Every year around this time in our military town, For Sale signs pop up on house after house. Visitors or newcomers to town ask questions like “Why are so many people moving?” and “You’re getting new neighbours … again?”. It took us a year or two to get used to the turnover of military families coming and going, but now it’s what we’ve come to expect.
Every year about this time, I peruse the real estate listings to get an idea of what prices are like and what’s selling.
And every year, at least one or two people say “When are you guys going to buy a bigger house?”.
We don’t have a tiny house, but by some standards it’s small for a family of 5, especially with 3 rapidly growing kids. But I really do like the advantages of living in a house that’s on the small-ish side, in spite of the opinions of others.
A Smaller House Is Quicker To Clean
We have 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Every week I clean the bathrooms, and every week I am so thankful that we don’t have more toilets to scrub, more tubs to clean and more floors to wash.
A Smaller House Is Less Expensive
From the utility costs to the size of the mortgage, costs are cheaper. It doesn’t cost as much to heat or cool this house as it would for a bigger one, and even the property taxes are cheaper.
A Smaller House Has Less Space For Clutter
Clutter makes me anxious and stressed, and while we still struggle with our share of it, I’m so glad we don’t have room for more! Having smaller kitchen cupboards means I can’t really buy that new pot set from Pampered Chef because I don’t have anywhere to keep it. That goes for more toys, clothes, furniture, appliances … there just isn’t as much room for unnecessary items. It makes decluttering so much more productive!
A Smaller House Creates Opportunities For Families To Spend More Time Together
We’re a family of four introverts and one extrovert. That’s a recipe for disaster for most roommates. Our kids are learning to give each other space when needed, but they’re also learning how to share the space they have (mostly) graciously. Our boys share a small room, but whenever we bring up the idea of them having separate rooms, they protest it. While they drive each other crazy sometimes, they also really enjoy one another’s company.
A Smaller House Requires Everyone Pitching In
With less floor space, counter space and table space, keeping things picked up and put away is a necessity. Small kitchen appliances have to be put away so that others can use the counter space. Homework needs to go back in the school bag so that we can eat at the table. And toys need to go back in the basket so that we can move around freely. The kids learned early on how important it is that they work at this too. Putting their laundry in the basket, and the garbage in the garbage can is something they can’t skip too often before it causes problems. They have to pitch in and help keep our living space somewhat tidy.
So, while every once in awhile I start to long for more space, a spare bedroom, or even an office, I really do appreciate the advantages of living in a smaller house.
Posts
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteI live in a 2.5 bedroom ranch. I’d gladly take a much larger house if I had the opportunity and all things were equal.
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteMy hubby grew up in a small house, less than 1,000 sq. ft. with his parents, Grandma and 2 brothers. They had only 1 bathroom and 2 bedrooms. The boys had bunk beds in the living room. We have a larger home but now that we are empty nesting (and loving it), we talk about moving into a smaller house. I like the idea of the close quarters for family togetherness. Sounds warm and cozy…and easier to clean!!
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteI live in a 4 bedroom, 2 bath (wish it had one more bath) house that is medium sized. I used to dream about a huge house when I was younger. Then I realized how much upkeep there is to a house and I quickly changed my mind. My house is just right – not too big and not too small.
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteHonestly, we out grew our house before we moved in to it.
We built our house and we were a family of 4, now we are a family of 6 in a 4 bedroom house. I totally agree that it’s much easier to clean even though I feel like I am cleaning all the dang time!
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteWe live in a decently sized house and I definitely have thought about upsizing but always decided against it. We have plenty of space and I wouldn’t want to have to clean all the extra room if we got a bigger one!
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate. We moved into a bigger house recently, but I miss how easy to clean & declutter our townhouse was! If we move again, I think I’d like a smaller place!
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteI live alone in a sizable apartment and agree smaller houses are easier to clean. I am not a fun of big houses too, thinking about the energy bill lol
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteThese are some great points. I could use a little bit more space in my house but I’ve never minded smaller houses.
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see the benefits of living in a smaller house. I especially like that a smaller house has less space for clutter!
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. I miss our smaller house sometimes. It had such a cozy feel, and we filled it with some great memories.
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteWe have a rather large house mainly because we have several special needs pets that require their own space. If it weren’t for that we would love to have a smaller home as the upkeep is a lot for where we live now.
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteRight now we are living in a very small space but we also don’t have kids yet. Growing up I had a fair sized house but not huge by any means. I like cozy houses but still need your own space.
March 21, 2016
ReplyDeleteI constantly watch those Tiny House shows and wonder if I could ever go that small with my family. Probably not. I actually want a larger house right now but when my kids are grown up, I would consider a small bungalow on an island. q
March 22, 2016
ReplyDeleteMine is a little bigger than yours but I sure do get where you’re coming from. I however need the space but I’m sure once my kids are gone I’m going to get a smaller house myself.
March 22, 2016
ReplyDeleteThis is all so true! My husband and I lived in a very small house the first few years of our marriage, and I always have fond memories of its cozy little atmosphere.
March 22, 2016
ReplyDeleteWe just relo’d to Detroit with General Motors, so we’re living in a hotel right now (too small) and just contracted on a 1500 Sq ft house last night. It has a basement, so we’ll have some extra room there. I wanted something big enough for both K and I to have our own offices. We need the personal space. Lol
March 22, 2016
ReplyDeleteYou make valid points and I think about that every time my home needs to be cleaned. Now I hate cleaning because I feel so overwhelmed by how much cleaning I need to do.
March 24, 2016
ReplyDeleteI tottaly agree!! We can definitely see the benefits of living in a smaller house.
November 11, 2019
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you. in a small house, there are so many memorable stories
November 22, 2019
ReplyDeleteThanks! This helped me out a lot. I’m thinking of buying my own place since my home is quite far from where I work and I can’t afford to lose a lot when it comes to expenses.
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