Written by monthly contributor, Emily Pastor.
I grew up in a large home and assumed that’s what I wanted for my family when I got married. I often felt a twinge of jealousy when I heard of friends my age purchasing their first house while I had to “settle” with a tiny apartment and loud neighbors.
Looking back I am so thankful for living in small spaces and the experience of moving five times in less than 4 years. Each move left me holding on to my “stuff” with a looser grip and realizing that owning less can be a freeing blessing.
The Lord has used these moves and small apartments to teach me contentment. The type of contentment where I’m no longer “settling” for less, but when faced with the option, I’m choosing it. While these trinkets and “necessities” that fill our homes aren’t inherently wrong, they are temporary and fleeting and can easily become burdensome.
In our society we often think that having more than we need is a blessing. I argue that it can be tiresome and a burden. If you, like me, are living in a small space and struggle with contentment, here are some reminders of the blessings of less.
1. Less to Clean
Times of cleaning truly bring out my contentment and thankfulness for a small space. I often think of how much more of my time would be spent cleaning a larger home. I can vacuum my entire apartment in less than 10 minutes. I love scrubbing only one toilet! Dusting is a 10 minute breeze. With less space I’m able to keep a deeper-cleaned home instead of spending most of my energy keeping things “looking” clean.
2. Less Chasing
When we’ve stayed at my parent’s larger home, I’m always amazed at how exhausted I become from chasing little ones. I’m sure this isn’t a huge deal when children are older, but with new walkers and wobbly toddlers, chasing can become an all day affair. Small spaces allow young ones the freedom to move around the house without gates and still be within earshot and eyesight of Mama.
3. Less to Decorate
Small spaces are not only less intimidating to decorate, but they are much more friendly to the decorator on a budget. I love decorating a small room to be cozy and functional without the pressure to find pieces simply to fill empty spaces.
4. Less to Maintain
Whether large or small, all homes require maintenance. Appliances break down. Furniture wears out. Walls need new paint. Roofs leak. Lawns need mowing. Smaller spaces can reduce the time and money spent on keeping a home maintained and comfortable.
5. Less Space for Clutter
With limited closet and storage space I’m forced to weed out useless clutter due to the lack of clutter hiding spots. I wouldn’t deal with my clutter nearly as much if it didn’t invade my space so easily. This lack of space is a blessing! My space keeps me accountable to what we do and don’t need around the house.
“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8
Whether you are in a large or small home, may your hearts be filled with contentment, generosity, and thankfulness to the One who provides for our needs so faithfully.
I also grew up in a large home, and now my husband, son, and I live in a house that is literally half the size. I love it for all the reasons you listed! I never thought I would, but I kind of enjoy the challenge of keeping things functional and still visually appealing.
I was just talking to my husband about this last night. We are sooo blessed to live in a country where our older 1100sqft home is considered a ‘starter’ home, and where having enough food to eat and clean water is just a given.
We were able to buy our little home outright (foreclosure needing repairs), so in addition to your list, our tiny space gives us the peace of mind that comes from being debt free. We can cool our home with a single window unit, and the roof is small enough that my husband and brother-in-law are being able to replace it themselves. The low expenses allow me to be a full-time homemaker, and when our daughter is born I will be able to stay home with her, homeschooling and raising her by my side. I can’t wait to raise our new family in such a happy, calm and easy to keep home.
Wow, I needed to hear this today. We just moved out of our first home due to a change in my husband’s job. We have gone from 1700 sq ft., 3 bedroom house, to a 2 bedroom 1000 sq ft apartment. I have had to make decisions on what to keep, what to sell, and what to store this past week, and some of those decisions were hard. Now that we are here, and nearly settled, I have come to realize that less space does not make less of a home. Home isn’t the walls you live in, it is what happens in those walls.
Living in a small home has been such a blessing to our family of 5. We have 3 children and live in a 750 sq ft, 2 bedroom home. I’d like to mention a few benefits that we have experienced as well:
Less space to heat and cool (lower electricity bills)
Smaller mortagage payment. (We will realize our goal of being debt free in just a few years!)
Realizing that you don’t need “stuff” to be happy.
Thank you for this encouragement! My husband and I live in a old, one-bedroom apartment with extremely loud neighbors upstairs. (I am a light sleeper and have to wear ear plugs just to fall asleep and stay asleep!) We are saving for our future home, but that is likely a bit in the future. Thank you for this post; what a great reminder!
Wow, Emily! Thank you so much for this post. You just described my exact situation. We’ve moved so many times due to several things. I hate it! It’s been hard on me, my kids and my husband. This post has opened my eyes to see that my experience in moving and always living in too tight of a spot for the size of our family has actually changed me. I’ve become adaptable, able to accept change better and most importantly, realized how much I really don’t need MOST of the things I own! My children have learned these things and more, as well! (We also stayed at my mom’s house for a bit and her house was HUGE! We realized that it wasn’t such a good thing, either!) Thank you, again. God bless you and your family! And what an amazing verse to tie this all together! Wow…again, you just hit home with my heart so much!!! Love to you! <3
I’ll be linking back from my blog because I also feel smaller homes are better, but for one reason you didn’t mention. I believe smaller homes are better for families because it keeps our children from becoming selfish. When you must share a room with one or two other people, you feel less entitled as an adult.
Oh I agree! I have 3 kids 2 and under (twins in there) and my house gets messy fast! I’m always so thankful at how quickly my house picks up. We have a small house, but we have a nice open floor plan and a den, and I can see almost everything from the den and I love it! I’m okay with bigger spaces as long as it’s open and not cluttered. But it’s definitely true that the bigger the space, the more tempted we are to fill it with more stuff. Great post!
What a great reminder of such simple truths. Simplifying is such a liberating experience…less truly can be more. Love the I Timothy 6:6-8 scripture:)l
Great reminder of such simple truths. Less can truly be more. Love the 1 Timothy6:6-8 reference too:)
Yes, yes, yes! After 2 yrs of living in a tiny house we bought intending to extend, 2 yrs of relationship tension about how & what we r going to do, God has changed my heart to see how little we really need, how having less IS a great blessing and to be content in His provision & love. We will prob still extend to accommodate more children but I’m not anxious about it anymore. Wonderful post.
Oh, I loved this post! I’ve written many times about all of the benefits of small space living and it’s ironic that so many people think, “bigger is better”. Earlier this year, I moved from an 850 square foot space to a 650 square foot space (studio apartment) and I love it. I have a severely disabled son so I have a lot of large equipment (wheelchair, hydraulic bath lift, hoyer lift) and yet, everything fits seamlessly and it’s just lovely. Before I moved in, people would comment when I told them that I was moving to a smaller space; more often than not they would say something like, “Well, you have a good attitude.” Once they saw the space, they were like, “Wow, this looks great!” I am a Professional Organizer in addition to my primary job which is caring for my son who requires round the clock care. It is funny however, that after having lived here for almost three months, I’d never go back to the larger space even if you paid me extra! Living small is so easy: easy to clean, easy to deep clean, reduced utility bills, etc. And it feels more green knowing I’m using less all around.
What I loved most about your post was your comment about “choosing less” after having lived with more space. Great post!
LOVE this post! We lived in a 300 sq. ft. apartment when we first got married. You could stand in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom all at the same time.
We still live in a small house with 2 kids and I love it. 
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing! My husband, my daughter, and I spent the first half of our summer living on a 29 foot sailboat, instead of our 1100 square foot house. In that small space, we only had room for things we used and enjoyed. There were no unused possessions to clean around. In fact, housework took 5 minutes every morning! We were able to enjoy each other, and spend time on things that mattered to us. Yes, my daughter had very few toys with her, but somehow she was happier than she is at home, surrounded by toys. It was a wonderful time, and we plan on spending our entire summer there next year. Until then, we have done some serious decluttering at home, in the hopes of enjoying such a minimalist lifestyle year round.
Great post – thanks for the reminders! I’ll be doing a linkback on my blog for sure! We have two children and a 750 sq ft house. I love living in a small home for all the reasons described. My issue? How are you frugal and self-reliant in a small home? Meaning – how do you stock up on food when it’s on sale, or start stock piling hand-me-down clothes in the next size for when your little one gets bigger? Any creative ideas for making smaller spaces work for these situations?
having lived in small homes my entire life, i am so thankful to now have a 3,300 square foot home for our family of 7. yes more to clean, but also more to decorate, which is a passion of mine.
Perfect timing for your post. Our house in the states in 2500 sq. feet and on Sept 1 we are moving into a 2 bedroom apartment outside of London. Combing through every inch in our house, I donated an entire car full of extra stuff we really don’t need. I’m so excited to downsize and spend more time with my two girls and less time cleaning a big space!
I live in a 900 square foot home with my two boys ages 13 and 8. I also watch daycare kids here and have a 70 lb.dog. It works. I love our home (would like a closet though.) I recently posted on my blog about my small room (10’5″ x 6’6′.) http://strivingtoliveeachdayhisway.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-bedroom.html check out my post.
If I were to rebuild my house (it needs some owrk) I would want almost same size, just would put my room upstairs instead of downstairs.
I enjoy reading your blog!
Love, love, love this post! I live in an 8 by 32 travel trailer with my husband and 3 year old daughter. We’ve lived here a year and will probably be here about one more year. I agree that there are a lot of positives to living in a small space. And I would add to it that it’s also cheaper. Not just the upfront cost, but less to cool and heat.
Thanks for the great post!
My grandma always said, “Love grows best in small places.”
Thanks so much for this post Emily! My husband and I moved once a year for the first five of our marriage. That, combined with having to clean out his grandma’s apartment when she went into an assisted living facility, showed us that tons of “stuff” is actually a curse. What happens when we leave this life? Someone is going to have to deal with our possessions, and more likely than not, in their eyes most of it will be junk to throw away or donate. Now at 11 years of marriage, my husband and I laugh at the thought that a thief would be incredibly disappointed if he broke into OUR home.
It is tough sometimes when I get “stuffitis” after being in someone else’s home – - my house isn’t as nicely decorated as theirs, our lawn is more weeds than grass (neatly trimmed weeds, mind you), I wear the same black skirt to church almost every other Sunday, we’re still working on paying our debt off, we live in a singlewide… But God is so good and we have so much compared to so many! And if we didn’t live so simply, how many might have missed a blessing as we’ve allowed our abundance to flow through us instead of hoarding it up.
I’m certainly no stranger to small living– I’ve lived in small mobile homes and small houses. The house I have now is a whopping 1300 sq ft.– and sadly has become over stuffed! We are married 28 years and have lived here for 16 years. The things we own have been shuffled to make room for more and to fit here.
Before moving here– we moved often. For 16 years we moved on average every 2 to 4 years. Moving that much was foreign to me; as I grew up in one place most my life. My husbands family moved a lot. I dreaded moving. The up side was ~ I was able to get rid of so much. They say a ‘rolling stone gathers no moss’. Well, this old rock has settled down and am working desperately to get rid of the muck! It’s like I’m married (certainly a slave to) my stuff!
I’m learning to be content finally in this house– but have come to terms with the idea that there is much that needs to be handed on to someone that can use it. I’m sure the contentment will continue to well up in me as I make it a practice to bless others with the extras!
The only other alternative would be to move to a much smaller place– ! that just ain’t gonna happen.
Thanks for posting this message- it is a good word for me today!
Pat
Just a few weeks ago I made a big move overseas. When I got here I learned I will be living in a small 3 bedroom apartment. flat. It was very hard, and at times still is, for me to get my mind around. The Lord has called me here to serve with a missions agency…I love my work. Just coming form the states gave me a picture of what is “normal”. From day one here, I can see that nothing is normal but rather everything is beautiful in His divine structure.
A week into my new little place I can see what you mean about the blessings of a small home. Thank you for sharing what you have learned because it really helped me put words to my feels. May everyone’s home, big or small, be filled with the LOVE of the Lord.
Great post and so true! Simplicity is a gift. Thanks for sharing!
Great post…God must really be trying to get it through my head that I need to be content because my pastor shared that very passage in 1 Timothy tonight…. I felt so convicted I scribbled it on a note card during service….then, I check my e-mail and here it is again!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post! Amen to every reason you listed. I live in North Dallas, where everybody is trying to keep up with the Joneses…even many Christians. And it’s so sad to me that they work so hard to live in the “right” neighborhood, have the “right” granite countertops (in the humongo 3,000 sf home!) drive the “right” cars, wear the “right” clothes (brand-new full price designer stuf) send their kiddos to the “right” private school and are eyeball deep in debt. I’ll take my tiny home, old neighborhood, laminate countertops, paid off car, Goodwill clothes, and no debt life over that any day! ANY DAY!
If anyone hasn’t seen http://www.apartmenttherapy.com, go there now. It’s a wonderful source full of tools on living simply. I come away inspired everytime I visit there.
Thanks for this post! God has given us the opportunity to finally possibly become first time homebuyers, which means we’ll have to settle for something small because we live in Los Angeles and our budget is pretty low.
I concur! My hubby decided to move into a manufactured home community (trailer park) as our first home… I knew the Lord was leading him in that direction, and I needed to submit. However, I cried and cried on my way back from our honeymoon. Now after almost three years of marriage, I am absolutely attached to this little single-wide, and so many blessings came with this little package. I love all the practical advantages of a smaller home, but being less attached to earthly things is most rewarding. My husband often reminds me that this world is not my home… our real home is in heaven with Jesus where all of this stuff will all be burned up in smoke…
Thanks for posting this! We live in a small 2 bdrm. apartment with a toddler and another baby on the way. I have struggled in the past to feel content in this situation because all of our friends with kids live in houses. BUT, I am glad and thankful to have less to clean. less clutter, and to be forced to be closer with my family in our living space. I have more time to focus on important things rather than obsessing about stuff. Plus, we are living below our means, which is good. When I think about families around the world and how they live, I rest assured that my family is totally blessed with a lot and that most people have less than we do. Also, in many countries, it is the norm for families to live in small apartments.
Thank you so much for this post! It was very timely for me because I tend to really struggle with being content in our tiny 500 sq ft apartment with a baby. It’s the only place my husband and I have lived since getting married. So I tend to see the homes other friends have who are our age and become jealous. However, I am so incredibly grateful that living in a small place enables me to stay home with our daughter while my husband works and attends seminary.
What a wonderful post. I am truly trying to simplify my home and have re-vamped my “Cleaning Box” for the fall. After the closet purging and several trips to Goodwill – the cleaning has become easier with this box in my lift.
Check it out / “Cleaning Box.” http://[email protected]
Have a wonderful day!
Alison
Great timing on this post. I was just thinking the other day how glad I am to have a small home – for all the reasons you’ve listed above. It’s nice to have that affirmed.
I have often felt that twinge of jealousy when many of my friends are buying houses in America. Since houses are cheaper there than here in Australia, there’s a part of me that thinks that I’m missing out on a blessing by being over here. I am reminded often, though, that God’s plan for each of us is uniquely crafted for our benefits, and there’s a reason that I am where I am when I am. I love this post, because it’s so important that we do think of the positive side of things, and when we do that, often we end up preferring what we have. I prefer my small rental home, too. It’s cute, quaint, and beautiful. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I needed to read this today. Thank you
I love your post. My husband and I are looking for a home and I want something smaller than the average around here for many of the reasons you list. We just moved across the country from an itty bitty apartment and are renting a larger one. But, surprisingly, I miss the cozy feeling of our last place and hope that by buying a smaller home, we can really make it warm and give it character. All the empty, unused space in our apartment now just seems silly. We do hope to get a large amount of land though. We’re a bit obsessed with gardening.
Less is definitely more, as they say. Too much stuff and too big a house becomes a burden and time away from better things. I’m with you on this.
The best advice I was given as a newlywed was to only buy a home which you can afford to pay for on one income. You never know when someone may lose a job, get sick, etc.
This is right where I am at right now! 3 months ago we moved into the smallest home that we’ve lived in since we were newlyweds 11 years ago. When we signed the lease I felt dread in my heart. I thought there was no way we would fit in this little space. I did get rid of lots of “stuff” and we fit in just fine! I’m as happy here as I’ve been anywhere and I feel like God has slowly but surely brought me to a place of contentment with less. I’m very thankful for this! I’m sure that we will eventually move to a slightly larger place but I no longer feel the desire to own a big house. All of your points are so true! Thanks for this post!
This is very difficult for me…and very necessary for me to hear. Thanks.
This post is so timely! I love it!
This is so very true. I also am constantly trying to get rid of the excess…we live in a fairly small home and I don’t like the attitude I see around me that seems so very prevalent which is to acquire more and more…fill up every last space with “stuff”. An above commenter said that when we have more we simply want to keep acquiring more and I believe that totally. I also find the opposite though, once we begin to get rid of things, even though it can be initially hard, the more we let go of, the easier it gets until it reaches a point where your possessions no longer own you or have any claim on you.
Great post!
Emily!! This is such perfect timing … my husband recently accepted an offer for a much better job that comes with slightly less pay (for the first few months anyway). And so dies my dream of moving into a bigger space this fall …
But I’ve been having these same thoughts and having to “settle” for our tiny apartment is actually forcing me to think more creatively about the space we have. I’m also determined to actually “nest” in this house and make it a home … I’ve moved almost once a year since I was 18 and the idea of needing to pick up and move on is such a habit with me that I haven’t invested any time or energy into creating at a truly cozy atmosphere in my home. I still have concerns … “what about the cost of decorating?? what if we have another child?? how will we all fit in this itty bitty space???” LOL, but I know it all work out somehow!
Thanks for this Emily! I, too, assumed that I would want a large house when I got married, and especially when we started a family. But on my husband’s salary, that really wouldn’t be possible in our expensive city! So now I’ve started looking at it as an adventure, and now as a blessing, to live in a small space. My sister-in-law Dani is the queen of simplistic, uncluttered, small-space living, and I have really looked to her for inspiration to be content without all the things my other sisters-in-law have!
Amen! Whenever we visit families with large houses, I always have that “Thank heavens, I don’t have to clean this!” moment.
We are very blessed to have a home to live in that doesn’t (usually!) leak, stays warm, and is paid for! Who would’ve thought less than 400 sq ft would be so blissful! 
We have a small home too and I prefer it (although I do sometimes struggle with finding a place for everything).
I hadn’t thought of the “less chasing” benefit! How true that is. I also love how quickly I can take inventory of where everyone is and what they are doing. It gives me peace of mind.
I needed to hear this. Thank you.
My husband and I currently rent my parent’s 2300 sq. ft. home, and even though there are some benefits to the space, I agree that it is way too burdensome to clean! I have three kids, age 2, 1, and 3 weeks, and the stairs are a nightmare! If I have to do something upstairs, I either have to take all the kiddos with me, wait until naptime, or leave them out of earshot. My husband and I are moving out of state in the next 3 weeks (He goes to find us a house this weekend!!!), and I keep telling him, “Smaller, smaller, smaller…with a functional backyard space!” The sad thing is, when I tell people we want a smaller space, they all say, “No you don’t! You’ll regret it!” Even Christians say this to me, often after I explain my reasons! I struggle with contentment, but this moving experience is slowly teaching me to let go of things, re-purpose, and evaluate every purchase. I want to spend more time with my children and less time cleaning. I want my family to live with a purpose and not fill our lives with things that won’t last. I want my home to be filled with things I love, not things I need to fill the empty spaces. And I want it all to be as functional as possible so my husband and my kids can focus less on the temporal and more on the eternal. I am forwarding your post to my husband as he leaves today and will start house-hunting! Thank you for a timely post and a wonderful reminder of what is important!
Oh, how true! We have 3 children ages 6,4 and 1 and we live with my parents in a huge 2 story home. It is exhausting!! I tell my husband everyday that when we get our own home it will be a ranch with just one living room. I clean everything since we live here for free and everyone else works and dusting and vacuuming this house takes hours. I will never ever complain about living in a small space again and I will never whine about wanting more furniture. : ) Thank you for this very accurate post.
We too are living with my inlaws in their basement. This house is HUGE and I clean it as well, bc we are living here for free and everyone else works/volunteers during the day. We moved in here after selling our “starter home” and have been looking for our next home ever since (almost a year!). When we first started looking at homes we were looking for something bigger than our last place, but now a year later we have decided that smaller is better for us. We are purchasing a townhome that faces a lake with a huge greenbelt in front. Everyone thinks we are crazy for “downsizing” when our family is growing, but my husband and I know it is best for our family. Not only will it be less of a financial burden to carry, but it also give us more time to be with friends and family. We won’t be spending our nights and weekends doing yardwork, cleaning, and maintaining a huge home. It will also force us to keep things simple. I am excited to get out of this huge house and simplify, although grateful for the free place to live in the meantime
What a timely reminder for me. I keep peeling this ‘stuff’ off our life, but over time it gets all encrusted with it again! Too much stuff typically makes us want MORE stuff (isn’t that weird?), and having less room to keep things is a big part of the solution. My mantra of late, when I find myself wishing for ‘things’, has been “GOD is my portion. And he is enough.”
great mantra!
Ahh..what a true post!I’m from Europe and grew up in a 2 bedroom apartment, Now here in the States we currently live in an apartment as well. There are many advantages of having a small home. Important is to be content with what God has given me..may it be a small apartment or bigger house.I just want Christ to be Lord in whatever home i have.
How timely! I attended a lovely baby shower last night at one of the largest homes in our city…and all my sister-in-law and I could think was “Wow, I’m so glad I don’t have to clean this!” and just how hollow and empty it would be once we all left (only TWO people live there!).
Your points are SO great! I’d also add that living in a smaller home requiring less money spent leaves you with more money to give and doesn’t really hamper hospitality. We still have friends and family over all the time…though it’s a bit tight!
We have lived everywhere in between in the last 15 years. We purchased our first home (a foreclosure- good for young start-ups!) when I was 20. Then had the huge 4100 sq. ft. monster of a house, then apartment (w/4 kids), then a rent house, then our ‘normal’ home in the country. We much prefer having less space inside. Whether we have our own 70 acres to roam or the gorgeous park across the street from our apartment, I would must rather have my livingroom out there than a huge one to vacuum inside! Granted, it’s nice to have an entire hall closet dedicated to toilet paper, but is that really the only way to store it? lol
I have been married for almost 13 years. We have 4 children 7, 5, 3, 7 mns. We have had a large home for most of our married life. We are in the process of moving and changing jobs and will be moving more often and living in smaller homes/ apartments! This is so true what you have written! I find that I am a much sweeter mommy when I don’t have piles of “stuff” staring at me to put away! I have been convicted of this for sometime but didn’t realize how this was controlling our lives until we tried to move! Oh the things we keep! Thank you for sharing!
I completed agree.