A few months ago Sherry wrote about what furniture and decor we kept after downsizing, and it was the first time I’d looked through photos of our previous home in a while. It felt like a sweet walk down memory lane — how has it been 2.5 years since we moved? The photos reminded me just how much “extra” space we once had: whole rooms that we barely used and almost forgot existed.
Don’t get me wrong — we loved that house. But after living a summer in a much smaller beach house, it became clear that we were in a home far bigger than we actually needed. We eventually moved from 3,150 square feet in Virginia to about 1,400 square feet in Florida — less than half the square footage. That change forced us to rethink which rooms mattered most and which ones we could live without.
Some rooms in our new home are simply smaller than they used to be, but a few rooms are entirely absent. We went from three bathrooms to one and gave up spaces like a garage, a dedicated office, and a formal dining room. Over the past 2.5 years — including a global pandemic and a full year of at-home learning — living in a smaller home really tested which rooms we actually needed. After living here for a while, it’s clear which rooms we don’t miss and which we sometimes do.
6 Rooms Versus 14 Rooms
Our current house functions with six main indoor rooms: a multifunctional downstairs space with the kitchen on one side and a sitting area on the other, three bedrooms, a single bathroom, and a multifunctional upstairs family room that doubles as a TV room, office, craft area, and play space. Those six conditioned rooms are what we use daily.
Outdoors we’re fortunate to have a large upstairs deck, two porches, a pool area, and other usable exterior spaces that effectively expand our living area — and because the climate is mild most of the year, we use those spaces a lot. Indoors, though, the six rooms are it. We also have a compact laundry closet in the kitchen and a short hallway connecting the rooms, but those aren’t counted as full rooms.
Note: A wide, furnished hallway like an entry foyer can be considered a room — our previous house had a foyer roughly 12′ x 12′ with its own furniture and closets, and it was listed as a room in the real estate listing.
By comparison, our Richmond house had fourteen rooms: a dedicated kitchen, family room, dining room, office, multiple bathrooms, foyer, bedrooms, art/homework room, laundry room, and a finished bonus room. On top of that we had a huge walk-up attic, a two-car garage, and a large outdoor shed — three more spaces we don’t have now. Losing those rooms and storage spaces was a big adjustment, but it also forced us to reduce clutter and be more intentional about what we kept.
Having fewer rooms and less storage was initially daunting, but it’s something we’re proud to have accomplished. We used to keep so much in the attic and garage; getting rid of that excess has been freeing.
The Rooms We Don’t Miss
A quick disclaimer: every household has different needs. What worked for our family might not be ideal for yours. This is simply our perspective and might help you weigh which rooms are truly essential when house hunting, renovating, or rethinking a spare room.
We didn’t miss several rooms at all — here’s why.
Don’t Miss: A Foyer
We once celebrated finally having a proper entry foyer, but in hindsight it felt like wasted square footage. We seldom used the front door — we usually entered through the garage — so the foyer was just a pass-through. In our current home the front door opens directly into the living area, and with a functional storage solution near the entrance (a laundry closet with hooks for backpacks and coats) it works perfectly. Given the choice between a grand foyer and a practical mudroom closet or drop zone, we’d pick the practical option every time.
Don’t Miss: A Laundry Room
We once built a luxurious laundry room with marble tile and cabinetry, imagining it would be a private space for folding and stain-treating. In practice, laundry rarely lingered there — it stayed in hampers and got folded on beds. The secluded location also meant we would forget loads. Our current laundry closet sits in the heart of the downstairs living area, which makes laundry impossible to ignore and far more convenient. It’s still behind closed doors, provides useful counter space, and reduces noise, but it’s far more practical for our habits.
Don’t Miss: The Dining Room
Formal dining rooms have lost favor for many families, and ours was largely unused. We usually ate at the kitchen island and the dining room became a staging area for packages and clutter. Now our kitchen table is the main dining spot, and we prefer sitting at a table facing each other rather than in a line at the island. If you love hosting formal dinner parties, a dedicated dining room might be essential. We’re happy with a casual setup and often eat outside by the pool when company comes over.
Don’t Miss: The Bonus Room
Our finished bonus room in the old house was a large, flexible space for movies, play, and crafting. In our smaller house we still have an upstairs family room that serves the same purpose — it’s a kids-first space where messes can be ignored from downstairs. The upstairs location also helps keep noise contained. Functionally, we still have that extra living space; it just goes by a different name now.
Missed It At First: The Office
As two people who work from home, giving up a dedicated office was a real concern. Early on, especially during the pandemic year of remote work and virtual school, juggling work and kids in the same house was tough. Our initial setup wasn’t ideal, and productivity suffered. Over time we adapted: we carved out a sunny desk area in the upstairs family room, use outdoor spaces when possible, and sometimes take laptops into bedrooms for quiet calls. The flexible approach now works well for us, and I actually love the natural light from the window at my desk.
Do Not Miss: The Garage
We debated this one. A garage can be convenient, but our garage and attic were constant sources of clutter and weekend-long cleanups. Not having a garage has disciplined us to deal with donations and curbside finds immediately, and it freed up weekends that would have been spent organizing. There are small downsides — like wet bike seats — but those are solvable without reclaiming an entire garage. In short, our tendency to let garage space become a dumping ground made living without one a net positive for our lifestyle.
Sometimes Miss: Our Ensuite Bathroom
We don’t miss having a second bathroom overall, but we do sometimes miss the specific ensuite bathroom we finished in our old house. We completed that renovation shortly before moving and only enjoyed it for a few months, so there’s a bit of regret that we didn’t get to savor it longer. That said, downsizing was an intentional trade-off: we gave up some luxurious indoor features for an outdoor-focused lifestyle near the beach.
The Trade-Offs Of Downsizing
Downsizing is a series of trade-offs. We traded a big marble bathroom for a beautiful outdoor shower and an indoor shower that suits our beach life. We traded a garage for a large second-floor deck and easy access to nearby grocery stores, restaurants, and the beach. Our kitchen is smaller, but our commute to ice cream is short and the house is cheaper to heat and cool. The result is less square footage but more usable living, lower maintenance, and a lifestyle that feels richer in other ways.
If you’re considering downsizing, know it involves compromises, but many of those compromises don’t feel like sacrifices once you settle into the right lifestyle. Fewer rooms can mean less clutter, simpler upkeep, and more intentional use of the spaces you do have — especially when outdoor living becomes an extension of your home.