How much house do I need? 7 signs your house is too small

Chances are, if you’re wondering whether or not your house is too small, it probably is. But if you need further validation you need a bigger house, we broke down some of the most common signs your house is too small. If you’re not ready to move yet, we offer tips for making the most of a small house while you wait to upgrade.

Signs you should buy a bigger house

It may start slowly or all at once, but that creeping voice in the back of your head has you wondering if you need a bigger house. Here are the top signs you’re ready to upsize:

1. Your family is growing

We’ll skip the obvious — that as your family expands you often need to upsize — but sometimes the literal size of your family members is what makes it time for an upgrade. 

A three-bedroom house that has one room for the parents, one room for your two young children, and a guest bedroom home office combo does the trick. That is, until your toddlers become teenagers and they need more space for their growing bodies, furniture, and needs. Make sure you have enough bathrooms and half baths, too.

Take some time to think about not just if your house is too small for your family now, but it’s too small for your future family. You may need to upsize sooner than you think.

2. You work from home

Countless individuals made the transition from corporate office to home office in the past few years.

While the conveniences of working from home are undeniable, when your living room starts to feel like your workplace, it’s hard to relax after clocking out. A dedicated home office space may require upsizing, but having a quiet and organized place to work — separate from where you spend your leisure time — is a very worthwhile upgrade. 

3. The market conditions are right

If you’re unsure whether or not you want to upsize now, but know you will in the future, take a look at what the current real estate market conditions are like. If interest rates are low and home prices are reasonable, then purchasing a bigger home now might save you a lot of money. It’s hard to predict the future and while the market could get better it could also get worse. If current market conditions work well for you then you can capitalize on them.

→ Learn more about if now is a good time to buy a house

4. You’ve reached your decluttering limits

You can only declutter so much. If you’re someone who constantly declutters, looks for clothes and books to donate, and tries to live a minimalist lifestyle, you will rightfully feel frustrated if you find after all your efforts you’re still bursting at the seams. If that’s the case, it’s time to upsize, not to keep decluttering.

5. Your family is full of introverts

We all lead busy lives and most of us need some quiet time to ourselves at the end of the day. If your family has a few introverts who need their own space to recharge then sharing small quarters likely isn’t a good long term fit. Consider upgrading to bigger quarters to give everyone the space they need to decompress.

Related: Reasons to upsize when your kids move out

6. Your green thumb is ready

Upsizing doesn’t mean just expanding the amount of indoor space you have. If you are perfectly content with the size of your house, but don’t have enough yard space to make your horticulture dreams come true, then you can buy a house with a bigger yard that gives you the space you need to grow.

7. You have big hobbies

Many hobbies require a decent amount of supplies and space. Painting, riding motorcycles, and hopping on your exercise bike after work all require equipment and tools that take up space that a larger home may be able to better accommodate.

Don’t let the size of your home limit the thing you love. If you find yourself searching for more space for your hobbies, it may be time to upsize.

How to cope with a smaller home if you can’t move

Maybe you want a bigger house but you’re waiting for the market to level out. If you know upsizing is in your future but you need to make due for now, these tips will help you cope with a smaller house:

Find solutions outside the home

Instead of forcing yourself to make due in a house too small for your needs, think outside the home. Here are a few things that are easy to outsource:

• Opt for a gym membership instead of a home gym.
• Get a plot at a community garden if your yard is too small for your green thumb.
• Store your seasonal sporting equipment or decorations in a storage unit.
• ‍Declutter to the best of your abilities.

As you move space-suckers outside the home, use it as an opportunity to further declutter.. Try to remove any items that aren’t used frequently (unless they’re used seasonally) and make a point of not bringing home new unnecessary items that will build the clutter back up again.

Redecorate

You may be able to make more out of the space you have. Take a close look at your furniture and see if it allows you to maximize your floor plan. Do you have a large desk you can swap for a smaller corner desk? Do you need a large sectional if you’re a couple without kids or will a sleeker couch do? Do you have to have a home office and a workout room or can you combine the two with some strategic storage solutions?

Get creative and see how you can make the most of the space you currently have until you’re ready to upsize. And if you’re stumped, consider hiring an interior designer to help. While they may cost more than if you DIY’d your redecoration, they’ll be cheaper than buying a new home.

How big of a house do I need?

If you decide it’s time to upsize, the next step is to figure out how big of a house you need. A general rule of thumb is that each person in a household needs about 600 to 700 square feet of space. Following this rule, a family of four should start their search for homes that are 2,400 to 2,800 square feet.

But that’s not the only thing that will impact how big of a house you can buy. Other factors to consider are:

4 factors that can help determine whether you should buy a bigger house

• Your finances: Bigger homes cost more money — both to buy and to maintain. Carefully consider your finances to ensure that you can afford the purchase price of the home as well as its upkeep. A mortgage calculator can be a useful tool for understanding just how much house you can afford.
• Future family plans: If you’re planning to add family members to your home, think about how much space they’ll need in the long run. Keep in mind that family members doesn’t just mean children. Will your parents, in-laws, or others need a place to live one day soon?
• Layout: Two houses with the same square footage can feel vastly different in size depending on where that square footage is spent — does the home have a huge living room but tiny bedrooms? Think carefully about the rooms you need to be the largest as you begin your home search.
• Special needs: Do your hobbies need special storage? Does a family member have different abilities? These questions can help determine what type of layout and location is best for your needs.

Upsizing can be a chore, but when you buy and sell with Orchard, we can help you move first and skip the showings. We’ll even make value-boosting repairs and renovations through our Concierge service at no upfront cost to you.

Interested in learning more? Get started with a free valuation today — our estimates are 30% more accurate.