I wouldn’t say our house is small, but it is definitely smaller to many other houses in comparison. Sometimes I get a bit envious when I visit a friend’s large two-story home, or when I see larger homes for sale.
The thought of having extra bedrooms to dedicate to needs like fitness, or a play room, seem quite nice. However, you can’t deny that smaller homes are a better catch in the long run. Here are some of the best benefits to living in a small home.
• Cheaper utilities
We have a well-insulated one-story home, which means we barely ever have to turn on the air or heat. The larger the home, the more it costs for heating and air conditioning expenses. We also use less electricity because it’s easier to light up one room with a lamp rather than have a huge ceiling light or chandelier.
• Easier to clean
If a small home is free of clutter and organised, it is quite simple to clean. My toddler can have the front rooms in disarray within a few minutes, but thankfully it only takes a few minutes on my part to have them looking clean again.
I would love to have a larger kitchen with more prep space, but with the limited counter space I have now, it forces me to clean frequently and to keep the counters free from clutter. I admire the people that clean two-story homes, because it must be exhausting and time consuming!
• Less stuff
Having a smaller home has forced me to evaluate what we really do need. I have got rid of big exercise equipment, bulky baby items and toys, and excess items that stole precious closet space.
Living with less stuff has truly made me so much happier. It is mentally freeing, and again, it’s easier and quicker to clean a small, clutter-free home. Our home is fully decorated, so this eliminates the temptation to buy more decorations or stuff for my home.
• Better market value
Not only did we spend less on our home when we bought it, but we have a better chance of selling it. There are several buyers who want big homes, but there’s a larger market of buyers looking for smaller homes. Smaller, one-story homes are appealing to older couples, small families, and low-income families.
• Closer to family
The size of our home also forces us to put our two children in the same room together. I know if we had a larger house, we would be tempted to separate them.
I remember sharing a room with my sister for seven years and hating it, but it was probably better for our relationship in the long run. When I had my own room as a pre-teen, it was easy to shut myself away from the family. A smaller home can possibly help a family bond better. While it’s tempting for me to buy a larger home so we are a little bit more comfortable, ultimately, that would be an unwise decision for us. It would be financially unwise, and it would not guarantee more happiness.
