Life styles of the little and lovely!

We have listed a few little micro lifestyle homes and I love seeing how creative the owners are with their spaces. Well we just listed another. I wanted to talk about lifestyles of the little and lovely. Yes Seattle is getting VERY expensive. Since we are unable to stop prices from rising we must focus on what we can change… Lifestyle. City’s like New York, Tokyo, Beijing are use to living with much less. Can you?

Micro-life is all about reducing your load and stress. You detach from possessions and live with what you need. Micro-homes offer the occupants opportunity for creative space development as well. Everything from beds that rise into the ceiling, vertical storage solutions, and movable walls. Your only limit to decor is your imagination. Side benefit… it’s cheaper to furnish with less material needed.

Truth is micro living is cheaper in all ways. Heat, power, water, and mortgage payment is all less money. That is why people are trending this direction. Not that you have to go micro to find affordable but some how micro is more fun. 🙂

Micro-living is also better for the environment. Much smaller foot print means a smaller eco-footprint as well. The trick is how do you get the most out of your little spaces… A few tips below.

-The walls are your friends! You can install shelving, hang things (like pots and pans, your hat collection, your snowboard and skis, etc.), and make that record collection do double duty as decor by installing ledge shelving.

-ALL furniture should have storage. Coffee tables that open, built in couches that conceal storage under the seating, EVERYTHING. If you’ve been on a boat before you will know that every nook and cranny is utilized. The mentality should be the same in micro homes. That is the creative part of furnishing you little house.

-Whether you actually fill it with books or use it to store other odds and ends, a bookcase that’s as tall as possible is an excellent way to maximize space. Pro Seattle tip: Secure it to the wall to make sure your home is as earthquake-proof as possible when and if “the big one” hits.

-The coffee shop is Seattle’s living room! When you need to get out for a bit, head to a cafe. Many of Seattle’s cafes also serve beer and wine these days, if you need a spot to relax in the evening. You can still enjoy time to yourself while taking advantage of Seattle’s awesome coffee scene (that’s one of the reasons why you live in the city anyway, right?!).

If you’re curious about micro-living in Seattle, check out our Arboretum micro-townhouse At 547 square feet it offers much more space than an aPodment, while still providing many of the benefits of micro-living.