How much space do you live in (and how much do you need)?

[lessonsintightropes]

I'm getting a bit addicted to the Houzz newsletters. We're also moving from an 80 sq m 2 bed place with lots of dead space (corridors, stairwells) but also a loft, to a 90 sq m 3 bed place which is a lot better laid out.

American commentators seem to think that this is an impossibly small amount of space to live in, but especially as there's just me and DH (hopefully not for long!) it seems like an adequate amount of space, especially for London.

I'd be really interested to know what your min/max needs for space are and why, because I'm a nosy cah

[Mrsladybirdface]

well our bungalow is 75sqm and there are four here. It's fine for us now the children are young, it has a good layout and because it's so on one level the children can use their bedrooms as playrooms. We'll move to a larger property before the kids hit teens.

[antimatter]

I live in 3 bed of about 3 sq m
2 kids and me - I think for 4 people still big enough

[lulupeg]

We lived in a place that was 91 sq m 3 bed prior to where we live now (we have two kids, 3 and 1). It was fine, and had quite a bit of wasted space - actually excess of storage and less living space really - and we did have a full attic to use for storage only. We now live in a much bigger place which we extended (not sure but guessing 120 sq m, less storage though as we converted the new place's attic) but if I'm honest the space isn't at all why we moved (we moved for period features and location, from an ex local to a 30s house). Anyway, thinking about how we live now we would have been fine staying in the old place for several more years, maybe 5 more, but with less luxury of play space. I expect if we were still there we would go to a few more playgroups/park trips and stay in a bit less than we do now. But really it would have been totally manageable and we have friends who live in far far less (flats and houses). I think storage is a big thing, so think carefully about how you can use the space and this will help a lot. As you haven't got any DC yet you have time! I would say it will be absolutely fine through coupledom, pregnancy, newborn, one year old, toddler with a baby and two toddlers/preschoolers etc. Depending on how quickly this happens that should be at least 5 years worth! Hope this helps.

[lulupeg]

(in London too btw)

[Looseleaf]

We have 62 m for a family of 4. It's great for us but holds us back from entertaining much and we don't have enough storage

[EldonAve]

we have a 4 bed approx 140 sq m - 2 adults 3 kids
we need about 250 sq m

[YellowDahlias]

Our place is around 120 square metres and there's three of us living here. We've got plenty of space. The number of rooms we've got works very well for us as we both work from home at times.

We did look at some bigger places but decided to go for something slightly smaller in a nicer location.

Think our last place was about 85 square metres and it was comfortable. But our current house still feels spacious even when we have house guests staying.

[HerRoyalNotness]

We're in 280sqm (in the States!) and it wasn't the biggest house we viewed in our budget . As the DSs refuse to go upstairs alone or sleep up their (master downstairs), I joke we should have bought a 2bed apt, or a 2bed bungalow....

Our last apt in Canada was 170sqm, but was a quirky layout, so very good living space, but narrow and small bedrooms.

In the house we have now, I like having the play room and we have a study which we can use for a quiet room as the previous owners put doors on it. I've used it for a dance party room for the DS for after school while I'm cooking dinner too. I think we have just the right amount of space. Any bigger and I'd feel we were rattling around in it, and would've had to buy more furniture.

[HerRoyalNotness]

*there! up there! in their bedrooms.

[RandomMess]

72 square metres for 5 of us. It's cosy

[HerRoyalNotness]

As a comparison, I think our house in the UK was 100sqm, for a 4 bed (3 +box room). I dread to think how we'd adapt back down to a smaller house if/when we move back.

[Bambi75]

We're in 215 sq metres, family of 4, london. Ideally would like bigger, but will do for us.

[YoHoHoandabottleofWine]

well, this morning DH commented that seeing as we have 5 beds, why were all 4 of us in one bed.

So I would conclude we don't need as much space as we have....

(btw how do all of you know the square meterage of your houses??)

[exexpat]

I think we have around 250sqm for three people, one dog and several thousand books. I'm sure we could easily live in half to a third of that if we didn't have so much stuff.

I spent years living in Japan, and although we mostly rented larger properties aimed at foreigners, most of my Japanese friends lived in standard apartments of 70-80sqm; a 90sqm apartment is considered spacious for a family of four, and anything over 100sqm is luxurious.

People in Japan manage to build and live well in the most amazingly tiny spaces.

[lulupeg]

We all end up in one bed most days too :)

[mazzi2fly]

We're about 70 sq m for the 4 of us. DDs are still quite small and it's all open plan downstairs. We are hoping to do an extension though, only an extra 38 sq m.... I'm thinking as DDs get bigger and also for a sapre bedroom for family staying over. I'm fed up sleeping on the living room floor.

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

Our house (3-bed Victorian mid-terrace with attic) is about 1400sq ft - from when it was on the market for a while years ago - that converts to 130sqm according to google

With 4 kids at home it was pretty crowded. Now they're grown up & gone, more or less, it's fine; but when they're all home, eg at Christmas (& none of them have permanent partners ) it's quite full-on

Mind you we have a lot of Stuff. Decluttering is long overdue

[Cuckooforcocopuffs]

We have about 240 sqm for a family of 4 - was 5 but eldest has left home. We did downsize from 300 sqm. We're in the US, house is about average size.

[lessonsintightropes]

Wow exexpat those Japanese houses are beautiful. I've spent quite a bit of time in Japan and love their minimalist approach, although multipurpose tatami rooms with fold out futons feels like quite a hard way to live on a day to day basis.

I know we could afford a lot more space if we left the city or ruined ourselves with a bigger mortgage, I think we'll do well in the new place but will need to be tidy!

HerRoyalNotness most of our US/Canada based friends live in cities and therefore apartments (I had no idea Vancouver was so expensive til friends bought there) but I adore those massive rambly North American houses. Must cost a bundle in furniture and running costs though?

[lessonsintightropes]

Wow Charley where are you?

[MrsJohnDeere]

350 sq metres (5 beds). Just moved from somewhere that was 150sq metres (3 beds) which was far too small for our needs. We've got very high ceilings and it feels massive.

[HappyAsEyeAm]

We live in a large 6 bed house. I think it about 2500 sq ft.There are only 4 of us; DH, me and two DSs. We could live in a house less than half the size, quite easily. DS1 always loves in when we stay in a small 2 bed lodge in center parcs as he likes feeling that we are all close together. He likes staying with my parents for the same reason.