[dagw]

Do you live within biking distance from work? No? Then move closer to work. This has three huge benefits...

It also has one huge downside the article neglects to mention. If your work is in the center of town (as many offices are) you often either have to greatly increase the amount you spend on housing or greatly decrease the 'quality' of the housing.

For disclosure sake I do live in an apartment in the center of town, but in doing so I'm sacrificing things like a garden and a my daughter getting her own room. It's a price I'm willing to pay, but I'm fully understanding of people who aren't.

[legulere]

Does the quality of the housing mean space? Living a more minimalist life also means having less stuff. The reason why we build everincreasing houses is that we need space for our stuff.

[dagw]

Sure it can mean space. I disagree that the only reason to want more space is to hold more stuff. I want more space so that I can have a room that I can close the door on and call my own (and by extension let my daughter and girlfriend have their own rooms as well). I'd like rooms with dedicated functions like a workshop for me to build things in and a room where my girlfriend can paint. I'd like a guest room so I can have friends stay the night without being forced to sleep on the couch in the living room. I'd like a small garden so I can grow food and cook outside.

Now as it stands non of these wishes have become important enough for me an my girlfriend to give up the city, and they are all 'problems' that can be worked around, but there are more reason to want space than simply to store things

[engtech]

I sometimes question the utility of guest rooms.

I've often seen people layout their house so the guest room is in some prime area of the house and the workroom they use all the time is in a horrible dungeon.

I've always thought that the rooms should be allocated based on their utility.

[dagw]

I've always thought that the rooms should be allocated based on their utility.

I personally agree with you, but I guess it all comes down to how much utility you put in hospitality and being a good host. My girlfriend feels really bad about only being able to offer guests a sofa bed in the living room to sleep on, so do her being able to offer guests a private room with a comfortable bed has a huge utility.