I haven't really downsized to a smaller place, but I have never regretted getting rid of stuff. With strict editing any space could work for my needs. I just need the time and energy to do said editing and purge a lot.
It seems that when many people want to upgrade in size, it is because they are storing too much junk. It is hard to get rid of stuff, but it is sooo worth it.

I have never regretted downsizing. My husband and I have lived in a 400 SF studio for two years! Even though we have pared it down to the bare necessities, I still find things around the house that we never use!

my husband and i are in the process of finding a new home. we are hoping to go from our humongous suburban rental (2700 sq ft main second floor) to an older urban home (2000 sq ft MAX, which typically includes a basement). we love the personality and craftsmanship of the older homes and the location is so much better, we really feel like the downsizing will be worth it. plus, i find that when i have a big space, i expand *crap* into it, which i end up having to spend time and effort cleaning and organizing, so i'm actually looking forward to a good weeding out of our "expanded" stuff and moving what we REALLY need into a smaller place. :)

When my husband (then boyfriend) and I made the decision to move in together we were both living in large condos with roommates in Miami. We found a 590 sq. ft. cottage with a HUGE yard out towards the Everglades urban boundary. We did not imagine living in a tiny home but the open space on the property was too good to pass up with its lush sub-tropical vegetation. We quickly learned the art of compromise in what to purge. Blending two homes into one tiny home took a little work

My husband's only regret was the kitchen. He is 6'2" and did not have enough space to do anything in basically a ship's galley. He used it as an excuse to avoid cooking dinner. We moved two years later out of state and are in a 1200 sq. ft. home. This place is spacious and we choose not to cram it full of stuff. We have a lot of open areas with natural light. We learned great lessons in not cluttering our home from that cottage and I wouldn't hesitate to move into another small home if the situation was right.

I have recently moved overseas.... i have downsided from 2000sf house to aprx 450sf European apartment... (though i am planning to move to a bigger apt soon)

I had to make some serious decisions on what i needed to have to live since shipping was so costly. I love this way of life now.. it is so simple... i can find what i need when i need it... it really is a great feeling... cleaning is easier... life is easier in my opionion...

go for it!

We downsized to a place that is half the size of our old apartment and has no garage last year. While there are some challenges, it's mostly in the privacy/quiet headspace department, not in the storage department. If there's one thing apartment therapy has taught me, is that with a little thought and creativity you can learn to utilize your space so much better that you can still keep the stuff that's important to you. Also, living in a great location where you can step out and do shopping or get coffee or just walk around is key. I think our small house would seem a lot smaller if we were stuck in the suburbs where I could not leave my house except in a car.

Because I am a nomad, in the past ten years, I have lived in houses or apartments that were: 2000 sq.ft.; 1100 sq.ft.; 2800 sq.ft.; 3700 sq.ft.; 650 sq.ft.; 1200 sq.ft.; 850 sq.ft., and now 1700 sq.ft.

I had to use storage units when I lived in the smaller spaces, and if you have to store something, you must acknowledge that there is a high probability that is will be ruined in some way or stolen. If you love something, if it is irreplaceable---never put it in storage.

I don't mind living in smaller abodes, but I need storage room: art supplies, sewing machine and supplies, out-of-season clothing (I need a whole closet just for winter coats and boots, and hunting clothing), Christmas decorations---you get the picture.

I don't mind a 10x10ft bedroom, but I need a 10x10ft closet next to it! I was happiest in 2000 sq.ft., and that's what I'd like to have again, but I am very comfortable in 1700 sq.ft. Husband would like to live in an RV :)

Our family (of 4) live in a 650 sq ft, 3 bedroom home 30 minutes from the CBD of Sydney, Australia. Yes, the house is small but our block is HUGE for this area (10,000 sq ft) and at times I lament the lack of space and privacy/quiet headspace like SFGail, storage space etc etc BUT it doesn't take much to clean or heat or cool and the joy we get from seeing our children enjoy the great outdoors right in our backyard far outweighs the negatives.
Fairy gardens, trampolines, swing sets, chickens, vegetable gardens, you name it, we've got it.
I am loving the GOING SMALL revolution championed by RE-NEST - in my small house I feel like I am a revolutionary too!

I can't say I've ever regretted downsizing. Actually, I think it's addicting! Now that I've done it a couple of times, I keep trying to figure out if I can go smaller, cozier, have less stuff.

Of course, there is a limit. Eventually you hit the "I'm using everything I own" point. I'm there when it comes to furniture, it's just all the other stuff I'm working on now. I don't think I can move to a smaller place anymore without getting rid of furniture, and I'm quite attached to all of it. But I do think I can better utilize the space I have. :)

If you are a young couple planning a future together (buying a house and building equity) you should do it. Starting small is nothing to be ashamed of; people should only buy a bigger home when they actually need it (kids, family members moving in with you, health or home business needs). Having a bigger home just to fill it with stuff is wasteful in so many ways, starting with your pocketbook.

How big is the house?
I've been downsizing to move into a 450 sq ft space and it's been so freeing! I actually kept a list of everything I got gave away of out of curiosity and found that once something was gone, I really didn't think of it again. I so much didn't miss the stuff that I have to look at the list to even remember what it was. My physical clutter was holding me back in a lot of ways and I would never want that stuff back. Now I'm to the point of feeling like 600 sq ft is spacious but still working toward my goal of 450 sq ft. Difficult but doable (and exciting). No regrets.

After doing the dorm thing and then the transient roommate thing, I moved into a 1200 sqft apartment with my boyfriend that he did his damnedest to fill. Then we moved to a 800 sqft house. Thank GOD we had a basement for all the CRAP he bought.

(Then I kicked him out and got rid of his stuff and got 2 cats. I'm sure your boyfriend isn't the worthless piece of couchtopography mine turned out to be, so ignore that part.) It's perfect for the 3 of us!

The energy costs are low and it requires very little maintainence.

Make sure you have at least one big room. I've lived in small places for a long time now, and do I ever want to have a room bigger than 10x12 feet.

We're in the process of downsizing right now to prepare for a move to California from British Columbia. We moved from a one bedroom apartment to a three bedroom house this past March and couldn't believe the amount of stuff we had managed to shove into our one bedroom!

We have ranted and raved about how we had lost our way; used to be that everything I cared about fit into a backpack. Heck, when he moved to BC from NYC, everything he owned fit in the back of his Jeep Cherokee. No more; the clutter has got to go!

I sometimes think, "Gee, I really shouldn't have donated xyz item from my home, I really liked it". But then I think that I have been just as happy without it as with it so why worry?

Nope, I can't say I ever regretted downsizing stuff. Which is weird since I like having things around. But it's such a nice feeling. :)

That house is 100% totally worth it. Go for it! (and post more pictures when you do!)

I am in the process of purging all things unnecessary to prepare for a move from a 2300 SF house to 650 SF condo. Every now and then I get a quick surge of panic, but mostly I am enjoying getting rid of things and looking forward the freedom, strange as it sounds, that I think the smaller space is going to give me -- freedom from cleaning so much space, yard work, driving longer distances, etc.

I loved my downsize last year. Never regretted all the crap I got rid of.

All of these stories are heartening to read as we're also contemplating downsizing into a <1200 sq ft home for our family of 4!

ooh, don't know what happened to the rest of my comment above.

We're contemplating buying a <1200 sq ft. home for our family of 4 (and maybe 1 more). I'm looking forward to the possibilities!

I live in a tiny NYC apartment and boy, do I hate the lack of storage space.

Kitchen is fine. Living room (especially b/c of all the books we own) plus our bikes is hell. Not to mention endless problems of storing necessary but not everyday things like travel suitcases, backpacking and camping gear, etc.

Purging works fine up to a certain point, but beyond that certain point, the living space just becomes too small.

We down-sized into a 75" sq. bedroom, and I love it. No TV, no laundry pile, no work waiting to be done -- just bed, books and windows to let morning light in. I haven't yet learned to live that simply in the rest of the house, but I'm working on it.

I give up. Even my comments are being downsized, lol!

Our family of 2 adults and 2 toddlers moved from an 1900 sq ft house (plus a huge garage with storage attic) to a 1250 sq ft condo with minimal storage. We had to get rid of a lot of junk - most of the stuff that was in the storage attic - and it felt so liberating! We have to think twice now before buying anything, so it's saved us money. And the new place is SO much easier to clean. I don't regret it at all.

I've always figured that if I don't own it I don't have to worry about it, clean it, store it...or MOVE IT!

Keep what you need and love. The rest is just "stuff".

My husband and I live in a 500 sqft condo and we love it. It is much easier to clean, and last month our electric bill was $24 (and we live in the suburbs of Philadelphia)! Storage is definitely key but the only thing I can say is make sure you have enough room for change. Everything fits in our 9x14 bedroom, but it only fits one way and I've been dying to just move the bed for 2 years! :)

My husband and I just moved into a 630 sqft condo from a spacious 1400 sqft loft. I think we've purged about 25% of our stuff, and it's been fantastic. Also, because we bought, it was a good excuse to really take time and choose things like a sofa and artwork we loved and not quick thrift store or Ikea necessities (which can be fabulous, but most of our stuff wasn't). I realized I'd been holding onto and storing stuff, even though I didn't necessarily like it, because I thought that I'd need it someday (like when we had a permanent place) and didn't want to re-purchase it. Well, the someday is here, and we don't need much!

Oh, and our teeny backyard and a fabulous neighborhood make our tiny house so much more do-able.

My wife and I live with our two kids in a "petite maison" that is roughly 950 square feet. It is in a great location, we can walk or bike everywhere and we have cut down on what we "need". We have no regrets about being in a small place and in fact can not imagine moving to a place much bigger.

Everyone else thought we were crazy when we bought it...now they could not see us anywhere else.

What will you regret more, staying where you are or moving to this new place? You seem excited about the possibility of change. Go for it. I haven't downsized but I have been shedding "stuff" like crazy lately. Sometimes we become more creative because of constraints.

My wife and son and I are in the midst of paring down all of our belongings. The plan is to go from a 2300 sq. ft. house to being nomadic for a few years. Find a nice small long-term rental for 5-6 months, get to know a place, and then move on.

Until recently I still had every book I had ever purchased after I turned 8 (now 39). Donating a few thousand books to the library and actually being able to see my office/bedroom/living room walls again was a great feeling. You won't regret paring down!

I agree that a really charming, older place with character that is smaller can def feel better than a larger, but dull place. if the character has more "value" to you than square footage, I say go for it!

I think another thing to consider is the arrangement of the space. We recently moved from a 1000sf place to about 750sf, and we actually feel like we have more room. Partly, it's because of purging we did in the move, but a lot of it has to do with the efficiency of our new place. In our old place, a lot of the square footage was wasted on hallways and inconvenient nooks. Or new place is more open, without sacrificing closet space, and it just feels so much better.

I've been thinking about downsizing. I have a hard time keeping up with the space I have.

Me, my husband, our seven month old and our dog love our little 100 year old, 720 sq. ft. house. We have renovated the small interior and removed excess walls to expand/combine important rooms, making the place feel much larger. We also have a large yard that we have set up for summer entertaining. Our only issue is storage (only one closet) but it has taught us to be creative with our space and thoughtful about what we buy.

Downsizing is such an important way to combat the growth of giant manufactured suburban homes, cars, people, etc. I say absolutely downsize to a beautiful little house. Of course you can do without all your extra stuff. After all, in most countries even 720 sq. ft. is considered excessive for one family.

I once moved from a 3 bedroom 2 bath home to a 450 sq ft apartment. There is nothing I got rid of, that I ever wanted back. Seriously.

I grew up in a 400 sq ft house with four people, and lived in equally tiny places most of my life. Now it's nice to finally have a place with a bit more room (1200 sq ft) and some storage, a place for a Christmas tree and room for a dinner party of 12, and a guy with an upright bass.

I've NEVER regreted downsizing. I have almost always regreted upsizing. Only exception is the boyfriend department.

I have just downsized from a 1 bedroom apartment to a studio. It was the best decision ever! it forced my husband and me to clean out all the clutter. I've been throwing out, giving away and Spring Cleaning for weeks in order to get ready for this move and the result is lovely.

I just downsized from a 744 sq ft two bedroom to a studio that is just under 400 sq ft. I love my tiny studio much better than my big downtown apartment. I'm still purging and am shocked at how fast you acquire stuff. It's getting over the sentimental part that is hard. Don't regret it though. So many live in more space than is necessary. Living small is great! It's easier to clean!