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Pros and Cons - Thoughts On Living in a Small Space

We did it.
We sold our big house and moved to a 1000 sq. ft. cottage.
The master bedroom is 10x10.
My kiddos have the upstairs attic for sleeping and toys...so that's about 500 sq. ft.
That leaves about 400 sq. ft. for the kitchen and living area doesn't it?


Cons of living in a small space:

You have to eliminate all the stuff you had in the big space. That can be a nightmare, especially if you love your stuff!

Little to no privacy. Two loud kids romping around the house, only one interior door. You do the math!

Less space for entertaining.

Things get messy pretty quickly. You just can't spread out like you do in a large home, you don't have the surfaces to lay everything out on, projects take up the entire living room...you have to be focused on really cleaning up at the end of the day.

No more buying. We consume in the U.S. don't we? I can't run out to Target and spend $100 every week anymore...I still go to Target but I don't buy anything that isn't edible or used immediately...no more $1 bin junk, no extra shoes just because they're cheap, no hoarding printer paper. It's hard to do, people!!!


Finding space to store what you do use is super important here...and because the house is 70 years old there isn't a lot of built-in storage. Being creative about it is a pro and a con. If you enjoy the process then it's a pro. Negatively, it can cost money, use a lot of brain power, and take up the husband's energy building shelves and sheds etc. It's best to get rid of more stuff than you think.

Lastly, it's still about stuff. I thought I got rid of a lot. But I didn't. Almost none of our furniture fit in the new tiny space. But I still brought it with me and now I have to sell it. Our garage is full and so is the new shed we paid over $1000 for....filled with stuff I'm not even using!

In a small space you have to consider how much you like yourself and your family (or whomever you will be sharing the space with), you will get to know each other much more intimately...so be prepared for the mental things that will happen too.

Pros of living in a small space;

These are my personal pros, but you could have a totally different view, fyi.

Pay off debt.

Lower monthly bills...lower mortgage, lower utilities, less credit card debt.

Have the ability to afford repairs or renovations, and/or do it yourself because size does matter!

Become closer and more loving with your kids.

Much faster chore time...mopping, dishes, tidying, dusting...everything can be done in a few minutes. I have my kids doing most of the laundry now, so it gets done faster too (since I tend to procrastinate about folding and dispersing).

You will know where everything is. Have a place for everything and you will know where it is, you won't have to dig through closets and drawers or the basement. Think of the time you'll have to sit in the shade and enjoy a coffee!





More outside time. We have a 1/2 acre lot, with a beautiful backyard space. This isn't the best place to hang out because of bugs and humidity, but I'm looking forward to some lovely firepit time, and leaf raking.


Meet with friends away from home. This equals less prepping for people to come over. I don't have room to have hoards of kids over, or dinner parties! Now we just lock the door and meet up at parks, pools, and other people's homes. 

More cash to do things...we can now afford to take trips, join museums/clubs, do more sports activities, eat out if we choose to. I'm still looking for my little camper to take trips in!!!!

You also get a chance to communicate more with those you live with. Try not to yell. LOL.


Are you interested in small living?

I'm currently pondering the social backlash of moving to a small house. I wonder if people think we went bankrupt, or if we're having marriage problems...there are a lot of "rich" folks around here...we don't live up to the status quo anymore, will we still be accepted by society? Will we lose some friends we thought we had? Are we looked down upon now because we've chosen a smaller path?

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on tiny living.

I'm considering a new blog idea...on living small...are you living small or transitioning to living small? Let me know!

2 comments:

  1. Can I just say bravo to you. Most people should do this. Many people are strapped, house rich, cash poor. Color me impressed. Its such a good feeling to have no debt.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am envious - this cottage looks perfect! Less is more these days!

    ReplyDelete

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