I believe there are compromises with anywhere you choose to live.  While some may think we are crazy for living in a 600 sqft, 1 bedroom apartment in the city with a toddler, for us it is about priorities and compromises we are happy to make.  For example here are a few things we live without:

• a 2nd bedroom

• another car

• a second bathroom

• a playroom

• a bedroom closet

I could go on, but instead we focus on the things we DO have which are more about doing than having things:

• A mortgage that is within our means and doesn’t stretch us

• A reasonable mortgage means we still have a little extra to travel regularly 

• Close proximity to parks, community centres, and more events and activities than we could possibly consider attending

• COFFEE, some of the best coffee shops blocks away

• Many of our great friends live minutes away and are a constant source of support for us and Theo (it really does take a village!)

• Walking to work on tree-lined streets

• Walking to the grocery store, bank etc. basically all our chores are walkable

• The seawall is a 10 min walk away and the mountains a 15 min drive

• Bicycle route is right outside our front door

In the end we rarely feel like we are missing something by living small.