The American Dream has virtually always been:  more + bigger = better.

The fad and trend that's predominated the last many decades has been to stretch yourself to the limit in order to acquire the most impressive home possible.  This home would prove that you were successful, and obviously make you comfortable and happy.

Over many decades, that's turned into crazy-big homes which required large incomes to buy and maintain, along with massive consumption of resources to build and live in.

​Tiny is fine if that's what you really need or want, but it's pretty extreme and unsustainable by most standards. 

​A more manageable and still meaningful downsize might mean reclaiming older, smaller homes and shifting to a less consumerism mentality, while still participating in a mainstream community and lifestyle.
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There are so many reasons that I think smaller homes are the answer to so many of the gaps in life. 

And when I say smaller, I definitely do not mean tiny.  (I've got more on that below...)

In this post I am focusing on artful details.  The idea is that you might choose to purchase or stay and renovate a small home, rather than spread your resources and budget over a bigger but more typical (and boring) space.

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National Simplicity Day is coming up on Monday July 12th. 

This is sort of a special "holiday" for us here at The Whiskey Porch because it's at the core of what we are all about.  After all, our tag line is "cultivating contentment & possibility in a smaller & simpler lifestyle."  

And, now more than ever, it just feels like we are all seeking refuge and inspiration to lift our spirits as we recover from this wild insanity of the last couple years.  So it goes without saying, that finding pleasure and calm in simple ideas is something many of us are striving for now.