How Small is Too Small?

I've been thinking about how much space I actually need. Right now, my main living area is 211 sf and I have use of the kitchen, but not much cabinet or refrigerator space. I thought at one time that twice this much space would be fine, but once you put in the kitchen, it's really not that much more space at all.

I've decided that somewhere around 500-600 sf is best for me. I need a separate bedroom and living room. After pretty much living in my bedroom for two years, I truly need a room just to sleep. My dream cottage in Gainesville (see pictures here) is 575 sf with 2 bedrooms, which aren't very large, but bedrooms are for sleeping, so that isn't a problem. It has a decent sized kitchen and a front porch. No back porch, but how difficult would it be to create a patio area with pallets?

If you remove one bedroom from that house, it would be 475 sf, which would be o.k., I guess, but nothing smaller than that would be livable for me.

Then I thought about how much yard I need. I'd like a small backyard area where I could put some plants, a table and chairs, and maybe a small raised bed veggie garden. By small, I mean 4 feet wide by 8-10 feet long. That, along with some containers, would be sufficient for food. Other than that, I really don't need a yard.

I guess there are some conveniences I don't want to give up, like a full-sized bathroom with a bathtub and full-sized appliances. I could live with an apartment-size fridge and stove as long as it had four burners.  I hardly ever use all four burners at once, but I've been known to use 3 when I'm putting food away.

Downsizing doesn't have to mean making yourself uncomfortable. With me, it's more about minimalizing my possessions and creating a calm, peaceful environment. So I've made that decision, now to make solid plans to get to my dream cottage and live there forever.