How much living space does a person need?
Friday, February 2, 2024 at 08:26AM
The assisted living apartment like my mom's is 452 square feet. Each time I read an article in the paper about Minnesota’s “housing shortage” crisis, I can’t help but think about all the wasted living spaces we currently have. While I know there are families that probably need more square feet, most of my interactions are with people who live in homes with too much unused space. The older adults who I drive are mostly single and often live in what look to be three or four bedroom homes. Of which, I am guessing, two or three bedrooms rarely get used. On retirement, I downsized from a 2900 sq ft house to an 850 sq ft townhome. I did a thorough decluttering. Except when family is visiting, rarely miss the extra space. I do have two bedrooms, the second smaller one I use for an office/guest room, but I am happy with my single bathroom, single kitchen, single living room, and single car garage. My “man cave” suits me quite well. My siblings and I moved our mom into an assisted living apartment last fall. Her accommodations shrunk from a small house to an apartment half the size (see photo above). So far, the reduction in living space has not been an issue for her. Might all single adults be able to live in a home of less than 500 square feet? How much room do couples actually require?* Do we older adults tend to hang on to spaces we don’t really need for far too long, keeping young families from being able to afford homes that give them room to thrive?** I usually attribute my mom’s hoarding tendencies to having been a child during the Great Depression, but we Boomers don’t really have scarcity of the basic necessities as an excuse for our love of “stuff.” And I expect it is our beloved belongings that keep many from moving to smaller quarters. One governmental push to reduce the shortage of available housing has been to subsidized “affordable” housing units. I suspect they are building places with three bedrooms and two baths since this seems to be the standard anymore. Might a better tactic be to increase the number of very small homes - apartments, townhouses, etc. - to which those now living in big, older homes might move? It seems we have lots of space in the housing market - it’s just not very well used! * I've been reading Roberts' novel Shantaram which is set in the slums of Mumabi. Another whole perspective on "needed" space for human beings. **The current housing market makes it difficult to downsize to save money since prices and interest rates are high.
Reader Comments (3)
Great advice. I remember those car guys on NPR taking a call from a fellow that wanted advice on buying a huge van because his family and some others went on this yearly road trip. They convinced him to stick with his more economical car and just rent the big van for the trip. Too many folks seem to hang on to big houses so extended family have a place to gather for special occasions. You can usually figure it out even with small spaces and can all chip in on hotels and whatnot. Don’t be burdened by too much stuff/room/car for that maybe once a year thing.
I never thought about it that way, but I agree. Personally, my husband and I can't wait to downsize in a couple of years. We love our home, but with both of us getting older and my heart issues, a two-story home is no longer a good fit.
Hi Jim,
I've managed to cram all 7 of my family overnight into my small townhouse and can easily host 8 for meals. I guess that's what it means to be a close family! (I would like another bathroom during those visits, though.)
Doug
Hi Mandy,
Lot's of new "senior" housing being built in the Twin Cities area. Seems like everywhere you look, giant apartment/condos are going up. I pick up a lot of people who need rides living in them. The lobbies (at least) look very nice. I suspect I will someday wind up in one myself. (If I can afford it.)
Doug