give away books.Riverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794655013673748992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-86933808747502116502015-02-20T13:42:30.322-04:002015-02-20T13:42:30.322-04:00Amen to not doing shots anymore... So very glad we...Amen to not doing shots anymore... So very glad we are now adults and have graduated to wine, definitely beer, oh yes and whiskey!<br /><br />Our house has nearly 2000 SF in Oklahoma. We appreciate the space with two Mini Maroons and a Maroon Mutt running around. But we could certainly get by with less. Several spaces are oversized and not utilizing the square footage very efficiently. An extra bedroom would be handy though for guests...Mrs. Maroonhttp://www.mixingmaroons.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-69517588442888729432015-02-20T12:16:26.655-04:002015-02-20T12:16:26.655-04:00Good example that a minimalist, environmentally-fr...Good example that a minimalist, environmentally-friendly life comes in all shapes and sizes! <br /><br />I certainly don't complain when we visit you. Although it IS a little bit difficult to find the person you want to talk to in such a big house. ;-)HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-23273129314403737712015-02-20T12:14:35.229-04:002015-02-20T12:14:35.229-04:00You get to pick! What size are you gonna go for?You get to pick! What size are you gonna go for?HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-8847483822294920482015-02-20T10:44:56.389-04:002015-02-20T10:44:56.389-04:00The choice of my latest home was driven by three m...The choice of my latest home was driven by three main criteria: we wanted to live in the country, we needed workspace because we both work from home, and my partner is a bookworm (bookhoarder?), so we also needed wall space. So, contrary to the frugal people whose posts I read above, I live in a +- 4500 sq ft house, excluding garage and storage space.<br />When it comes to houses and lifestyles, however, “less is more” can take other aspects than simply size. Our house is geothermal, which means that we spend less on heating and air-conditioning than the average 2000 sq ft house owner, and we do not rely on fossil fuels at all. Because we live in the country, we have a large garden (organic) which suffices to feed us all year. I start all my plants from seed, so I hardly visit the Garden Centre. We also have neighbours who have laying hens, raise happy free range chicken and pigs, and provide us with clean meat (no fake smoke, no nitrites, no antibiotics, etc.) Granted I have 2 freezers and a large pantry, but I know where most of my food comes from. I also never buy processed food: I do my own canning; I make yoghurt, bread, pizza. I need a pressure canner, a yoghurt maker and a pizza stone, but I have the space to keep them. And we hardly ever eat out. <br />And we have guest rooms for when family or friends come visit.<br />We recently cancelled our TV subscription because we simply so not watch it enough, thus saving close to $1000 per year!<br />Manoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-89672993276242443122015-02-20T09:37:43.439-04:002015-02-20T09:37:43.439-04:00Im currently living with parents and CANNOT wait t...Im currently living with parents and CANNOT wait to have my own space/place!<br /><br />theglowwithin.com Luciehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00149493479585076950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-1019872041813987452015-02-20T07:21:51.512-04:002015-02-20T07:21:51.512-04:00I wish you had a little bit more space, if you fee...I wish you had a little bit more space, if you feel the need for it! Your space is small. Trying to think of the smallest space I have lived in. It was tiny, but I was alone, and I knew it was temporary.HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-42828414553978119572015-02-20T04:38:40.575-04:002015-02-20T04:38:40.575-04:00I'm living in 380 square feet, with another fl...I'm living in 380 square feet, with another flat above mine, two on the side (one downstairs, one upstairs), and four flats behind me, (two upstairs two downstairs) I have a small side garden that may be around 100 square feet, but it isn't truly mine since all the grounds here are communal. But it does have things I planted in it, herbs and flowers etc.<br />I would love more space (I can't afford anything bigger) just so I could walk around without constantly shortening my steps. Riverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794655013673748992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-49633025204898629052015-02-19T18:48:57.616-04:002015-02-19T18:48:57.616-04:00Ha! Glad to see I'm not the only one with that...Ha! Glad to see I'm not the only one with that problem! :-)HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10440062323314751611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566179322917568700.post-24491750812803479742015-02-19T18:09:04.050-04:002015-02-19T18:09:04.050-04:00"The Less is More spirit also applies to the ..."The Less is More spirit also applies to the projects we take on, and in my case, one of them is reading. When I go to the library, I take too many books, and then have to rush reading them all before they are due back (they cannot be renewed when somebody else places a hold on them). I need to get into the habit of taking only 1 or 2 books at a time."<br /><br />Out of all you mention in your post this one jumps out at me, and I can see myself here...... next week WILL be different.<br /><br />All the best Jan<br />Lowcarb team memberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07961199165290289611noreply@blogger.com