There are a lot of channels about minimalism on YT right now (and I'm writing this without the intention of devaluing anyone), but I really highlight your channel as being very useful and diverse. Thanks for your work! I also think that even one extra room is already more dust, more furniture, more cleaning - all this leads to anxiety. Of course, everything is individual, but for me as well the greatest comfort is a compact and convenient space
Yes, I completely agree. We have always lived small and since having children family and friends constantly say we need to go bigger, we need a bigger house. But at the same time they complain about how it’s so difficult to keep up with their home, how they are constantly cleaning and picking up after their children and ask how we keep such a organized clean space. I always say we have less stuff and a tiny home so it’s a lot easier to be organized and comfortable and I don’t have to clean all day. Living in over 1000 sqft seems so overwhelming to me.
I can agree in some sense with all these except about the kitchenware, I have more spoons because I want to have enough spoons to use until the dishwasher is filled up and I don't have to wash everything I use. Dishwashers when loaded fully save water and so much time
Saga, you are soul after my own heart ❤. I have lived in 56 homes in my 70 years, and none of them have been large by American standards. I raised my eleven children in modest sized farm lhouse with one bathroom, one sink, one bathtub, and no shower. I cooked three meals every day in a kitchen with a corncob cookstove, one ten foot wall of cabinets with a sink and no room for a frig. I raised a huge garden, canned over 1000 qts. every summer, butchered our own meat, (back before I knew better), kept bees, had an orchard and raised our own grains. I bought canning lids and salt. My point being, if anyone needed a large kitchen, it would have been me. But looking back, it worked and we had a lot of memories in that tiny kitchen. Most of my 55 other homes were smaller. I owned one home that had a large beautiful kitchen that I rarely cooked in. But I have learned to make do. My current home is about 1000 square feet. Because I am now handicapped, I needed a step in shower instead of a tub, so recently had that redone. My tiny kitchen has no storage so I have created a storage wall in my adjacent dining area. I cordoned off an entryway by placing my loveseat sofa with its back to the doorway area. It is no longer a house, but my HOME, which I love. THANKS for this timely subject. You are good at describing the difference between minimalism and practicality. Sustainability is also important. Love, love, love your vlog. Your 🇺🇲 Grandma
❤❤ Wow 56 homes! That is impressive. If you can do 11 children with ONE bathroom, sure everyone can! I'm also so excited to learn more about canning when I get a home, I think Americans are probably some of the best in the world on it. I've been reading old American university studies of more old-fashioned canning, rather than modern ways. You're so sweet, thank you ❤
@@SagaJohanna You will have partner in me to learn about canning. I used very, very old fashioned methods as I used a cookstove, which means that I had regulate the temperature of the stove by adding corn cobs. I would be glad to mentor you.
I'm sooo on board with smaller homes that are simple and make sense. It's all in the design. In the US developers are building homes that are big and wasteful. I would love it if they built Scandinavian or Japanese style homes instead. It's critical for our planet that we move toward simpler ways and begin to limit how many resources we are using. Our own home is a great place to start.
There’s so much positivity down here in the comment section 😄 Reading it is a real delight. Thank you Saga. I wish we could all get together for a yarn.
You're right, when it comes to houses, smaller is better. But if you live in a part of the world where the summers are long and hot, you build the house in the shade, to keep it cool, especially if the house doesn't have air conditioning.
*Consider keeping bathtub for health reasons, many common health conditions can be treated with water, it's not a luxury, it's a very useful tool, only there is sometimes ignorance about this.
Bathrooms… we moved to France 5 years ago, and we dealt with one bathroom situation in 2 houses we rented, as a family of 5. It’s been difficult and annoying. We finally got out own house, and we made sure we got 3 bathroms (2 WC, one shower and one bath tub) life changing. Would never go back. And yes, since my children ar young, I do clean those baths any time is needed or at least twice a week, and it is doable. In our case, minimalism is expressed by using the same flooring solution throughout the entire house including barhrooms (tiles, because France😅) and the same wall tiles in all 3 bathrooms.
What a beautiful and important video, Saga! You hit home on your message on this one. The modern world is so lost in this delusion of needing all these things, and you point that out in such a logical and intelligent way. I once lived in a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house with one other person. Why? Because I was totally brainwashed into thinking that was needed and normal. Lol And now, as I’m looking to either buy or build a house, your advice couldn’t come at a better time. Thank you so much for what you do. It’s much more appreciated than you realize. :-)
2 sinks are for couples who are getting ready at the same time in the mornings and for bed at night. 2 sinks in the master bathroom is really much better than 1. I love being minimal but that is not something I'd ever want to get rid of. Neither is a bathtub. If you have kids, a bathtub is pretty necessary. I get where you're coming from but as a family of 6, not all of these are practical points. Lots of good points too though. 🙂
I appreciate your passion about this really important topic and alternative way of living very much! I love your videos and I always enjoy them watching. Keep doing this stuff, you are a wonderful person and a wonderful soul! I’ll send you much positive energy, love you❤
Brilliant video! Yeah, I've always liked/wanted the simplicity of a longhouse (whether Nordic, or Algonquin/Iroquois) - just a simple space, only just big enough as needed. But back home in America, the laws are crazy! If you want to build a home, depending on how many will live in it, zoning laws mandate that it should be some inordinately huge number of square feet, or it gets torn down! It's just insane...
Yes! I love the simple four walls design, I don't see why anyone needs more! That is just crazy! We should be able to build small so we can have bigger gardens!
Thank you Saga that was so interesting. Open plan is okay but I would always need a separate reception room for different activities and when family stay. I agree about smaller bedrooms and less corridors and totally agree there are too many bathrooms out there. In England there is not much opportunity to self build a house so you have to take or adapt what is there. 🏠🏵
A very fitting video topic! Thank you very much! We are renovating a very old house. It has 135 m²; plus there are still seven outdoor rooms and a garage. The size was a compromise between my boyfriend and me. He finds the 135 m² and the extra rooms already too small, while I find it a lot for two people (and in the future family). Do you have any tips for dealing with people who always want more? I currently brake him from ideas like jacuzzi, because the maintenance requires a lot of time and also money.
Thank you so much! That's amazing :) I think speaking about mental load (who's actually gonna remember to clean it) helps, but also coming to the same conclusions. If you can communicate why you feel that you shouldn't buy all those things, for example, maintenance, cost, environment, you're not gonna use it that much, etc. Then it's often easier to get the partner on board. My husband wasn't really onboard with minimalism when we met, but later found it so freeing. It really helped watching documentaries together, like The True Cost.
Great video, I absolutely agree with you. Big houses and a lot of stuff require so much maintenance, and I want to live a simple joyful life and spend my time on what I really love to do. And all this stuff we don’t actually use take too much effort and energy away. That’s why I got rid of most of my belongings, and I don’t dream about having a big house anymore. I wouldn’t mind having a little bigger bedroom. I like drawing and doing exercises in my bedroom, where no one can see me, the privacy is important to me. I live in Georgia now, and many flats here have big living rooms and tiny (7-8 square meters) bedrooms. Now I’m sitting in a 7-meter room where my desk and my bed occupy all the space, there is no free floor at all)) I’d rather have a smaller living room, but a little bigger bedroom). I really love your videos, they are so positive and inspiring. Thank you❤
I live in US and originally from Europe and when i mention to people that my dream home (i have a blue prints for it) is only 1300-1500 sqft (130-150sqm) and 2 bathrooms max they think that i am crazy and tell me to rethink the size and at least make it 2000, isn’t it crazy?
Lagom. From houses to big SUV,s things are just getting bigger and bigger consuming our Earths resources. Minimalism is so important if we are all to survive.
As my fiancee and i get closer to buying our single family home, he talks more and more about making sure we get LVP floors because we have three cats and they are very hard on our veneer hardwood floors. He feels that even actual hardwood floors won't stand up to their claws just from every day playing. Does anyone have ideas or thoughts in this based on experience? I really dont want unnatural materials in my home, but i feel i will lose this "battle."
Why do you need 2 sinks? The answer is simple: because if there’s anyone near you while you’re brushing your teeth you may burst into flames! Oh! And if you’re styling your hair, you can’t move an inch for someone to spit the toothpaste out or your hair can fall out! These are FACTS! 😜
The really depressing thing about most of those 230 sq mt American ‘McMansions’ is that they are a true illustration of quantity over quality. They’re not built to last and often the internal finishing is poor. Modern housing estates in the UK are similar in terms of quality (Barrett, Taylor Whimpey, etc.). Just tiny poky little things with small windows and no architectural merit. I like what you said about the aesthetics of less. Japanese design principles can this “ma”, the use of negative space. I’m a little more extreme perhaps than you in not liking decorative items. I prefer to have warmth from a beautiful wood floor, from plants, candles, etc. rather than purely decorative items such as a vase or a painting. I wish more mass market designs for living adopted the principles you discussed in this video. The ‘cookie cutter’ homes are really depressing and I am sure we can do better than this in the West. The free market produces some odd results at times …
Yes, so true! I find that so sad, here in NZ too. The quality is just not made to last. And yes, maybe because that free market isn't so free... I'm all for regulations, but not for letting these real estate agents/companies just run haywire when we can build traditional homes with ancient European techniques!
while I agree with your points and live a minimalist lifestyle, please forgive my honesty - I don't wish to be mean (neurodivergent here) I find this presentation to be judgey and critical.
