I was deeply inspired by Shay Salomon and her book, Little House on a Small Planet. It opened my eyes to a new (and infinitely more manageable way of life.) I hope that it will do the same for you. Perhaps, like me, you should start to think big and live small. I believe it will change your life for the better.

Here is Shay Salomon with her inspiring story on living small!

What is the Small House Movement?

The Small House Society (SHS) is the movement of people who want to simplify their lives by living in less space. So it's really a wide range of people, in the United States and all over the world, from young families who have exchanged their large suburban homes in favor of small downtown apartments, to folks who have retired into RV's and the open road, to movie stars who have downsized to small mansions.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the first-time homebuyer's tax credit in a post. There are some important changes to this program this year. In 2008, the credit needed to be paid back. This year, the credit does not have to be paid back unless the home ceases to be your main residence within a three-year period following the purchase. So if buying your first home is on the horizon, visit the IRS's site and find out what you need to know. (Yes, the IRS is putting money in your pocket for once!)

One of the things that I like most about blogging for Bright and Spacious is the opportunity to learn new things. And the possibilities are truly endless. Not only can I learn all about real estate, real estate finance, design, home improvement and the myriad ways to stretch your real-estate dollar, but I also get to discover innovative ways to help you do the same. When I first launched this blog I serendipitously found Darren and Jill Bloch and their company, Construction Coaches. Like the name says, their company provides coaching on your construction projects. If you've ever wanted to tackle a remodel or renovation job yourself, but just don't feel right about taking the plunge alone (or if you'd like to learn the skill-set to do-it-yourself) then maybe getting a construction coach is just what you need. It will definitely save you time and money, give you confidence in getting the job done right and teach you how to do-it-yourself. I know I love watching all those home improvement shows, but would really love someone to answer my questions as I go along. Construction Coaches provide just that sort of DIY help – and might be the right solution for you.

I asked Darren Bloch if he could tell us if construction coaching would be a good option for you. Here is what Darren said:

Could you use some DIY help and is DIY-help for you?

A souring economy and an explosion in DIY programming have gotten more people then ever trying to work through home repair and renovation projects on their own. This is a great trend as there are numerous projects homeowners can take on – realizing the saving and satisfaction at the core of DIY work. Unfortunately, the increased exposure has given some people a false sense of confidence (leading them to get in over their heads), and left others skeptical and even cynical about being able to get through larger projects that they know look almost too easy on television. Like most things, the reality of the situation is somewhere in the middle, but there are also new services looking to give DIY homeowners that extra boost of help and support to get started or get through their DIY projects. Below are a few tips to see if you could use some DIY help and if DIY help is for you.

I have a lot of family in lower Westchester in the suburbs of New York City. For quite some time, I thought it would be a good idea to live closer to them. My mother immediately got to work and found a great real estate salesperson named Peter Palmiere, and I started looking at properties . Peter has lived in lower Westchester his entire life and has been a resident of Eastchester for 22 years. He knew everything there was to know about the many towns and cities in Westchester as well as the varied housing stock. (Westchester is filled with condos, co-ops, town homes, single family homes, multi family homes and rentals.) Peter is passionate about helping people find just the right home (having done more than one hundred home inspections and touring thousands of properties in the Westchester, his experience speaks volumes.) Peter knows that purchasing a new home is perhaps one of the most important decisions of anyone's life and Peter skills can help everyone fromt the first-time buyer to anyone ready for a change.

1. Meet with a lawyer - Meet with a lawyer to determine what will be needed from you on closing day. Find out what checks need to be written, what ID is required, make sure that the title insurance is in place, etc. Also, make sure that water, sewer and other services have been paid by seller.

My friend and former colleague Janice Wright and I bonded over our shared battle against clutter a few years back. Janice is a blogger at It's A Jan's Life, and I remember her saying that the problem begins with bringing in the mail. I understand and agree with her completely. It seems the delicate balance of life stuff and clear spaces can immediately go out of whack with a day's worth of catalogs and junk mail. That's why when I learned that Janice had worked with a professional organizer, I immediately asked her to share her experience.

Here are Janice's 7 Things I Learned From Working with a Professional Organizer.

When my husband, Scott, and I began to work together from home in earnest, we knew we needed some changes to our apartment so it could accommodate 2 computers and a network printer, and be a place we'd enjoy being – together and separately. Like many parents, we also needed some help controlling toy clutter.

When I'm about to take a major step in my life, I like getting tips from those in the know. They've been there, done that and now can help me with their good advice. And now, I have some good advice for you. If you are planning on selling your home, who better to get tax tips from than the IRS? They have a list of Seven Things You Should Know When Selling Your Home that every homeseller should know. These are things that you may not have thought of, like tip number 6: you cannot deduct a loss from selling your home. Keeping these 7 things in mind will definitely help you come tax time – and that is a big return.

If beauty is as beauty does then Rocio Romero's LV home series are certainly among the most beautiful homes anywhere. Not only are they beautiful to look at, capturing a bright and open modern style, but they are also pretty beautiful to the environment as well.

Rocio Romero recently shared with us how the LV home series is environmentally friendly and how it offers clients an extremely high level of flexibility to employ green technologies at many different levels of their project. Here is what Rocio Romero said about the green side of the LV home series:

• We respect our environment by using pre-fabricated systems that minimize consumed resources.

• We design our homes to be energy efficient by creating deeper wall and roof cavities which allow us to over-insulate and achieve remarkable R-values. The LV home has (2) 6" walls which, if batt insulation is installed, can achieve R-38. Most homes have R-14 to R-19 as their wall R-value, so we are more than double the typical R-value.

Even before I first met Kimberlee Halligan I knew that she passionate about real estate. After I met her, I knew that she not only had a thorough knowledge of Manhattan real estate, but also a very unique and multi-layered approach to it as well. She is a long-time Manhattan resident and an Associate Broker for Prudential Douglas Elliman. I also discovered that she understands that residential real estate often represents a person's single greatest financial and emotional commitment. That's why she provides all her clients with a thorough understanding of the particular 'niche' which their sale or purchase represents in the marketplace. When you add that to her professionalism, negotiating skills and her creativity in finessing the many possible issues that can block a deal, you'll know why she would be the person I would choose to guide me were I looking for an apartment in Manhattan.

Because Kimberlee knows the New York City market so well, I could not resist asking her 5 questions about Manhattan real estate.

I always look to the experts when it comes to all things financial. I am not an expert, but I want to hear what those in the know have to say. It gives me a full view of things so I can make an informed decision. (And yes, I also listen to my gut.) So when I was interested in finding financial information about refinancing home mortgages, who better to look to than the The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants? Their site, 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy, has got it all. Their library, tools and FAQs on home ownership is exhaustive – and completely free. After I read about refinancing mortgages, I found out about renters insurance and qualifying for a mortgage in a tough economy. Now, even though I don't have a degree in finance, I soon felt like I knew what's what from those who do.

Where do you go to get your questions answered? I have a cousin who nine times out of ten will have the answer for most of my questions (thanks, cousin Marc!) Since beginning this blog, I have also been lucky to have access to experts and real estate professionals. I get to ask them questions and soon enough, I get the answers. I love the Q & A format. I think that's why I love the The New York Times Real Estate Q & A blog (Expert Advice for Owners and Renters.) It's just the place to find direct, informative and expert answers for all those nagging real estate questions. I often realize, yeah, I want to know the answer to that question too. Just like this week's An All-Cash Buyer Seeks Lower Co-op Charges, although my question would be, where does one get all that cash to plunk down on a New York City apartment?

Do you have a favorite real estate, design or architecture blog? If so, let us know!

Ace Hardware is known as the helpful place. Along with all the usual things you might need from a hardware website (you know, power tools, ladders, fuses and circuit breakers,) they also have the helpful hardware man's corner. DIY expert, Lou Manfredini, has come up with a toolbox worth of tips to share with readers. The tips range from a guide to fire prevention to how to tune your lawnmower for better performance. My personal favorite is 15 Easy Ways to Go Green -- because we all need to keep our planet green and healthy. These helpful tips will let you save water, save energy, and also, will keep you healthier too. Really! Making these green changes will help you feel better physically and emotionally – and not just for doing your part for the environment!

I often go to workshops and seminars about real estate. That's where I met Marjorie Magid of Halstead Property, LLC, where she is Vice President and Associate Broker with over 25 years experience. Her talk was full of invaluable tips, advice, and suggestions for selling your apartment quickly in our current market. I learned so much that evening that I asked Marjorie to share her tips with us.

Here is Marjorie and her 10 tips for selling your apartment quickly.

1. Price competitively. If you're thinking about selling your apartment or house in today's sluggish real estate market, your very first priority should be to price it competitively. Find out first what the last apartment like yours sold for and if there are others similar to yours currently on the market. Then, unless you've just finished the most fabulous renovation ever, price yours lower. (I'll talk more about this later, but this is certainly an area where your broker can help you by researching and providing the comps for you.) Buyers are starting to look again, but the urgency they felt a year ago is gone. Buyers are taking longer and looking harder and they need a compelling reason to act. Price can be that reason.

I'm a big believer in balance and harmony in all things. But I can understand why a home seller might not have these two thoughts at the top of their list when getting ready to sell. I really think everyone should. Why? Because creating balance, harmony and a flow of energy can help you sell your house. That's why I asked my friend and feng shui expert Tracy Boyce of Tracy Boyce Feng Shui to give us some quick and easy tips to keep in mind when trying to sell your house. And what a perfect way to welcome in the Chinese Lunar New Year than by selling your house the feng shui way!

There is a buyer for every home for sale. The question is how fast will you attract that buyer to your house. This is where the power of feng shui comes in. Using feng shui successfully is like clearing the path for that buyer to get to your door and say, "This is it. I'm home."

The first thing to do is see your home from the buyer's point of view:

Get a building inspection for yourself so there are no surprises.

Take care of repairs and maintenance so everything is in good working condition.

Paint any dirty or dingy walls because fresh paint gives a sparkle.

Ok, here's the plan. Someone brings the wine, someone brings the cheese and someone please bring chocolate chip cookies. The first book we'll be reading is Alison Roger's Diary of a Real Estate Rookie: My Year of Flipping, Selling, and Rebuilding and What I Learned (The Hard Way.) Since I am interested in people and their stories and I am really interested in why people get involved in real estate, this choice is a no-brainer. Do you need tips? Do you want to find out what it takes to make a career transition to real estate? What about reading about some "tricked-out luxury condos?" Yes, that's what I thought. If you've already read the book, tell us what you think.

After my apartment flooded for the third time in one week, I decided that maybe this was a sign to move to a new place. I've been living in my apartment for 10 years and I love my neighborhood, but I am getting the feeling that maybe I need a change. So I did a quick online search, found an open house and off I went. That's where I met Lisa Camillieri, a Senior Associate Broker at Corcoran. And I asked her for the five things I should do before going shopping for my first apartment.

Here is Lisa on the five things to do before shopping for your first apartment: