So we went from 600 square feet to about 900 square feet that is split across two levels. The upstairs is about 350 square feet for our living, dining and kitchen so it feels very similar to our previous small space. The bedrooms are quite big and are on the lower level with a small bathroom that also has the stacked laundry. Having stairs for the past few months has been an adjustment.

I am of two minds regarding the stairs:

Room Separation

Part of me appreciates that a family member could be on another level of the home and have some peace and privacy. This is something we could never have in our previous one bedroom home. There are also times when the kids are playing together quietly downstairs and I almost want to cry because I didn’t know that kind of peace and quiet was possible with kids. I do think the benefits of the stairs are mostly due to the kids’ ages. If they were younger I wouldn’t be able to be upstairs cooking while they were downstairs playing without worrying about their safety. So I truly stand by the small space being perfect for us with toddlers and babies so I always know they were safe. Now that they are older I am really enjoying the extra bit of space.

The Pains of Up and Down

On the other-hand there are logistics regarding stairs that I feel complicates things. In the end I would prefer to have the same square footage spread across one floor. But that wasn’t on the market for the past couple of years so we are making this lovely space work for us. There are always items that are upstairs that I need when I am downstairs or vice versa. I refuse to have multiples of anything, it goes against all my minimalist and low waste tendencies so I find myself shuffling things up and down A LOT. I am trying to think of it positively that after a year of being home way too much I could use the extra exercise. Also as we have no storage upstairs I may need to add some cabinets to hold some items that I am often needing upstairs that are stored downstairs.

Stair Basket ?

I’m also considering a small basket that a few friends have recommended that sits at the stairs to move things downstairs. I am often reminding everyone to bring something downstairs when they go down. It’s a habit we all need to get used to. Always looking to Twenty One Tonnes for basket inspiration.