The word small has a lot to do with perspective.

If you compare our 1200 square foot farmhouse to some homes around the world, it looks like a mansion.

But in America, the land of excess, our 100-year-old home is considered to be quite small, especially for a growing family.

I often can see the question mark on people's faces when they walk into my house for the first time. As they travel through the maze of tiny rooms and pocket doors, I know they are wondering why a young couple with an unknown number of future children would choose to purchase such a small home.

But we did indeed choose it. And here are six reasons why I actually love living in a small home.

1. You accumulate less stuff

Over the last couple of years, I have become increasingly convicted over the amount of stuff that our modern culture believes is necessary to survive. Our society is obsessed with finding ways to collect stuff, and then we spend a crazy amount of time cleaning, caring for, organizing, and rearranging that stuff.

In our small home, there is just enough room to store what we love and need. For example, I have enough cabinet space in my kitchen to store my best cooking tools, but not much room for additional sets of dishes or pots. But do I really need those extra dishes anyway? Probably not.

I have found that an incredible sense of freedom comes with de-cluttering your life. Plus, it's much harder to lose items in a small house.

2. It's easier to clean

I have less floor space to vacuum and mop, fewer counter tops to wipe, and only one toilet to scrub. This allows me to focus more on the quality of my cleaning, versus racing from room to room just trying to keep up with it all.

3. It supports a more frugal lifestyle

Not only does a small home encourage frugality by keeping the "stuff buying" to a minimum, it is also less expensive to maintain. Our property taxes are cheaper, our heating/cooling bills are less, and our electric bill is smaller than most. As a single-income family in a turbulent economy, this aspect of small house living is very appealing to us.

4. It's easier to decorate

I've always imagined what it would be like to live in one of those massive houses with vaulted ceilings and sweeping rooms. But when I start thinking about trying to decorate one of those homes, I break out in a cold sweat! :) I know many of you ladies are incredibly talented at decorating your beautiful homes, and I so admire you for that! However, my sense of style is a little different from most. I prefer adorning my home with rusty old treasures and re-purposed yard sale finds. The quaint little rooms of my farmhouse allow me to showcase my eclectic sense of style just perfectly.

5. Small houses have a cozy charm

There is nothing I love more than lighting a few candles, grabbing a cup of hot tea, and curling up with my family in our cozy little living room to watch a movie during one of our wintry nights out here on the prairie.

6. It has taught me creativity

I can say without a doubt, that living in our small home has taught me to think outside of the box more than any other experience ever has. I have learned that if I apply a little creativity to the situation, I usually can find a way to make most any idea work. If you are living in a small home, I encourage you to avoid telling yourself you "can't" do something. Rather, keep turning it around in your mind until a solution presents itself. You can literally add square footage to your home simply by thinking outside of the box.

Of course, living in a large home does not mean you will be messy, cluttered, or uncreative. I know that many of you have big, beautiful homes and you do a wonderful job making them cozy, warm and inviting.

But if you are living in a small house like me, let's seize the opportunity to make our tiny space the best it can be, instead of wishing we had a bigger kitchen or an extra bathroom.

Allow the smallness of your home to bring your family closer together and embrace it!

Be Inspired!

Jill