Houses - How big is too big?

[aja8888]

1100SF Condo. Need more storage space - or less stuff.

Since my wife passed away, I am in a constant state of decluttering. Thirty years of "stuff" that filled a 2,000+ sq. ft. house to the brim, has been slowly leaving now that I am in a smaller place. Need any decorative pillows?

 

[Koolau]

Since my wife passed away, I am in a constant state of decluttering. Thirty years of "stuff" that filled a 2,000+ sq. ft. house to the brim, has been slowly leaving now that I am in a smaller place. Need any decorative pillows?

We declutterred from 2700 SF when we moved to Paradise.

 

[aja8888]

We declutterred from 2700 SF when we moved to Paradise.

The problem I have is that I moved into a smaller house, but it's still too big. I do have two totally empty rooms, though.

 

[Teacher Terry]

The problem I have is that I moved into a smaller house, but it's still too big. I do have two totally empty rooms, though.

I totally understand. I wouldn’t want to be in 1400 sq ft by myself either.

 

[aaronc879]

I grew up in a house of 1000 sqft for 4 people. I now own a 1150 sqft home for myself including a 150 sqft room in the basement and it's more than big enough. I can't imagine much bigger than 1500 sqft unless it has a full finished basement then you could double that. Anything bigger is just a waste of space and money IMO.

 

[skyking1]

Our current home is less than 1300 SF plus a 576sf garage and 384SF carport. I have remodeled it to the hilt, and we wanted more space and a view.
I designed the new one with 1632 on the main floor with everything we need there.
We wanted to secure the view so we built mostly guest space of 1088 over that.
Basement is some of the least expensive SF you can build, so there you go. We ended up with that too.
It is admittedly huge for us. I am still mentally growing into it.

 

[FlaGator]

Timely topic.

I just downsized from a 4/3.5 2800 ft to 4/3 2200 ft. We enjoyed the discrete spaces of the bigger house when the kids were home, but with them only kinda gone, but nearby, it was easy for me to rationalize 4 bedrooms. Also now on a single floor.

Looked at a lot of houses and a few "lived bigger" than their nominal footage. The big factors were a garage larger than 20x20, a driveway that would comfortably hold 3+ cars, a spacious kitchen and a master that worked for me. If I had found those three in >2000 ft, I'd have sacrificed the 4th bedroom.

Bigger than I need, but the layout works-the space I want is all in one side of the house and the extra bedrooms are on the other side. Plus room for the bicycles, moto, a car, and my other interests.

I bought it thinking it would be manageable through my late 70s, maybe a few years beyond. Time will tell.

 

[equakesfan]

I've lived in large houses (2500-3000 sq. ft) with no more than 4 people most of my life. I'm currently in a 1350 sq. ft. house with my wife and 2 kids (11 & 13). The wife would like a bigger master bedroom. I'd like a bigger closet in the master bedroom (and maybe a little more storage in the kitchen) but otherwise it's a good size. I'm happy I don't have to heat, cool, and clean a bigger house.

 

[badatmath]

If I can buy again I will upsize from the tiny rather dumpy place I live. . . but part of that is not the square feet. . . it it the layout.

I'm not (wheelchair) accessible for bathrooms and hallways for example, even if it is all one story and honestly it just isn't a good floor plan. (It wasn't built yet when I bought it so I hadn't seen a real version). Definitely my biggest financial mistake so far but I don't think I have the money to get out of it - or at least not in a desirable way. I think I'd need to move to a lower cost of living area (which isn't off the table but is more complicated).

I haven't considered square feet of a new place. Houses here don't have basements so you do need a little storage or less junk.

 

[old medic]

Just was looking at this yesterday... Our old house, 1750 SqFt 3 bd/2 bath and was huge after both kids left. New place is 964 SqFt 2 Bd/1 bath... and feels huge after spending a few years in 224 SqFt camper.
If we have company, they can stay in the camper.
Over the years I have been in MANY homes... Massive places that you cant get a stretcher into the bedroom.
One of the most ridicules ones I helped wire,,, Over 5000 SqFt 2 story with a grand staircase you could drive a truck up, 1... ONE bedroom, 3 bath and 3, YES THREE laundry rooms...

 

[DrRoy]

DW and I still live in the 2600 ft2 that we had for our family of four. While we do not need all the space, we make use of every room. Also, we have remodeled about half of it, and I would not want to give up any of the new work.

 

[LateToFIRE]

We are consolidating two homes (town & country scenario) into one (country scenario) right now, so a combined 6500sf needs to fit into about half of that. Feels tight, but only because we've got double of everything. So, you'd probably say, simple solution: get rid of half. Sounds simple. Somehow not working out that way. Have finally gotten DW to stop referring to our 4BR/3.5Bath semi-rural retirement country home as "small". She doesn't mean to offend anyone, she just wishes it was closer to 4000sf. What we're missing is a dedicated laundry/mud room (I see her point), big walk-in closet (I see her point here too), three-season enclosed porch (we'll probably add that), and a formal dining room (so we can use it once a year). After decades of city living, thing I've come to appreciate about the country home is the privacy and outdoor space, which is nothing short of spectacular - sunset deck, stone terrace, pool & lounge area, rolling fields. For half the year, much of our living space is outdoors.

 

[Flyfish1]

Like most folks we have lived in a few different homes. Our retirement home was not really planned to be a retirement home, we bought it as a summer place, but just loved the area and so it is our retirement place. It's 3800 sq ft 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, and a big open floorpan that works great for entertaining. We just hosted a neighborhood party and had 70 people in the house and it didn't feel overly packed in. Not a perfect place, my workshop is in the basement, her sewing room is a little small but it's quite nice. We too had to get rid of a lot of furniture from the other home as it just didn't look right in this place. First world problems for sure.
My only future concern is stairs as we age. But I guess there are always stair lifts.

 

[Gumby]

.... a formal dining room (so we can use it once a year). .....

We have a formal dining room and we eat dinner in it every night. We don't use the dining room for any other purpose besides dinner. I like it that way, because we don't have to see any kitchen mess while we eat, and a quick table clear at the end of the meal means the public rooms of the house are clean again. I can lollygag about actually washing the dishes, although I always do them before bed.

 

[Surewhitey]

We've lived in 700-2200 sq ft over 28 years and currently in the 3/1 1150 Sq ft cottage and fine for 99% of time. Dinner with 4 friends is just enough room in the winter and we can go to 10 friends using the covered patio (300 sq ft).

Detached garage for my shop... DW would be happy to get another 500 ft though for the other 1% of times.

 

[iloveyoga]

I have wondered what it is like to live in those very large houses. We have been in our house for 33 years, about 2700 square feet, which is plenty for us due to the way it is laid out. DH can have his drums in one room and I changed the guest room to a yoga/guest room. But mostly a yoga room. We definitely have space in our house that does not get used a lot. Like the formal living room where I put my Christmas tree. We use that room mostly on Christmas Day. We spend most of our time in the back half of the house, which is family room and kitchen. I love my kitchen.

 

[ls99]

I'll need to look up the square footage, my house is 3 br. tri level. Six steps to access each floor including basement workshop, laundry, furnace room. On the upside, it is a constant light excercise to get around in.
I kept it, after wife died, since it has three car garage one for each of my vehicles. Except for guest room I do use all the space. The house was late wife's choice.
For last three years I've been looking for true rancher. Only found one, but taxes were 18K per year. Anything else was or is in HOA, aaaargh, bad juju. They call them patio homes, which have a postage stamp size patio.
Seems real estate agents around here don't understand or want not to, what a rancher is. I don't want a place with garage under the house.

My guess, any house past 4000 square feet needs live in maid service and cleaning staff.

 

[skyking1]

@badatmath and @old medic , that was the one theme that has driven the new design. Every door is 3', there are two roll in showers.
you can roll into the main floor through 3 doors with only the bump of the door threshhold.
Anything resembling a hallway is more than 40" wide.

 

[MarieIG]

DH would like a bigger kitchen (he loves to cook and he likes his equipment) and I would like a large master bathroom with vanity and a separate walk in closet, exercise room, back four season room with lots of windows for a view (we do have that now), and a covered patio (we also have that although small). DH turned one of the spare bedrooms into a walk in closet for me, although it is not attached to the bedroom.

While DH would like a big kitchen, and I wouldn't mind a breakfast nook with a view and a seating area (so I can keep him company while he cooks), we don't really want the kitchen open to the entire house. I would also like a dining room.

At this point, we have condensed two houses into one, and are feeling a bit cramped. We also don't need to be right on top of the neighbors so would like a bit more yard room. If we are able to buy a larger property DH has plans to BTD on a fancy lawn mower.

While a ranch would be ideal, we're ok if we have the ability to live completely on the main floor if that ever becomes a necessity for either of us. Currently, I'm up and down the stairs constantly and I don't mind that, but you don't know what the future holds.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We have ~3,300sqft. This is too big for us. We use about 2,700 on a daily basis just because it is there and on one level. We would be happy with around 2.300 - 2,500sqft. We are currently listed and selling our current home while looking for Nirvana. Unfortunately, it is not easy.

 

[freedomatlast]

The problem is it's hard to find small houses that are upscale with nice amenities.

 

[ElizabethT]

Obviously it's their money to do what they want with, but to me it screams selfish excess. While 1500 sq/ft suits us perfectly, 2000 to 3000 sq/ft seems reasonable to me for an average family. How big is too big for you?

I was with you until I reached the bolded section. Who are we to decide this, when unless you and I live in a cave, give all our non essential income to charity, and transport by foot, are likewise guilty of in our own ways as well?

It's all relative at the end of the day. One person's Kia is another person's Rolls Royce, and one person's 3 + 2 home is another person's mansion.

So, I live happily in my too big, but supremely uncluttered 2800 sq ft home by the ocean. I consider it a gift to ourselves after years of working and living below our means. I certainly don't consider it selfish, though others might. Which leaves me with no guilt whatsoever, if so.

 

[street]

Our home is about 1900sf all on one level with a large two stall garage. It is about right for us and don't think a bigger home would benefit us much as we age.
With son's family coming often it would be nice to have a lower level for them.
We basically have to large sitting room with kitchen in between them which is very similar to an open concept arrangement. Four beds counting the futon in the den.

 

[freedomatlast]

Using the term "Selfish Excess" usually stems from jealousy.

 

[karen1972]

2600 is the max we would go for 2 people, we would prefer something near 2000 sq ft and have lived as small as 1100 but were on each others nerves. I have lots of friends in the 3500 sq ft range which seems reasonable when you have a few teenagers and gives them some space.

I need builders to stop doing all open floorplans as we could do with much smaller space if there was more rooms. We both work from home, we dont' need massive bedrooms but we do need an enclosed private space.