The right-sized home

When we were in the market for a home, my very wise Mother gave me some practical advice: To buy the right-sized home for us. She wanted to make sure that we were buying a home that we could afford, of course, but also one that we could take care of without feeling that we were cleaning all the time. We fell in love with our current home and over the years, I've felt like it has exactly enough space for each of us.

Of course, we have taken a lot of effort to define the spaces in our home to ensure that everyone has their own space, and to establish the rules of the shared spaces so that we don't feel crowded. And that may be the key: If your home feels too small, then the everyday stress of life tends to amplify. Also fascinating: Girls tend to want more space than boys. Yeah, I get that.

On a somewhat related side note about spaces in the home: It has always fascinated me that guest bedrooms exist in small homes, and that the room is not being actively used for another purpose. I understand that folks like to entertain, but my brain can't wrap itself around exclusively devoting space in your home to other people who aren't there most of the time. But maybe I just don't have the right mindset for entertaining guests...

My husband and I sometimes talk about what our home will be like when our son moves out and if we would want to continue to stay in the house we have now. Something about the space would definitely feel off and I wonder if our home would seem too big for just two people

In the meantime, I will continue to be thankful for the space that we call home - especially after long days of school and work, where we can reconnect, unwind and choose to spend time together.

Does everyone in your home have their own space? Tell me about it in the comments.