Take a trip back in time with me to 1950.

Harry S. Truman was the President and the average size of a home in America was 983 square feet.

Fun fact, according the U.S. Census, that was almost 200 square feet smaller than the previous 3 decades before 1950.

The size of the average house increased about 150 square feet between 1920 and 1940. (More on why that’s important in a minute.)

Jump in the time machine with me to 1970, where the average size house was 1500 square feet. That’s decent.

Fast forward another 30 years and in 2000, the average size U.S. home was 2266 square feet. That’s an increase of 766 square feet in those consecutive 30 years.

For context, that’s almost 4 times larger than the meager 200 square foot increase from 1920 to 1950.

Put another way, that’s like adding a small bedroom vs. adding an additional small house to the average house of that time.

Here’s the kicker, from 2000 to 2015, a mere 15 years, the average home size increased again from 2266 to 2700 square feet. That’s an additional 434 square feet in half the time. Wowzers!

Let’s compare the average size house from 1950 vs. 2015, 983 vs. 2700 square feet: that’s an additional 1717 square feet! A generous sized home size, wouldn’t you agree?

Okay Helwig, what’s your point?

My point is, even though there’s been a slight decrease in the average home size in the last 5 years: it fell to 2464 square feet in 2019, we’re still, mostly, livin’ large in the U.S.

So you want to buy a home. Do you know how much you can afford?

Check out today's rates by state, from Money.com

View Today’s Rates

That begs the question, why?

If you’re middle aged, like me, your grandparents were likely that post WW2 generation raising their families in homes that were under 1000 square feet.

And that means, our parents, the baby boomers, were likely sharing bedrooms and fighting over elbow room with their siblings until adulthood.

Was it tough?

It probably wasn’t ideal 24/7 but I can tell you that both of my parents had 3 and 4 siblings each and my aunts and uncles are still as close as they ever were.

If you asked any of them, I’ll bet they’ll agree that growing up in small houses didn’t scar them for life!

Sure, I’ve heard the territory disputes, but they’re all fairly well adjusted folks!

They also didn’t have the crates of video games, clothes to outfit an army or miscellaneous “stuff” that takes up space for no legitimate reason.

And, if you got back in that time machine and asked them, they’d probably laugh at the notion of “game rooms”, “man caves”, or “dressing rooms.”

Yes indeed, more stuff equals more space.

I promise I’ll get off my Marie Kondo high horse in a minute…

No matter how you crack it, more stuff is why we have bigger homes.

It’s not because there are more people.

The baby boomers typically had smaller families.

Most of my friends have 1 or 2 siblings and many of them also have 1 or 2 children themselves.

I’ll bet you have similar demographics in your circles too, right?

But, if you have 4 people in a house, that’s 4 individuals with hobbies, interests, tech, and all the paraphernalia that comes with them.

So, do you think it’s comfortable for a family of 4 to live in 1200 square feet or less?

I love small houses and think that they’re charming and cozy.

If you think yours is cramped and crowded, That’s legitimate. However, in the following, I’ll attempt to open your mind a bit.

Don’t get a storage locker for all your extras or ship one of the kids off to grandma’s until college.

Here’s my Top 7 pros and cons about living in a small house.

The Pros

Less Expensive

It’s accurate to say that a smaller home costs less than a larger home.

Simply put, more space equates to more money. More house, more land will dip into your pockets more. (How many times can I type more?)

A smaller home usually also means a smaller mortgage.

Dual income families can pay down a mortgage bill faster if they choose, which translates to ownership equity sooner than those with larger homes.

Flip that and also understand that you get more bang for your buck with a smaller home.

You can go higher end on things like counter tops, appliances and finishes because it will be less expensive than outfitting a larger space with the same expensive finishes.

More Energy Efficient

Overall, unless you have structural issues, smaller homes are less expensive to heat and cool.

Big rooms, high ceilings, large attics with old insulation… All are heat and air loss issues that most small homes won’t incur.

Easier to Sell

Because they don’t take as much cash to maintain, and because they are ideal for older people, empty nesters or people with mobility challenges, small houses are very attractive.

When you’re at the point that you want to sell your small home, there will be savvy home shoppers galore because people know that they’ll have a lower down payment and probably won’t have to contend with private mortgage insurance.

And, honestly, when a shopper is in the market for a smaller home, they’ve done their research and they’ll usually reach a decision to make a move sooner.

Easier to Buy

I love watching all the HGTV shows. Not because they’re so original. I actually think they’re rather formulaic.

Most of the shows on HGTV revolve around a fix up that you can buy or sell.

Even more to the point, they’re usually feature families with WAY too much stuff. They think they need more room and they want the magic designer fairy to swoop in and make their “too small” catch all home attractive so they can sell it in a hot minute.

I spend most of my watching time yelling at the screen… That’s for another post.

Anyway, if HGTV is any indication, people are listing their small homes so fast your head will spin.

To that end, a small home enthusiast is more likely to find a small dream home faster than that family who’s trying the score the Mc Mansion they’re aiming for.

Easy to Clean and Maintain

The time it takes to clean a smaller home is less than the time it takes to clean a big house.

This is where less space is a total benefit.

Tasks like vacuuming the floors, mopping, dusting, disinfecting, etc. can be accomplished is shorter time because there isn’t as many spaces, surfaces or floors to clean up.

You Become Mindful of Accumulation

No need for that extra pair of sofas for the bonus room because there isn’t a bonus room.

You’re more aware of what you need and it’s usually not unnecessary stuff like extra furniture, a fully dedicated guest space, or a “junk” room that seems to grow it’s own clutter.

You have more meaningful possessions instead of filler items.

Instead of having to rack your brain about what type of décor you’re going to put in your game room or guest bathroom, you can instead display things that you truly love and that enriches your life.

Being Close

Family game nights, meals, movie nights. All that is easier, more convenient and completely normalized when you have a small home.

Source: National Cancer Institute, Unsplash

The kids aren’t hold up in the “game room” on the other side of the house and in the basement.

You’re probably able to interact with the kiddos at the kitchen table, cooking tacos on a Tuesday while they’re doing homework 6 feet away.

The Cons

Lack of Privacy

Okay, time to be real. Small houses don’t have tons of places to go to be by yourself.

The bathroom, your bedroom, maybe some outside space…

That’s more than likely where you’ll find alone time.

And, places like the bathroom aren’t great options if you need more than a few minutes to isolate.

Clutter/ Storage

Stuff seems to accumulate quicker. No matter how careful, especially with a small family, stuff is going to pile up.

Having precise and adequate storage for things becomes a priority.

Small spaces are actually fun to organize but sometimes the journey to clutter free can be rough.

Believe me I know it’s a struggle.

But the key is to keep aware of what you have and what you need.

Doubles or triples of things aren’t necessary.

I’ll even go so far as to say that it’s totally liberating to pair down to the things you ACTUALLY need instead of trying to cram everything into the tight storage you have.

Can’t Have Big Parties

So what?

All this means is less dishes, cleaning up and tearing down elaborate spreads…

Boy, I sound like a Scrooge. I’m not.

I love a fancy party and, God willing, we’ll get back to having them again – some day…

But, who wants to plan out a seating chart and be responsible for getting the word out for a large gathering. That’s not a fun time.

Having 3 people stop by for a slice of pizza and a mug of beer, that’s more my speed.

Source:  Quentin Dr, Unsplash — Source: Quentin Dr, Unsplash

And, if larger gatherings are more you style, your friends won’t mind squeezing in shoulder to shoulder, especially if they haven’t been able to hang out for a while.

Overnight Guests

Ah yes, the dedicated guest room scenario.

My guess is that you don’t have one in your small house, right?

This is where you have to put your creativity hat on and get crafty with multi-functional spaces.

Pull out sofas have come a LONG way since the days of that horrible center bar that hit you in just the wrong place. You know what I’m talking about..

If you have a super awesome living room that occasionally doubles as a guest space, you’re in good shape, accommodation wise..

Friends and family won’t mind sacking out in the living room for a night or two.

If they do, give them directions to the nearest motel with a Continental breakfast.. Shade!

No Dedicated Office Space

If you’re working form home, having a place to use as a dedicated office might be a challenge.

Instead of four walls and a door, you might need to borrow some space from an under-utilized corner or a closet where you can close up your work area when not in use.

There’s definitely ways around not having a dedicated workspace.

Here’s some ideas for flex spaces you might be able to utilize in your small house.

Sharing Intimate Space

Here we go again with small house bathrooms.

I’ll bet you have no more than 2 bathrooms if you’re lucky, right?

Some small houses only have one bathroom. That can be rough if you have a family of 4 all trying to occupy the sacred throne.

More to the point, it also means that you should get on repairs as soon as possible.

A leaky sink or fussy toilet can become a serious problem if left unchecked for too long especially if it’s the only facilities in the house.

Can’t Have it All

That brings me to the worn out thought that you need to have it all.

I struggled with adding this to the disadvantages side because I think the benefits of living small far outweigh the drawbacks.

But, if you’re the type of person that feels lack or compares yourself to others who have larger homes, it’s going to be tough.

Holy cow, “keeping up with the Jones’” is a bag of goods that doesn’t mean squat, especially to the Jones family They have other things to think about besides if your house is as big or nice as theirs.

It’s a flawed and broken theory that takes peace and happiness from your life.

And guess what? You’re in control of your thoughts and you don’t have to let that happen, period.

On the flip side, if you can keep an open mind, you’ll see that all the superfluous trappings of a large house aren’t actually necessary at all.

They’re sole purpose is to eat away at your pocketbook and keep you primed for the next “bigger” “better” thing that you don’t need.

That’s the story, 7 pros and cons about living in a small house.

Pros:

Less Expensive
More Energy Efficient
Easier to Sell
Easier to Buy
Easy to Clean and Maintain
You Become Mindful of Accumulation
Being close

Cons:

Lack of Privacy Clutter/ Storage
Can’t Have Big Parties
Overnight Guests
No Dedicated Office Space
Sharing Intimate Space
Can’t Have it All

I’d love to hear your experiences living in smaller homes.

Are you currently living in a cozy little house or are you downsizing into a smaller home?

Just starting to think about it? What’s been keeping you up at night?

Share in the comments below and tell me all about it!

Join the Fun

If you enjoyed this post and you want to keep seeing my weekly blog, the best way to do that is to subscribe.

You can subscribe by downloading my 11 Secrets Only Designers Know to Make Your Space Rock. If you’re curious about how decorators and designers make a home look magazine ready, you’ll love taking a gander at these 11 secrets. You’ll learn how to style your room from the floor up and it will work for ANY space you have.

I write about small space design and decorating, sustainable furniture options, positive self care and a variety of do-it-yourself home décor.

I’d love to connect with you!

“This man is a plant shaman. He not only designs beautiful rooms, he’s got a green thumb that works like magic! My peace palm never looked better.”

— David K.

“Michael Helped me to get my home office in magazine ready form. Thank you a million times for helping me figure this room out. It’s now my favorite room!”

— Dawn Z.

Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.