Today many people spend less and less time in their homes. What are the reasons and what are the effects of this trend on individuals and society?

Individuals living in cities and suburbs have been increasingly indulging in activities outside their residences more and more. With the variety of experiences available to participate in outside one's house, time spent inside their living space has decreased drastically. There are factors that are contributing to

this

and if it continues, it can cause a fundamental change in how homes are viewed in the future.

Firstly

, the sudden explosion of restaurants, parks and outdoor hobbies definitely added to the motivation to spend the majority of their hours outside. There has been an influx of clubs and organised groups that focus on visiting different venues and participating in activities that are available throughout the city. An example of

this

can be found in the myriad number of Facebook groups created to promote outdoor experiences.

Secondly

, the increased use of social media has made it easier to connect and form small groups to go on an adventure away from their house. All

this

has led to a rethink of what the primary reason and comforts your household should provide. With a lot of parks and leisure activities available in cities, modern single-family houses and multi-story buildings are increasingly reducing their square footage.

Hence

, they have gotten either their lawns or balconies shrunk and have had their open area available inside a unit reduced.

Additionally

,

this

has

also

led to difficulty in large households with four plus family members as less square footage is available.

Furthermore

, houses are now considered less as a place to sleep, enjoy and spend time and more of a place to just come home and sleep.

This

change can be seen in my current city of residence. The City of Toronto has condos and townhouses which have combined living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens in one single place and leave just the space for bedrooms. In a nutshell, the explosion in the availability of things to do outdoors and the ease of collaborating on a social network has made it convenient to enjoy more of one's neighbourhood.

This

has led to an increment in residences that focus less on space to enjoy with their families and more on a spot to rest.