Small Spaces

When Nick and I were first married, I spent a good deal of time drawing up numerous "dream homes." I didn't think much about conserving space, but rather drew houses with a variety of different rooms for different desired functions: such as a craft room, a home gym and such, in addition to the typical bedroom, kitchen, living room, and so forth. They had basements, they had third stories. Point being, they were BIG houses. Hey, if you're going to dream, why not dream big, right?

With time, though, tempered by experience and a very limited budget, lately my "house plans" have become smaller and smaller. Now, it is an exciting challenge for me to try to design the smallest possible home which would still be safe and up to code, and efficient for our family-- and which we could also actually afford. And far from feeling deprived of my initial big "dream homes," I have absolutely fallen in love with the idea of "living small."

If someone came up to me tomorrow and offered me an affordable (for us) 1500-2000 square foot home, I'd turn it down immediately. What would I do with that much space? I'd just fill it up with junk, and I'd have to work harder to keep it clean, and don't even get me started on maintenance of the structure.

Currently, my family and I are living in a condo with 700-720 square feet of living space. And with three small children, yes, it does feel small at times. Less so in the summer, moreso in the winter. But the secret of living in a small space is to take advantage of the vertical space, and that is something we have only been able to partially do so far. But, we're making slow progress.

When we first bought this place (shortly before the market crash), we figured we'd live in it for a few years, then sell it and use the equity to qualify for a loan on an actual house. As it's turned out, we have now been here for over four years, and the end is still not it sight. And while I used to often say, "I can't wait to get out of this place," now I'm beginning to ask myself, "Why leave?"

Pros of living where we live:

*cheaper electric/heating bill
*We are responsible for no external maintenance (except to keep the area in front of our unit looking presentable) or yard maintenance as it is covered by Association Dues
*We are within walking distance of 2-3 parks, a mall, the library, farmers' markets, a mini market, our chiropractor, a gym, G's elementary school, and many downtown shops including second-hand stores, not to mention other places yet to be discovered as the kids grow older
*It's a solid structure, safe, and sanitary
*We like (most of) our neighbors
*G and Z love having playmates right next door in the same building
*There is a large lawn right in front of our unit for the boys to play on, and I can see most of it out my kitchen window
*I love being downtown, participating in all this city has to offer; while at the same time the peace and tranquility of nature is only a short drive away
*A monthly mortgage payment lower than most stand-alone houses, and cheaper than rent

Cons:

*Less privacy than if we lived in a separate house
*There is not a fenced-in yard for the kids to play in (though we're possibly fixing that in the next little while)
*Occasionally noisy neighbors; and occasionally nosy neighbors
*Lack of sufficient outdoor storage space for stuff like strollers and bicycles
*The washer and dryer are in the kitchen, which I personally find a little annoying (not to mention potentially unsanitary)

Umm, that's about it. I don't even consider "small living space" to be a con anymore. Rather, it's simply a challenge that-- with a little ingenuity and funding-- can be easily conquered.

In trying to research the codes/laws for living space per person in the US, I've gathered that each person (if I've found the right information) is required at least 100 square feet of living space. That means Nick and I could add one more person (child) to our family and still be meeting safety codes. As for what the condo association would say, that's another matter, and certainly needs more looking into before we get ourselves into trouble there.

Just a few days ago, I finished drawing up a house plan for a family of 5-6, with around 900 square feet of living space. This was an enjoyable exercise for me, and I still like the finished product. But then, I started thinking about ways to fix up the place we already have to accommodate our family and it is amazingly doable, and by far the most economical option in every way.

And we are all about economy...