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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.

There are dozens of variations on this theme, more than you can imagine: people on boats, in attics, in treehouses. In our book, Little House on a Small Planet, we give about a hundred examples because we felt that was a minimum number to begin to describe the scope of the trend. What all small housers have in common is a belief that by giving up personal space, and the stuff that fills it, they are getting a better life.

The Small House Movement has historical roots going back as far as the first Americans who lived in tents and small stone apartments, and Puritans and Quakers who embraced simplicity as a religious practice -- or, internationally, back centuries to the Japanese wabi sabi movement, and certain monastic practices in Europe and Asia. The arts and crafts movement of the early twentieth century was seen as a response to the architectural excesses of the Victorian era, and books such as A Simple Home were published during that period.

Many people are familiar with Henry David Thoraeu's life at Walden. What they may not know is he wasn't the only one retreating to a small cabin throughout history. Whenever theres been a surge in the economy, a surge in consumerism, there's also been a pushing back, a counter movement. When economic times are lean, that countermovement tends to take center stage for a while.

Why did you found (along with Nigel Valdez, Jay Shafer, and Gregory Paul Johnson) the Small House Society?

We thought about it for years before it happened. We were traveling all over, talking to people in remote areas, and found that many people felt isolated, so they appreciated our slide shows as a chance to find out about other people like themselves, a confirmation that yes, this is a good choice, and no, I'm not a freak to want to live small. We met Jay in Iowa City and he told us how he kept his small house obsession a secret from his family and friends at first because he knew they'd find it too strange. We commented we needed a group like the "Dead Poets Society," to support people like us and with the energetic help of Greg Johnson the Small House Society was born.

The SHS mostly is a kind of mutual aid society for small housers to share information and support. There are policy issues -- like building, zoning and banking regulations that effectively ban small houses in some areas that we are beginning to address. The recent mortgage crisis has brought into full focus how much the 'big house movement" has damaged our nation, ecologically, economically and spiritually.

What type of person wants a small house?

In the 90's and in the first years of this century we noticed people usually making the choice for ecological, or spiritual or even artistic reasons, as a reaction to what they saw as a tasteless excess of consumerism, an excess of MacMansions. So the choice was a kind of counterpunch to the world around them. Now, with the economic shift, many more people are seeing the benefits of less space for economic reasons. Some people we could even say have been forced into the Small House Movement, through a natural disaster, a divorce, a foreclosure, or an inability to qualify for a house, but once they got there, they report, "Downsizing into X00 square feet is the best thing that ever happened to me." These recent converts can be among the most vocal advocates.

Is there one place in the that has embraced the Small House Movement more than any other?

We get a disproportionate amount of fan mail from rural areas. That surprised me. The State of California, in its quest to lower green house gasses has passed legislation to encourage "Accessory Dwelling Units" -- which means backyard granny flats, over-the-garage units, and apartments cut out of a larger house. They understand the ecological benefits of tiny houses, and higher density and have taken the lead, along with some municipalities in Washington state, Virginia, and Florida , and a few other places. And then there is Manhattan, which per capita uses less energy than any other American city, in part because almost everyone lives in small apartments. The average Manhattanite isn't aware of it, but they could be considered honorary members of the Small House Movement.

How many people are living in small houses today in the ?

There's such a wide range of "small." The average new home today is about 2500 square ft. Millions of families prefer to live in homes less than half that size. A few developers have dedicated themselves to this trend, providing modest-sized homes for specific types of people such as seniors, single mothers, urban couples, etc. A few million North Americans spend at least part of the year living in an RV or Park Model home. In fact the manufactured home market is huge and growing and maybe the largest source of small house living. Meanwhile, there's what we could call the truly dedicated, who live in tiny, hand-built houses made of earth or local lumber, or recycled materials. I'd guess that number is a few thousand.

Do families live in small houses? Or is it usually single people and couples?

The media loves to report on bachelors like Jay or Greg, or single women like Dee Williams who live in 100-square-foot "bathroom-sized houses," and for good reason. The scale of their houses really inspires the mind to dream.

Most of our book is about families and couples. They report that by growing literally closer to each other they also grow emotionally closer, and that living small benefits the family. Nigel and I, now that we have a child, agree. We've spent our adult lives always living small, but now we're even more sure of the benefits. It's a trade off -- do you want a big house with a huge playroom, or do you want a smaller mortgage, and more time to spend with your family? Small housers tend to covet their free time.

What are the first steps to becoming a small house owner?

Often the first step is to really start hating the cleaning, maintenance and big mortgage that a large house requires!

But really there are so many different paths to this lifestyle that it takes a whole book to begin to explain them. Often it comes with a life change, and a move to a new location, but other people simply move into a cabin in their own backyard and rent out the main house. Many people start by having a yard sale, and getting rid of their extra possessions. Others go on a long trip in a small van or with just a back pack and come back to find their entire house unnecessary. Like with any first step, the stepper starts by looking inside, choosing a direction, and then just stepping.

Shay Salomon is a small-house builder and co-founder of the Small House Society, and author of Little House on A Small Planet. Contact her via her website, www. littlehouseonasmallplanet.com.

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I am getting ready for a big move and I don't know the first thing about packing up my apartment. Why? Because when I moved into my apartment I had barely anything and now I am jammed to the rafters with stuff. Yes, I have been de-cluttering over the last few months - but it seems like there is still so much stuff left to toss. All I can say is, I need to move on from "how did this happen?" to toss, streamline and moving on. This morning I found these great tips at MoversDirectory.com. I hope they are as helpful to you as they have been to me!

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I am a channel flipper and that has really served me well. I often land on documentaries because I love the stories of people's lives. So how could I resist the story of Gwen Roland and her companion Calvin Voisin? They "dropped out" in the 1970s to live on a houseboat in the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana . They built their home (a houseboat after their original house flooded) out of primarily salvaged materials. They grew their own food (supplemented by fish they caught.) They lived a mostly solitary existence but had friends in the Basin that would visit from time to time. One of these friends, the photographer C.C. Lockwood, took some of the most stunning photographs of them for National Geographic magazine. Gwen then wrote an article about her experience for Mother Earth News and then a book called Atchafalaya Houseboat, My Life in a Louisiana Swamp . The documentary, also called Atchafalaya Houseboat, is not to be missed. If you dream of a sustainable, off-the-beaten path life, the story of Gwen and Calvin will surely inspire you.

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Somehow the word sale always gets me. I can't help but look to see if there might be something that I - or you - might want. And when I found this article called Home Renovations on Sale about the decreasing price points for some important home renovation projects from CNNMoney.com (a service of CNN, Fortune and Money,) I just had to let you know. If you were on the fence, maybe now is the time to get off it and get some work done. It'll add equity to your home and did I mention there is a distinct price reduction from 2005 home renovation projects? I think I did! There's plenty of information on the page including the 5 top remodel projects that just got cheaper. It makes me want to start singing: money, money, money!

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The best part of Pier 1's Clearance Sale is all the stuff on sale now is all the stuff that you'll need for the next couple of months. From outdoor dinnerware to seating to the Thinking Frog (yeah, maybe you don't need that, but what a conversation starter!) everything is marked down and priced to move (right into your house or backyard.) I know I could have used the Hot Pagoda Umbrella yesterday and avoided the weird tan on the back of my neck. The umbrella measures 101" x 101" x 114" and is on sale for $149.98.

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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!)

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Are you ready for the upcoming 4^th of July festivities? I know I cannot wait. Bring on the cookout! Bring on the suntan lotion! And bring on the cold, frosty ones! Whatever your definition of cold, frosty one might be (I am Coca-Cola-kind-of-gal, truth be told) these great buckets from Kmart are perfect for filling with ice to make whatever you choose cold and frosty. The Essential Home Americana Party Buckets come in patriotic blue and red, are made of plastic and measure 18-1/2"L x 13"W x 9"H. The best part - are you ready? - is they are on sale for $6.49 each!

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The holidays always mean spending time with my niece and nephew and their assorted pint-sized friends. While it's true that the love of real estate has visited the next generation (my niece sees balloons outside a house and immediately screams, "Open House!" and not "Birthday Party!") it's also true that living in the suburbs has given them the idea that people live in houses or apartments and nothing else. But this week's Real Estate Book Club selection will change all that. I'm bring them a copy of Houses and Homes (Around the World Series) written by Ann Morris and illustrated by Ken Heyman. It will be fun reading about the different types of houses as well as learning about what makes a home in different countries.

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If you are anything like me and find it hard to make a decision. Wait! Let me begin again. If you are anything like me and like to know both sides of an issue, (Yes, that's much better,) then you will enjoy reading this article in the Chicago Tribune. It clearly lists the 5 reasons you should buy a house now as well as the 5 reasons to wait. Both sides have compelling arguments in their favor, but in the end it always comes down to the same thing. What? You want me to tell you what that thing is? The thing is you know it in your gut (and in the layout of that perfect 3-bedroom, 2-bath townhouse you just visited.)

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Summer is all about getting outdoors and enjoying the fine weather. But what about the time you spend indoors? Even the most outdoorsy person has got to spend some time inside. So how about making the inside of your home a really lovely place? I bet you've been telling yourself you need to find something for your plain walls. Maybe some photos. Maybe something that will keep the summer alive all year long and just make you smile. I have just the thing. Melissa Lund's Fine Art Photography is all about fields full of summer flowers and the old family farm and old-fashioned things that are poignantly modern. She sells her stuff on Etsy, and I heartily recommend the Black-Eyed Susan print. (But hurry, because there is only one left and it is - yes! - only $27.00!)

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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.

1) Have you been building a "to-do" list of home repair or renovation projects you know you can handle, but you're nervous about starting something you won't be able finish?

Whether you're a new homeowner or been in your place for 20-years, we all have those lists of house projects we want to know we could get through but are nervous about starting something we might not be able to finish. The good news is, you're smart enough to know the unexpected is coming, which is always the case when it comes to home renovation and repair work. Unfortunately, the trepidation is resulting in nothing getting done.

Someone who has been holding-off getting started on a project because they know the project might be beyond their comfort zone could probably benefit from DIY help that's more dynamic than how-to books, websites and TV shows. Most home projects inevitably throw us all some curveballs, but an experienced coach can work with you from the beginning to help you plan out all aspect of a project and give you the confidence and back-up you need to start getting through that list of projects.

2) This is the corollary to #1 above...Do you keep starting projects, hit a snag, set it aside, and leave your friends and family to step over, around and through your unfinished work?

With the explosion of DIY programming, online and on TV, more people have realized the extent of things they can do on their own. But this has also led to more people getting in over their heads. While these resources give fairly detailed project outlines, most of the tutorials contemplate a project in a static environment or under "best case" scenarios - and your home doesn't exist in either of those worlds.

If you've hit a snag during your project but are still committed to finish it on your own, your persistence should be applauded and there is help available. A DIY Coach can join you on-site to help work through the problems that have popped-up and look ahead to anticipate any tricky little issues that haven't even shown themselves yet.

3) Are you a hands-on learner and/or the type of person who prefers one-on-one instruction rather than a group session?

No matter how many books you read or programs you watch nothing takes the place of hands-on learning; and there are great resources out there for learning exactly what's involved in most DIY projects -sites like DIYnetwork.com and HGTV.com even give you project plans for several common undertakings. But there is no beating a hands-on learning experience.

With the increased interest in DIY projects there are no shortage of classes and seminars available to homeowners who prefer hands-on learning, from single lessons at a local Home Depot to semester-long classes at a local community center. But for people who prefer and learn better in a one-on-one situation a DIY coach might be a great fix giving a homeowner dedicated attention on their specific projects and questions. Ultimately, the most important thing is that a person poised to take on a DIY project be comfortable asking questions! If you can do this in a group setting, great, if not, then a one-on-one coach might be the way to go.

4) You are hoping to realize the savings that comes with doing it yourself, but you're nervous about wasting time and money.

Doing the work yourself will almost always save you a significant amount of money on a project (labor costs usually amount to 30% - 40% of project costs); but many DIYers still lose time and money buying materials and tools they don't really need and not tackling a task in the most efficient manner possible. Making mistakes with expensive tools and materials will eventually add up. Plus, multiple runs to hardware store and mistakes and re-dos in execution will eventually add time - and just because you're not on the clock doesn't mean it's time that should be wasted.

Many of the existing DIY resources will help give a rough sense of the tools and materials needed, but they are obviously generalizations as every project is different. These sites also offer basic tutorials on techniques and execution, but the reality is - just like riding a bike - it's hard to learn these things any other way other than just doing it. A DIY coach will be able to give you a project-specific plan for tools, materials and time needed. And perhaps most importantly, they will be able to help you avoid "short-cuts" that will cost you in the long run. A qualified craftsman will tell you that in this business there are no real short cuts. Doing something the right way the first time will save you time, money, and heartache in the long run.

5) Does your experience with tools presently consist of hanging picture frames, but you have the time, energy, and vision for you a new great home improvement project?

The great thing about this recent up tick in interest for all things DIY is that it is truly an empowering movement. Trained craftspeople have spent years honing their trade and talents, and if you want top-notch work a licensed professional is the way to go. But there is no reason many of the more common home repair and renovation projects can't be done by an average homeowner.

That all said, have confidence in your ability, but look before you leap. Learn about the project, tools and different materials needed. Draw information from more then one source. Unfortunately, while many people have a friend or family member who is their "go-to" craftsperson, as people move further from their roots those most trusted resources are sometime hard to find. A DIY coach should be able to fill this gap by providing a friendly, experiences and patient professional to talk you through a project, teach and demonstrate basic techniques and offer insight and experience on most home renovation projects.

Finally, don't forget:

Expect the unexpected.

Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Have a plan - know the tools, materials and time needed.

Honestly assess what you can do and what you should call-in a professional to handle.

Be an active learner - gather as much information, from multiple sources, about your planned projects.

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With the weekend right around corner I know I should be thinking about rest and relaxation, but what I've been thinking about is my home "office." Ok, it is just the desk in my bedroom, but I really need more dedicated space and a true home office. What does that mean? Probably, it means getting organized and re-allocating my space. I wasn't sure what to do and that's when I came upon this home office makeover on Lifehacker. Maybe, it is just a tad too masculine and tech-y for my tastes, even though there is a major improvement from the before pic. When I found this post on Ramblings of A Renovating Couple, I knew I had found plenty of inspiration. So now I can get to work at home.

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I'm not sure why I haven't visited Realtor.org before, but when I did this morning I found a lot of great resources (as the proverbial saying goes) right at my fingertips. There's lots of information for the real estate professional and related businesses, but also for home buyers and home sellers too. They cover this week's hot topics on their homepage, but what intrigued me most was their article on First-Time Homebuyer's Tax Credit (that p.s. can be used for closing costs.) You learn something new every day - thanks, Realtor.org for today's newfound wisdom.

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I am a big believer in asking the experts for their opinions. The key word here is opinion, although experts have a detailed knowledge base, they probably cannot answer your every question. Or maybe, you haven't even asked the right questions. And sometimes, something happens right out of left field. So here is what I recommend. Start with this week's real estate book club, What Your Contractor Can't Tell You: The Essential Guide to Building and Renovating, by Amy Johnston. It will help you avoid the pitfalls of creating a money pit - AND it will give you tons of resources so you can be well prepared for whatever home-building or renovating problem gets thrown at you. And that's a fact!

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