When most people add another kid to their family, they think about whether they need more space. But we are so grateful that we had the opportunity to move into a smaller space!
When Emily was born, we were living in a 850 square foot 2 bedroom duplex. Most American families would consider that living small for a family of four. But when we moved into the camper when she was 5 months old, we downsized to less than 300 square feet. And we love it!
A family of four, with two kids under two, living in less than 300 square feet and loving it? Yes! Here are a few of the many reasons why:
- I had to learn to say no!- I so appreciate when people want to give our kids things that it is hard for me to say no. But having a very limited space has forced me to get much better at that.
- We have to live simply- Call it forced minimalism or downsizing, we had to learn to prioritize what we really needed and wanted. And in doing so, we realized we don’t really need as much as thought we did. Read: less baby stuff!
- Watching two small kids in less space is easier- It is so much easier to keep an eye on two moving kids when there isn’t far for them to go. Trust me, they still have plenty of room to run. But I can be making our bed or dinner and still keep an eye on what they are getting into.
- It gives us plenty of opportunities to spend time together as a family- This is my top reason why I love living small with small kids! Since the majority of our days are spent in one room together, we have a lot of time together. I love knowing that during a time in our kids’ lives when they are learning and growing so much, we are right there present with them.
Living small with young kids is not without its challenges. But for our family, it has been so worth it.