The Joy Of Small(er) Home Living

Small town living. I love it. It brings out the country girl in me and spurs on my desires to live off the land. Then there is small HOUSE living.

My husband and I bought a small(er) house in my husband’s hometown 7 years ago. It was 1,051 sq. feet. I understand that for many, that actually is large in comparison to the 750 sq. ft. apartment you may be living in. I am not saying we are experts or know what it means to live in a really small house. We don’t have children. We don’t have pets. But what we did desire, was to not have a home that was more than what we needed or to live above our means. We have since moved (yet still own that home) and now rent a similar size house in our new town. Yes, no matter what you live in, there are always things that you wish were different. In fact, I dare say that if you build your home, after you are done, there are things that you wish you may have done differently.

What does matter though, is how you make that place your home. That is why no matter what size home you have, it is what you make it to be and what you do with it, that matters.

We have found much joy in living in a small(er) home. At this point in our life, we would not have it any other way. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Less housework. Imagine if someone told you that you could give your house a good clean in 30 minutes. Just 30 minutes. That is what I can do with our home. In 30 minutes (or less), I can give our house a good ole cleaning and be done for the week!

2. Less maintenance. Because the home is smaller, there is less that can go wrong with it. Fewer things to break down. Fewer things to maintain. How much of your life do you spend maintaining what you own?

3. Less stuff. Living in a smaller home, requires (or should require) that you own fewer things. Unfortunately this isn’t always true. Living in a smaller space, means needing less furniture, fewer decorations, and less of everything really, because there is no place to store it.

4. Saves money. Small spaces means less money spent! Your bills will be lower (electric and gas because you will have lower heating and cooling needs). You will not need to buy furniture you do not need to furnish unused rooms. There is less space to store items, so fewer needs to go and buy items to fill those spaces.

5. More time together. Imagine having MORE time for your loved ones? For your spouse? For your children? More time for your children to be children? Living in a smaller home, means fewer rooms that family members can escape to. One thing I love about our home is that even though we may not be doing the same thing, we are 9 times out of 10, in the same room because there aren’t many other options of places to go. I LOVE IT. When there is 1 tv in the home, in the room that it belongs, the family is “forced” to be together. When the computer is tucked in a corner in the main part of the home, not a computer in every room, the opportunities to be together are that much greater. I remember this as a child growing up. Our computer was tucked in the corner of our dining room and  it allowed us to be around each other, instead of secluding ourselves in our rooms. Small(er) home living naturally creates more time to be together as a family.

6. Cozy. We all may have a “bubble” – personal space that we dislike others invading. Deep down though, we all probably enjoy a cozy environment. Cozy can mean close in proximity or cozy in the sense that everything isn’t located 20 feet from you. Having a cozy home is inviting, intimate, and “real.” It offers the opportunity to breed real relationships as you sit as a family in one room.

7. Less clutter. Much like the joy of having less stuff, it also means less clutter. Clutter is a buzz word in this culture today, but what we have to realize is that many struggle WITH clutter in their home. Having a small(er) home should offer good reason to DEclutter!

8. Less complicated. Really, living in a small(er) house makes life more simple. It truly helps one live with less. Living on a smaller scale in every area of our lives, naturally offers a less complicated life. Imagine if someone told you could make your life less complicated? That you could simplify it? Would you agree to make the changes?

I know that the majority of you have no desire to move. You have no desire to live in smaller home. What you CAN do, is still live a “small home” life. It all starts by choosing to live with less. Those joys listed above? YOU can have those joys as well. It starts with small steps. Again, you may not have the option to move into a smaller home. But you CAN start somewhere.

The joys of living with less. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Start thinking about it today.