Homes- Is Bigger Always Better?

Recently, I went on a lovely vacation to Costa Rica with my family. Costa Rica is a wonderful country with gorgeous beaches & rainforests, coffee that puts Starbucks to shame, & friendly people that love to recommend the best local restaurants. During all of my exploring, I noticed many Costa Ricans lived in very small, brightly colored homes. I kept wondering how they could live in such a small space, but this made me realize that we Americans might have bigger homes & more space than we actually need.

             When looking for a new home, the larger than life house with a huge kitchen might seem like the way to go, but there are benefits to having a smaller home. For one, your utility bills won’t be nearly as expensive. Winter & summer months can be brutal on a large home’s electricity & water bills, but with a smaller home you can devise ways to keep everyone comfortable & safe without breaking the bank; try heating or cooling your home only when there are people at home, & conserve water by updating your faucets on a regular basis. This may sound silly, but another benefit to having a smaller home means there will be fewer rooms you will need to furnish. Nothing feels stranger than a ginormous house that is completely empty because you cannot afford the furniture to fill it; with a small home, there are plenty of ways to decorate that will save space & make your home feel cozy.

             Being creative when decorating a smaller home is a must. Step one in this process will always be organize, organize, organize. Getting rid of the clutter, selling or donating unused items, & cleaning will immediately make your home feel bigger. Try dividing rooms using silk screens or curtains, or build a desk into a closet & remove the doors to make a place to do your work. The kitchen & dining room don’t need to be in separate rooms, so try using counter space for a bar seating area. The living room can feel cramped with books, toys, & movies, so why not check out creative ways to store your belongings; do it yourself by building shelves into the walls, or look into sofas or ottomans that have storage spaces below them. Paint your home in brighter colors, as darker colors might make smaller spaces seem like a cave. In no time, your humble abode will start to feel like a castle.

             Many Costa Ricans live their life by the motto Pura vida, & it’s their way of saying, “Live life to the fullest!” Having the biggest house on the block might have its perks, but it won’t come with a guarantee for a happy, full life.  

Whether you want to buy a large or small home...I'm always here to help....

Ellen Moyer, RE/MAX Allegiance     www.ellenmoyer.com