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“Better Living Through Simplicity.”
The Small House Society ( लघु गृह सभा | 小型屋宇社会 ) is an effective living outreach of Resources for Life Housing Resources Group. We are a cooperatively managed organization dedicated to the promotion of smaller housing alternatives which can be more affordable and ecological. Our work and that of our members has been featured by CNN, National Public Radio, the New York Times, Better Homes and Gardens, the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Mission. Our desire is to support the research, development, and use of smaller living spaces that foster sustainable living for individuals, families, and communities worldwide.
News. The November/December 2009 issue of Natural Home Magazine features an article about Gregory Johnson’s book Put Your Life on a Diet: Lessons Learned From Living in 140 Square Feet. The article presents the benefits of simple and small living. [More Media]
Overview. The Small House Society is a voice for the Small House Movement. The movement is the result of concerns about what we are doing to the environment, and what the environment is doing to us (wild fires, flooding, hurricanes), as well as a shifting economy. Some people just desire to live simply so that others can simply live. Because of this, architects and builders are now providing smaller housing alternatives. The increase in websites, books, and magazines about small houses reflect the movement’s growth. Small house dwellers include those who have moved into a smaller space or made better square feet per person use of the space they have. Members of our group might include families of five happy in an arts and crafts bungalow, multifamily housing in a variety of forms, and more extreme examples, such as people on houseboats and in trailers with just a few hundred square feet around them. Size is relative, and mainly we promote discussion about the ecological, economic and psychological toll that excessive housing takes on our lives, and what some of us are doing to live better. It’s not a movement about people claiming to be “tinier than thou” but rather people making their own choices toward simpler and smaller living however they feel best fits their life.
Video – Small House Society Introduction. Below is an introductory video to the Small House Society and the Small House Movement. The video is available on Blip.tv, Vimeo.com, and YouTube. Click on the HQ option below, if available, for high quality video and audio.
Radio Interviews. Audio is now available for recent interviews with Gregory Johnson on ABC News Australia, Iowa Public Radio Book Reading/Interview, KRUU FM, National Radio in Ireland, and Public Radio Interview with Ben Kieffer from February 2007.
Small House Society Newsletter. Signup for our free newsletter by visiting the subscription page at Yahoo Groups where you can also read past newsletters in the archives. Recent newsletters are now posted on our website. You can also subscribe by sending a blank e-mail to:
smallhousesocietynews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Media Inquiries. We welcome inquiries from members of the media seeking to report on the small house movement and trends toward simpler more sustainable living. Please contact us and a member of our support team will respond as soon as possible.
Before Contacting Us. We regularly receive many requests by e-mail, phone, and postal mail asking if we design homes, build homes, offer house plans, or have printed literature to mail out. For these things, you’ll want to directly contact the designers and builders listed on our Resources Page. Our website has received as many as 70,000 hits in a single day. So, as a non-commercial organization, it isn’t possible for us to personally assist every individual who wants help with smaller living. What we try to do, is provide information and resources online that can help thousands of people find what they need through our website. We also work on the various initiatives listed on our Membership Page. For additional assistance, please consider subscribing to our monthly newsletter and/or joining our online discussion group and posting questions there. Thanks for your understanding and support.
Border to Border Tour. From July 13 to 30, Gregory Johnson traveled from Canada to Mexico along the west coast with Jay Shafer for the Border to Border Tour. You can follow their adventure through the GregoryCam, Gregory’s journal and live feed of photos from his daily life.
Small House Society Founders – Featured Resources. Small House Society founders Jay Shafer, Shay Salomon, Nigel Valdez, and Gregory Johnson offer the following resources as a good place to start your journey toward simpler, smaller, and more sustainable living.
- Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. Small House Society Co-Founder Jay Shafer offers pre-built homes for purchase as well small house plans, books, workshops, media coverage review, newsletters (sign-up on main page), a press kit, and online resources for simpler and smaller living.
- Little House on a Small Planet. Small House Society Co-Founders Shay Salomon and Nigel Valdez are the authors of the highly praised book Little House on a Small Planet. Through their website (by the same name) you can order the book, read excerpts, and learn about their public speaking schedule.
- Resources for Life. Small House Society Co-Founder Gregory Paul Johnson manages the Resources for Life.com website offering a wealth of resources and tools for simpler, smaller, and more sustainable living. Audio is now available for recent interviews with Gregory Johnson on National Radio in Ireland, Iowa Public Radio Book Reading/Interview, and Public Radio Interview with Ben Kieffer from February 2007.
The Tragedy of Suburbia. “In James Howard Kunstler’s view, public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life and the physical manifestation of the common good.” A video presentation by Kunstler is below.
Open-source Architecture. Below is a feature video on the topic of open-source architecture. We had one person complain about the volume level of this video being too high. Please turn your volume down and adjust slowly up to the desired listening level. This video is produced by, hosted by, and the responsibility of TED. If you have any difficulties viewing or hearing it, please contact TED.
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