One night, while eating a bowl of ice cream perched on top of my very pregnant belly, I told my husband, “I think our next house should be smaller.”
As one might suspect, he gasped a bit, thinking I was on a fresh pregnancy rant. Who has a baby coming and asks for a smaller house?
With less money going toward our mortgage and all the residual expenses it takes to keep up a larger home, we’ve been able to travel, invest in some hobbies, purchase a car with cash, and contribute more heartily toward our retirement funds. Talk about a worthwhile swap! Lose some square footage and gain all that? Yes, please!
Best of all, the time I have gained by managing less has allowed our family to experience so much more. Now our days are filled with less cleaning and more adventuring, less thought about bills, and more treats here and there.
Sure, my kids don’t have their own rooms, and my desk is tucked in the corner of our bedroom, but the mental space we’ve all gained has made us feel richer than ever. Downsizing has been such a gift.
