Small Strokes Big Oaks

Size was a huge consideration for us when we were looking for a house. Unsure if we would ever want to have children, we wanted to be sure that whatever house we chose was the right size for us. We wanted a house that was big enough to house a growing family, but small enough that it wouldn’t be too much space should we decide that we didn’t want to add children to the mix.

We looked at a lot of huge houses. HUGE. Like 2500 square feet, 3-car garage, finished basement huge. There was just something about those houses that didn’t feel right to us. Sure, they were beautiful, and most of them were state-of-the-art when it came to brand new appliances, hardwood floors, granite countertops, etc. We just weren’t sure we wanted to take on that kind of space. Even with one or two kids, those houses would remain massive, and we were much happier thinking about a cozier space.

Perhaps this was due to the fact that we had lived in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment for two years before buying a house. We had gotten used to not having much space. A big part of us liked not having much space, I think. Learning to live in a smaller space helped us grow closer and learn a lot of things about each other. It also took way less time to clean.

When we moved into the house, it took us a while to adjust. We tried keeping the same chore division as we had when we were living in the apartment, and that didn’t work so well. There was just so much more to do; vacuuming three levels of carpet is a lot harder than two bedrooms, a living room, and a short hallway. We also had to deal with a yard for the first time ever, and we produced more laundry than I’ve ever seen, sweating through this 100+ degree weather that seems hell-bent on staying in Chicagoland forever.

It’s also really weird for me to yell, “Hey, Tim?” into the hallway, only to not receive a response. Usually, I assume he left the house, but he’s almost always in the basement, working on something.

Even though it has been an adjustment, I often sit on our couch in the living room and look around at our space. The second thought after, I love this house! is always, This isn’t too much space at all. From the couch, you can see the entirety of the first level. The basement is a bonus being used as a man cave, and we’re keeping two rooms closed because of lack of furniture, not because we’ll never use them.

But we also have room to grow. Whether that means adding to our family or tackling new pursuits, we’ll have the space to do it.