Family of 5 living in 800 sq ft

Do you have a big family and small living space? Learn how a family of 5 living in 800 sq ft does it, and you can too!

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For SEVEN years our family lived in an 800sq ft. apartment. This was where Grey and I started a family and a homestead. We didn’t end up leaving this apartment until we had three young children with one on the way. We now live in a 1300sq. ft house with a little more breathing room.

The time we spent living in that little home, were some of the most memorable. We brought home three of our babies during that time. I always felt so grateful for a safe, and loving, home. That is not to say that there weren’t times of frustration. Having a large family in a small space did present some challenges. Seven years of living in a 800 sq. ft. house gave us the experience to offer some advice.

If you are currently living in a smaller home, just know that you can do it! In fact, having a smaller home is helpful in increasing self-sufficiency and sustainability.

woman washing a front door with a sponge

Reasons a homesteading family should consider a smaller home

Whether you find yourself in a smaller home intentionally or not, it has perks as a homesteader. Having a smaller house to take care of, allowed me to work on outside projects more often. I logged tons of time in the garden and orchards. I took long walks with the kids and checked on all the animals.

Homesteaders often are living a life that moves towards self-sufficiency or at least community-sufficiency. Having a smaller home, lowers energy usage. It also lowers the cost and outputs of other household expenditures like cleaning supplies, furniture, paint, etc. A smaller house comes with less of a to do list than a larger home. There are some actions you can take that can make living in your small home much more enjoyable.

What are some practical tips for living in a small home?

Declutter Regularly
Re-think how you use rooms
Spend time outside
Embrace the cozy

Declutter regularly

I never intended on becoming a minimalist but living with limited square footage required it. Especially once we started accumulating the kid’s toys. I set clear boundaries on how much we could fit in our home without it feeling cluttered. This translated to other areas as well. Implementing a capsule wardrobe certainly helped. We shared ONE closet between five people, while living in our 800 sq. ft. home. Decluttering was something that happened often in our home. Here are some areas of your home that you can consider donating items:

Bathroom cabinets
closets
Kitchen cupboards
Bins in the garage
Pantry (get rid of anything expired!)
Laundry room storage
Living room
Children’s Spaces
Dining room hutches
Vehicles
Barns and Outbuildings

Those are just some ideas to get you started. The less clutter that you have piled up in your home, the more efficient you can become on running your homestead. Staying motivated on the homestead and completing all of the farm tasks takes a lot of energy. There is simply no time to be shuffling piles of clutter.

Spend time outside

This has been one of the biggest bonuses from living in an 800 sq. ft home for so long. My kids were practically raised outside! We spent a lot of time outside enjoying what the property had to offer. Spending time outside is good for you and your children. Plus, it allows more time for homestead planning and working outside. We still are reaping the benefits of instilling the love of outdoors early on in our children’s development.

Re-think how you use rooms

When we lived in our tiny house, I shifted the rooms to fit our needs. At one point, I swapped our living room and dining room, because at the time that made the most sense. If you need to have a designated homeschool/office area eliminate and area of your home that you are using less than you would use an office area. Nothing is set in stone regarding the layout of YOUR home. Consider giving the kids the master bedroom, if they need more space, and have a cozy romantic bedroom for mom and dad. Do what works for your family.

blue tea kettle sitting on stove next to orange flower

What are Some Emotional Tips for Living in a Small Home?

Embrace the cozy
Read Little House on the Prairie
Compare down, not up
Keep a Gratitude Journal

Embrace the cozy

Bigger is not always better. I personally love decorating a small space. It has a cozy vibe that is harder to achieve in a large home. My dream home is an English style cottage, which were typically known for being smaller spaces. Appreciating the perks of having a “cozy space” allows you to love your home in a new way.

Read Little House on the Prairie

This is a classic! Since we homeschool, I enjoy reading this classic at night for our read aloud time. I love how Laura spoke so fondly of her sweet little home. It makes me feel a kinship with families of the past that raised families in small spaces. It actually makes me feel more blessed, since often times, historically, these families had it much worse off. (Running water and electricity come to mind.)

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

Compare down, not up

That brings me to the next tip. Always compare down, not up. There will always be someone with a larger home, higher skill level, more intelligent, etc. “Comparison is the thief of joy.” -Theodore Roosevelt This could not be truer than when we compare our dwelling place to someone with a larger or more beautiful home. Instead, just focus on what you do have instead of looking to others. If you feel ungrateful, reflect on how someone else might love to live where you do. Comparing down, not up helps breed an attitude of gratitude.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

It almost sounds cliche, at this point to say, but it’s true. Writing down what you love about your home is a great exercise. It frames the day in a different way. I personally keep a gratitude journal, gardening journal, and day planner. One of the books that was fantastic at helping me love the home I have is written by Melissa Michaels.

How does a family of 5 live in an 800 sq. ft. house?

Declutter Regularly
Re-think how you use rooms
Spend time outside
Embrace the cozy
Read Little House on the Prairie
Compare down, not up
Keep a Gratitude Journal

Family of 5 living in 800 sq ft

Reasons a homesteading family should consider a smaller home