To Fill or Not to Fill the Footage

by Clarissa Adkins | More from this Blogger

14 Dec 2006 04:27 PM

Does your house look empty? Sometimes going from a small house to a big one can be as aggravating as the opposite occurrence. Of course, it's true that we are blessed when we get the opportunity to take advantage of more living space, but there can be some complications.

For example, my family moved from Richmond to Chattanooga several years back. We were fortunate to move to an area with a slightly lower cost of living and housing demand. The house in Richmond had about 1,800 square feet, while our new one had almost 2,600! Not knowing what the future would bring with my husband's work, we leaned on the minimalist side as far as decorating and furniture purchases go. The only furniture to speak of that we bought was a patio set for our large deck. The screened in porch ended up with a card table and four chairs. Most of the rooms in the house took on an "undone" feeling. Luckily, our self control paid off later when we moved back to Richmond into about 2,300 square feet.

The biggest challenge with a larger house is not filling it up. No matter how much you want that new bedroom or sofa set, you might thank yourself later when you don't have to sell or give it away because it's too overstuffed to fit in your new home. If you know for a fact that you're going to be somewhere for more than two years, then the temptation can be given in to a little more often; but no matter which way you look at it, I have to admit that it's easier to go from small to big than from big to small.

The good news is that the minimalist in you can shine when you find yourself in a similar situation. Simple and Feng Shui influenced styles have been popular for so long, it appears that you can't go wrong by implementing them into your own temporary footage until you find something more permanent . Enjoy the openness of your home and breathe easy.

Learn more about Clarissa Adkins

Clarissa is a wife and mother, a yoga instructor and a freelance writer. She most recently has moved back to her home state of Virginia.

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