We Have Lived in Under 500 Square Feet for 5 Years.
5 years ago we sold our house on the west side of Grand Rapids and moved into a 500 sq ft apartment in downtown Grand Rapids. We stayed 3 years and learned we loved the minimalist lifestyle and the simplicity it provides.
2 years ago we purchased a condo in Heritage Hill and renovated a 475 sq ft studio.
After a year in our condo, miraculous we were given the gift of our son Bruce and now we’ve been a family of 3 in 475 sq ft for over 8 months.
After 5 years of 500 sq ft lifestyle, we spent some time thinking about what we have learned.
We came up with many insights and thought we would share them with you in hopes it will help you as you think about your future life.
1) The stuff that surrounds you in your home should mean something (a memory of a person, place or event).
We have realized that the things we had in our home before going small just kind of ended up in our home. We did not ask the question, “What purpose will this have in my home? Will it just take up space or will it provide me a great memory?”
For us, photos, books and small memory gifts we pick up during our travels are what go into our home.
2) Your things should serve your life, you shouldn’t live to serve them (time cleaning, yard work, etc)
Rather than spending your limited time on things you don’t like to do, invest that time on things you do love to do.
For us, that’s investing time with our son Bruce.
3) A smaller home means we can spend our money on our priorities (as it should be)
For us, priorities include faith, family, food, travel & adventure.
4) No debt = freedom from worry
Because we chose to downsize, we got rid of all the debt in our lives. That has allowed removed the worry about money in so many ways.
5) Even without a yard, the outside world is your playground
We walk, enjoy parks and explore the city as part of our outdoor experience.
6) Location, Location, Location
Pick where you want to live and go small. This has allowed us to live in a neighborhood we WANTED rather than buying big somewhere we didn’t want to be.
7) Your view is super important
We have learned that waking up to a great view is a wonderful way to start the day. This is our current view.
8) Editing your closet relieves stress
We now have what we’ve called “The Firefighter’s Closet”. When a firefighter has to go to work they have the same uniform ready to go. They don’t have to think about it. They just put on what has been prepared ahead of time.
Our closets are now full of clothes that match regardless of what we choose. Pants, shirts, shoes all match and if they are clean, we can mix and match however we’d like. That means we don’t have to worry about “what to wear” to the office or just outside.
9) A Tiny Home can bring you closer as a family
Our relationship as a couple has become better.
A small space has forced us to communicate better and make sure we are on the same page whether it’s work or personal time.
10) Focus on the amenities you NEED to make your life happy
Select a home based around the amenities that make your life happy. For us, having a great kitchen was important but we didn’t need to have 18 cabinets to keep our stuff in.
11) Tiny allows for expensive fixtures at a fraction of the cost
Having less space means you can spend more on the things you will touch and feel on a daily basis. For us, sink fixtures were important and Rebecca chose well!
12) People are like goldfish, their stuff grows to fill the space they have
We have learned through our experience that the more space we have, the more stuff we accumulate. It’s like a goldfish growing to fit the size of the environment it lives in. The larger the space, the larger the fish can get.
13) Having too much space is an American idea
We have lived in small spaces in both Europe and the US. In Germany and Spain we lived in what would equal our studio space today. In the US our first apartment in college was a 400 sq ft 1 bedroom where everything was small.
Only in America can we think that having a 1 acre lot and a 3000 sq ft home on a cul-de-sac in a private, gated community is “normal”.
14) One space can fill multiple needs
The island in our condo serves as our: prep space, dining space, storage space and fridge/freezer space.
When you’re sleeping you usually don’t eat and when you’re eating you don’t usually sleep, so your sleeping and eating space can be one in the same
15) Going vertical saves you floor space
We found that high ceilings help us get things off the floor and out of shelves or cases. For us books are important and we created a bookshelf using the vertical space around the room.
Hopefully this list of things we’ve learned will help you and your family in some way.
If you’d like to chat about the minimalist lifestyle, tiny homes, city living or would simply like to reach out, we would love to hear from you!