Inspiration:

Excerpted from John Robbins’s book The New Good Life: Living Better Than Ever in an Age of Less:

“In the days to come, I believe that the homes that will be the most cherished will be human scale, chosen to enhance not our egos but our connection with those we love. Smaller homes free up our time and energy to do things other than work to pay the rent or the mortgage. By having lower housing costs and less house to clean and maintain, we can spend more time with our children, our friends, and our partners. We have more time to write poems or paint pictures, to plant gardens or bake bread, to play tennis or build bunk beds, to make love or volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.

“For many reasons, including the increased cost of many resources, the need to reduce waste, and the need many people feel to simplify their lives, our living spaces will get smaller. If at the same time we can make them more beautiful, more humane, more energy efficient, and more supportive of our spirits, we will have taken an important step into the new good life.” (page 103)