The first time our daughter drove past the home we just bought, she said, “It’s so small!” I responded, “That’s what you’re going to hear me say every month when I open the electric bill.” 🙂
That was one of our goals. We spent so much money over the years heating and cooling our homes, and we were sick of it. Money is much tighter now than it used to be (at least for us), so who wants to give so much to the utility companies? Not us.
There are other advantages to having a small home. There are fewer rooms to clean. The property taxes are lower than most. (Heck, the price of the home was lower than most.) And living small forced us to give up a lot of furniture, so we kept only our favorite pieces and are enjoying them more.
That said, it’s a bit cozier around here than in our previous homes. Sometimes we bump into each other in the kitchen or the hall. We’re all sharing the same shower (not at the same time, of course!) And since I’m a cook-from-scratch person most of the time, the kitchen cabinets are packed tight with pans, small appliances and other must-have-to-make-dinner items.
It’s only been a month, but so far we like it. And on the days I get frustrated with the lack of space, I figure I’ll just pull out the electric bills and re-examine them. That should help!
I think kitchens are getting smaller and smaller as fewer people cook. When we house-hunted, the kitchen was the most important part of the house to consider. For those of us who cook from scratch, we need basic tools. I have few appliances; it’s got to be a mighty important piece of equipment to justify the space it takes, whether it’s an egg-chopper or a crockpot or a juicer or Tupperware. One thing I did to make more space was to hang my two colanders and my four most frequently used Revereware pots. I put hooks on a beam in the kitchen ceiling, and that’s where my saucepans live … when they’re not on the stovetop with food bubbling in them.
We’re learning as we go along and I’ve been only allowing into the kitchen what will fit, and then replacing those items when I find something more useful. I like your idea of hanging up the saucepans. Worth remembering—thanks!