Why Small Homes Rock!

If you live (or have lived) in a cramped condo, a bitty bungalow, or a tiny townhouse, I think you will relate to today's post, because today I am talking about why our small homes rock! What's that you say? A big home is supposed to be everyone's dream? Not true! There are many benefits to living in a small home and I think that those of us who live on the small side are truly a bunch of smart cookies for realizing this.

1. They Cost Less
Tiny homes generally cost less to buy/rent than a larger homes (crazy how that happens!). Not only that, they cost less in electricity and gas, they have lower maintenance fees, and generally lower repair costs (For instance, replacing a roof on a teeny house costs less than a McMansion!). That means extra money in your pocket for fun things- like travel, shopping, entertainment! And boring things like saving. Can't forget that!
 
2. Easier to Clean
Hello! Ain't nobody got time for cleaning their home! I think only 1% of the population enjoys cleaning, so the other 99% of us enjoy small homes (unless you are rich and can pay for a maid- then all power to ya). I have only 400 square feet of floor to clean up, one bathroom to clean, one bed to make- it is pretty sweet. Heck, even when I take out the garbage I have less to take out! This frees up my time for the traveling, shopping, and entertainment I mentioned in point 1.
 
3. Minimalist Living
When you live in a tiny home, you really can't drag home every awesome piece of furniture you find on Craigslist. I mean, sometimes it sucks because you just know that hutch is a steal, but at the same time you know you have no where to put it. Same goes for all the cute tchotchkes you see at HomeSense. You are kind of forced into a minimalist life because you simply don't have the space for everything you would otherwise get. 

However, I will note here that I really need to purge this crazy condo. I think every drawer is bursting! Still, when it comes to moving I can probably rent a pretty small truck. Fun story- when I moved in here I moved in in ONE elevator trip. Yup, I owned nothing back then! 

4. Easier to Decorate
You might think- "Hey Casey! Small homes are so constrained in their choices of decorating! How is it easier?". Well for one, painting my entire condo only took me a few hours. Imagine painting a whole house! And when it comes to furniture you can eliminate a lot of options very quickly for being the wrong size. Less choices is an easier choice for me! Plus one piece can have a bigger impact in a small room than a large room. It is also a lot cheaper to renovate a tiny kitchen or bathroom, so you have the option for higher end materials that you might not to able to entertain in a big home.
  
5. Bring People Closer
I grew up in small homes, a bungalow and a semi-detached. There wasn't a lot of room to avoid each other, so a lot of time was spent watching TV together, playing board games, and eating together. My family was very close and I have to think that the small house had to do with that. You are just around each other a lot and that makes you talk and share! I did have my room if I needed my own space, but other wise we hung out together.

Now as an adult, I often have friends over. While I clearly cannot host 200 people, I can have a handful of great people over and conversation just flows when you have no where to hide. :)

So there you go- my top 5 reasons for loving my little home. I certainly won't be here forever, but I don't see myself moving into a behemoth of a house any time soon!