5 reasons I’m thankful for my small home

I really don't want a bigger home.

It’s the season to give thanks. When my family says words of thanksgiving with our meal, we often say thanks for our health, our family, and the meal before us. Sometimes we send out wishes of peace and healing to whomever is on our mind. One thing we should say ‘thank you’ for more often is our home. 

This is something I particularly needed to be reminded about recently. With super-short days and a pile-up of work before the holiday, I found myself with a case of cabin fever. Our apartment was feeling small and shabby. So, I decided I needed to remind myself why I don’t really want a bigger home and why I am thankful for my small home.

My family could have stretched our budget to get a bigger apartment or we could have moved out to the ‘burbs, but we made a conscious choice to buy a smaller place. We wanted to stay in the city we love, minimize our commutes, and keep our costs and stress low. I have fantasized about having a bigger apartment (especially now that I work from home), but now I can’t imagine leaving our wonderful community. I didn’t really picture us living in our apartment for a decade, but it’ll be nine years in March and it seems we’ll be living here for the foreseeable future. I’m still grateful for this small space and I’m sharing my reasons why in case you too have been feeling less than satisfied with your home lately.

Here’s why my family is thankful to live in a small space:

1. Living small means lower costs

Every time my husband and I start talking about looking for a bigger apartment, we quickly conclude that we don’t want to spend any more money on housing than we already do. We’re not alone in this: When my book came out during the very first weeks of the pandemic I checked in with the people featured in my book to see how they were feeling about their small spaces. They told me they were  grateful to have rent and mortgage payments that they knew they could handle even in uncertain times. During the spring and summer of 2020, my husband and I both found ourselves temporarily un- and under-employed. We were lucky our monthly housing costs were low (and that we had savings to dip into, which we had because we hadn’t been spending every penny on a bigger mortgage).

2. We have freedom to spend on other things

Speaking of savings, lower monthly housing costs translates to more money for other things. Living small can give you financial freedom. It has allowed us to save more for retirement, support my father-in-law, buy an investment property outside of the city, and start a college fund. 

…including our home

Because our home is small, we could splurge on a few things when we renovated, like marble countertops, pricier light fixtures, and new baseboards that weren’t strictly necessary. If I ever get around to painting my small bedroom, I won’t feel bad about buying the Farrow & Ball color I’ve been eyeing because I only need a single gallon. Custom bookcases or other future upgrades will still cost a whole lot less than an extra bedroom. Plus, those splurges have a bigger impact in a small space.

3. There is less to clean

I grew up in a big house, and I’ve spent time in many others, and I can say for certain that a smaller space requires much less time to upkeep. In my 690-square-foot apartment I have just one bathroom and minimal kitchen surfaces to clean. We also have fewer belongings to maintain and keep organized. If you can tidy your whole house in less time you have more time for other (more important!) pursuits.

4. We are encouraged to explore

Anyone can go a little stir-crazy in a small space, but I think that can sometimes be a good thing. Come the weekend, small space families like mine tend to get out of their homes. I suspect families that live in bigger spaces are less inclined to take mini adventures like trips to museums, the park, or even just a stroll to the library. If you keep your living costs low, you might have more money for vacations too (though goodness travel has gotten expensive lately!).

5. Our home promotes closeness

Living in tight quarters, my husband, son, and I are often in close physical proximity. With only one couch, we’re all piled together to watch a movie. In the morning, my son is right by my side as I drink my coffee. I believe that physical closeness allows for more moments of connection. My son is still young, so he wants to be around us, but I know we’ll have to figure out how to give him his space when he hits his teenage years. If we stay in our small space, I suspect we’ll also sometimes be glad he can’t hide in a remote corner of a larger house. 

Why are you thankful for your small home? I’d love to hear in the comments.

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I’m so thankful for you, dear readers, and our growing LIVING SMALL community. I sent my first newsletter out a year ago to a handful of friends and family, and now are thousands of your receiving LIVING SMALL each week—wow! I love getting to know the regular commenters and seeing what you share and click on most. I’m so happy you’re all here. Tell me, how can I serve you better in the year ahead?