Need

On Tuesday, I took the keys to a 400 square-foot studio apartment. I've been packing, piecemeal, every night after work and will move in over the course of the weekend. Why would I choose to downsize from a 1200 square-foot, 2-bedroom apartment? There are several reasons, but the simplest reason is I just don't need that much space. I can do more with less.

Before I continue, I should mention that it's difficult to write about living with less without sounding preachy. It's difficult not to believe that success is measured by having more and bigger is better. To wring the years of corporate marketing that have saturated our brains is a herculean effort. I, myself, become defensive when someone tells me I don't need this or that. I'm sure most can agree that living with less is a good idea in theory, but actually putting that into practice can look, well, holier-than-thou. My goal in documenting this experience is not to assert my decision as the right choice, but rather to document the experience for the sake of record. As Jonathan Dixton writes, "... if you have an experience, one that just by its very nature is going to exert some kind of transformational pull on you, it should be documented."

With the recent economic downturn, the nagging voice in the back of my head has grown louder: waste less, reduce debt, efficiency over extravagance. This may be motherhood and apple pie to many, but I've been repeatedly greeted with cautious looks whenever I explain my plans. There are inevitably questions, most of which revolve around what I will be doing with my belongings and furniture. Again people ask why I would choose to rid myself of these things (nice things, too, I might add), and my answer is always the same: I don't need it.

This has become clear to me gradually. It's taken me some time to realize that I can live without a TV room, multiple sofas, an office, and a formal dining room. And it was more of a realization that I was ignoring something: I only use a third of my living space on a daily basis. Perhaps it's because I'm a man of habit and will always sit in the same spot on the same sofa. Whatever the case, the idea of living in as small a space as possible has gripped me from the beginning.

I've also embarked on a relationship with a fellow who lives in Canada. This had a profound influence on my decision to downsize, primarily because of the costs associated with international travel. There's also the possibility that we may one day cohabitate and I'd like to be ready for that by being as mobile as possible and paying down my debt.

Ultimately, my goal is simply to reduce my cost of living. Since living costs can take up a large portion of one's income, I'm dedicating this blog to the process of reducing my living space requirements. I'm hoping to detail my experiences, my failures, and my successes. I am optimistic.