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Anyone live in a home with 250 square feet per person or less?


Entropymama
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Our family of 6 currently lives in a 1500 square foot house.  We've lived here for the past 10 years, and honestly, I love it!  Yes, it would be nice to have more space, especially an extra room for a homeschool room, but I love the fact that we're all close together!  It can be done, but you have to live simply.  Get rid of clutter and unnecessary items.  If you're gifted in the area of organization (like me!) then you can make it happen! 

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We are a family of 6 in a touch over 2,000 sq ft.   We gave up more inside room because we have barns, land, and livestock. Worth the trade off because I have 2 boys and 2 girls so they can share a room. They will never have a tv in the bedroom so I don't see why having a big one is really needed. I think having a smaller house keeps us closer together :) I have a lot of friends that have smaller houses than us, they are adorable homes and they always welcome more visitors.

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Anything can be done, but I wouldn't do it willingly! 

 

I think we're right around 1800 sq ft, 2 adults, 2 teens. No way could I (happily) add 4 more kids to the mix, or deduct a ton of space. 

 

I'm sure some it is personality and habit. We all like the ability to retreat to private space, and we own a lot of books and craft supplies that we would be sad to part with. 

 

Teens take up more room than littles, ime. They don't have shared 'toys' as they used to, and their interests can take up more space. Yes, they ditch the toys, but dd1's electric piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and amplifier take up even more room! And of course dd2 doesn't share the musical interest, so she has sketchbooks and art supplies and so on. Their clothes are bigger, their shoes are bigger, they are bigger! 

 

I don't know, it just depends. How much do you need the money? Would you have good outdoor space? Could you build a storage shed? I'd be reluctant to buy a house that small, that's for sure. I might rent it. I'd probably look for something in between: smaller but not that small. An older house or one in a certain area might also reduce cost. 

 

We go up to 7 people temporarily once a year when family visits, and I feel like people are everywhere, get me away from the people!!

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2000 sq ft is not that small of a house IMO. I thought you were going to say something under 1000 sq ft for a family of 4. We downsized from about 3200, to about 2200, with a better yard, neighborhood, and storage and it was no big deal at all. We are only a family of 4, but we could easily have a few more kids in this house. Especially when they're young.

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Teens take up more room than littles, ime. They don't have shared 'toys' as they used to, and their interests can take up more space. Yes, they ditch the toys, but dd1's electric piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and amplifier take up even more room! And of course dd2 doesn't share the musical interest, so she has sketchbooks and art supplies and so on. Their clothes are bigger, their shoes are bigger, they are bigger! 

 

 

I remember when we moved here, how we used to line up shoes at the door. Mommy and Daddy's big shoes, little boy light up sneakers, and two pairs of cute little toddler sandals.

 

Now there's an extra pair of stinky man shoes, girl shoes bigger than Mommy's, clunky furry boot things, and the muddy foot coverings of a couple of little boys with disturbingly large feet.

 

Oh, and I remember the sweet little double closet rod for the girls' adorable little outfits.

Which has been replaced by extending a giant shower rod across an entire wall in their tiny room to fit their people-sized clothing.

 

And toddler beds were SOOOO cute!!!

The mammoth sized captains bunks with trundle bed and hidden drawers that takes up 3/4 of the boys' room... not nearly as cute.

 

I have no idea why the unavoidable fact that THEY GET BIGGER never crossed my mind when we bought this place... right before the market crumbled!

 

:huh: :svengo: :nopity: :cursing: :crying: :willy_nilly:

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Yes, we have seven people in a horribly laid out 1200 sq ft house.  The only benefit is the kid's bedroom is huge in this home.  We have 3 twin beds (one with a trundle) and a crib, along with toys, and still have playing room as well in their bedroom (all five share a room).  We need more room, a better layout, storage space...Our ideal is 2000 sq ft.  If the layout is right, I could see 2000 sq ft being a perfect size for our family, possibly with a basement area for a bit extra space if needed as the children grow.

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We have about 900 square feet in our house in the UK - 3 bedrooms, main bathroom, ensuite to master - for 6 people most of the time, and sometimes 7 when my big girl comes home.  It's a little squished, but we manage.  We have too much stuff, and I am constantly trying to declutter and get rid of some of it, but I am a terrible hoarder and I love buying books.. so.. !  Not always very successful in that endeavour.

 

Actually, it's not so much the inside space that gets me, as the pocket handkerchief sized back yard.  Sniff would love more outdoor space.  Playing in the cul-de-sac is ok, but he wants to grow vegetables and there ain't much room for that.  However, I was looking into raised beds and vegetables in pots this winter, so maybe he'll get a little of what he would like this summer if I can persuade DH to build a raised bed or two :)

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It's hard to go from 3000ish to under 2000sf but it can be done. We lived two houses that were 2800/3000sf with huge attics, and two car garages etc. for ten years. Then, we moved to a different state to a house with no garage, no attic, no basement, and 2100sf. I have been decluttering like crazy, but it will take time to get the house organized.

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Thanks for all the input! 

 

To clarify - we'd be looking at buying this place because it's super cheap and in a great location. It's a townhouse, so no yard although there is a shared green space and community pool. Of course, being MN you can only use it 3 weeks out of the year.  :glare:

 

The idea would be to get out of debt and save a bunch of money then move again in 2-3 years, keeping this place as a rental. So it isn't really a permanent thing, but for my 12 year old it sure seems like a long time! 

 

Still no decision but I'm loving hearing about everyone's arrangements!

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Our place is about 1200 sq ft. We are expecting are 4th child. I have my two bio kids living here full time and she and I have joint custody of my stepson so we have 4-5 people living here currently with one more on the way. We'd like to move to a bigger place within the next 6 months but it'll likely not be too much bigger. We'll try to just make it work as we add a new addition to our home.

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I haven't read all the replies, but short answer is - yes, absolutely. 2000 square feet is a huge house for where I live (northern CA).  We have 6 people in 1500 sq feet with 3 bedrooms and we're fine. Its really more about how the house is laid out and how much excess stuff you have than the overall size of your house. With 4 bedrooms, I think you'll be just fine, and since you're fine with de-cluttering, I'd say go for it!

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Our house is 1500 sq ft and at one point we had 4 adults and 3 children living in it. It can be done. It wasn't the most comfortable time in our lives. I would opt for small bedrooms and larger living spaces. And a bathroom schedule for times where everyone needs to get ready at the same time.

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For the past 8 years we have been in 1086sq feet or less.  To save money.  There were only three of us but for the past year there has been 4.  We are finally about to move into a 2400sq foot home.  I am thrilled.

 

How we did it.  

1/2 bath had 3 laundry baskets:Lights Darks and Whites beds stripped every other week.

2 upstairs bedrooms were for sleeping and dressing.  That's it beds and dressers.  

 

Downstairs we had a bedroom set up as a playroom (art supplies in the closet but used in the dining room) & we had the back yard and drive way for bike riding and sidewalk chalk & her own garden.

Livingroom (couch & loveseat & TV Center with doors to shut away the electronics. hope chest as a coffee table for blankets and pillows), diningroom (had our homeschool books in billy bookcases with doors), Kitchen  was that.  The full bath was on the main level so that was awkward but we survived.  

Basement was storage and laundry  At one point I had painted the floor with Garage floor paint & the Cinder block walls white, put up a curtain around the furnace and water heater and put in nice lights.  Then we actually put area carpets and a wood stove in and the space was livable but not "finished." (there was a sump pump too)

 

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I've done it...hated it...and right now we are doing it again (not completely by choice).  I cannot wait to get my family of 7 into a larger space.

 

Half my family is introverted (oldest dd, me, middle ds), The other half is much more extroverted (dh, oldest ds, younger dds).  Add to that intense personalities (especially oldest dd and middle ds)...puberty of those intense personalities...having space for us to hide out to keep our sanity is pretty much a non-negotiable.

 

The house we're moving into is probably about 2500 sq. ft. It really only has 3 bedrooms.  There is enough space on the main floor for a nice sized laundry room, an office, family room, school room, kitchen/informal dining area.  We're re-doing the kitchen (project #1 when we move in), and that will give us a much more workable floor-plan, with ample storage space.  There aren't closets in the bedrooms -- and wardrobes take up a LOT of space -- so we need to make use of vertical space (high ceilings = loft areas, plus platforms to hold wardrobe/dressers...that beds can slide under).  The bedrooms will need to house kids' hobby/toy stuff, because there isn't room in the rest of the house -- and because toy clutter drives me batty).

 

Oh, and we never would have taken this house if not for the ample outdoor storage (roughly 5 1/2 car garage).  The outdoor storage will house my hand-me-down-tubs, what holiday decor we have (which isn't much), dh's workshop, 7 bicycles, pool gear and outdoor furniture in the off-season.  No...we don't have a lot of furniture...it will get swallowed up in this house...and I'm actively working to eliminate about 1000-1500 books (including curricula).  No one has ever accused us of having lots of clutter ;)  

 

And no...being in this cramped space has not given us a greater sense of "togetherness."  Right now we're pretty much all on edge, and getting on one another's nerves (constantly).  I was trying to work yesterday, and had to beg my dh to take *everyone* outside so I could have some peace and quiet to get some work done.  In the 5 hours prior, I was able to write 3/4 of a page...in the 90 minutes they were outside, I finished my project.  (I'd chalk this all up to living in a hotel, except it wasn't much different living in the 1000 sq. ft. basement apartment).  My first house was 1800 square feet, and that would be too small for us as well...and it actually had a pretty nice kitchen, dining area, living room, etc.  

 

Kudos to those of you who can...I'm just not one of you.  

:001_smile:

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We have about 800 square feet finished for our family of 5. Our children all share a room. The third bedroom has our book shelves, my husband's desk, my husband's road bike (on a trainer in the winter), and a small table for legos.

Our room has our bed, one dresser, one teeny night stand. My clothes are in the closet.

Our kids room has one double bed my oldest two share, a dresser they all share, and the toddler sleeps in a pack n play. We will get a bunk bed once he is old enough to safely climb up and down. We will eventually need a solution for them to all have their own bed but they are still little.

Our living room and dining room are all one big room. There is a nice built in cabinet that all of our school stuff goes in. A tv stand that has a large shelf under it (kid books), an armoire that fits all of the toys. One little closet sans door for coats, boots, etc. also dining room table, couch, two chairs. Its wall to wall furniture. But it works. I'd rather have a cheaper payment and be squished than squeezed budget wise. We do have an unfinished basement that has a washer, dryer, a small freezer, our camping stuff, and in between size clothes for our boys. Also, a lot of our land lord's stuff that got left here (which does annoy me).

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We live in a one room house, no bedrooms, 380 sq ft. It is the size of my grandparent's chicken coup, or most people's living room minus a bit. There are three of us, and our Doberman. Initially there were four, but we had to put our 220 pound Mastiff down last year. The house got quite a bit bigger without Moosey in it, but we still miss him. It takes adjusting. You have to learn to talk (I promise you think you talk now, but it isn't the same). You have to learn to have more patience. More than anything, you have to be willing to let go of a scripted life. Nothing you do in a tiny house is normal.

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