Size Doesn’t (Necessarily) Matter

Living Large In Small Spaces

Photo by Vitaly Mazur on Unsplash

Once upon a time, I bought into the “bigger is better” myth about housing. More square footage meant more success. More rooms meant more happiness. Right?

And yet, when I look back, my happiest years were spent in smaller, simpler spaces. The unhappiest? Often in bigger, more expensive ones—full of things, but somehow still feeling empty.

So when I started telling people I was moving into a much smaller place, the reactions ranged from polite concern to outright disbelief:

• “But where will you put all your stuff?”

• “Are you sure you’ll be comfortable?”

• “Won’t it feel…cramped?”

Honestly? I had the same questions. But as I continue discovering downsizing isn’t just about shrinking my floor plan—it’s about shifting my mindset. It’s about asking what I really need versus what I’ve just been carting around out of habit. And once I made peace with that, I started to discover something surprising:

Size doesn’t (necessarily) matter.

Small doesn’t mean less. In many ways, it can mean more:

MORE CREATIVITY

Living in a small space pushes me to think outside the (storage) box. Multi-functional furniture becomes a lifesaver. A simple tabletop and four adjustable legs? That’s now a desk by day, a dining table by night, and a display surface when guests drop by.

Vertical space? Prime real estate. And that awkward little corner I used to ignore? With the right lighting and a comfy cushion, it’s suddenly a perfect reading nook.

MORE INTENTIONALITY

When space is limited, every item has to earn its keep. If it doesn’t serve a purpose—or spark joy (yes, Marie Kondo was right)—it’s out.

That kind of editing extends far beyond décor. It spills over into how I spend my time, how I organize my routines, and how I prioritize what truly matters.

A week into living in my new space, my life already feels less cluttered, both physically and mentally.

MORE CONNECTION

Smaller spaces naturally create intimacy. Whether it’s chatting over tea on the (tiny but charming) patio or squeezing together on the loveseat for a movie night, there’s just less room for distance and/or distraction.

I’m finding myself more present. More engaged. More grateful for shared moments.

MORE PEACE

There’s a calm that comes with less. Fewer surfaces to dust. Fewer places to lose things. Less visual noise. The simplicity of it all feels, oddly enough, luxurious.

Small-space living has its own rhythm and flow—one that encourages me to slow down, savor the quiet, and just be.

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

This isn’t to say there aren’t challenges to tiny living. I still find myself (occasionally) fantasizing about a walk-in closet or a tub the size of a hot tub. But those are fleeting wishes, not dealbreakers.

What I’ve gained—calm, clarity, and creativity—outweighs what I am leaving behind.

For me, living large isn’t about having a lot of space. It’s about using the space I have. It’s about surrounding myself with things (and people) I love and that inspire me. And it’s about designing a life that fits my values. Not just my art, ephemera, and furniture.

Keep calm and carry on!
Clint 🌈✌️

P.S. If you’re considering downsizing or just simplifying your space, I think you’ll be happily surprised to find you don’t need a huge house to live a full, rich, joyful life. I personally just need a little imagination—and more time to get rid of stuff.

P.P.S. I have until next Thursday to clean out and clean up my old place. Let’s do this!

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ON THIS DAY = JULY 22

BIRTHDAYS

• 1860 = Frederick Rolfe = English writer, artist, and photographer 🌈

• 1882 = Edward Hopper = American painter and etcher

• 1889 = James Whale = English director and actor 🌈

• 1910 = Ruthie Tompson = American animator and artist

• 1928 = Orson Bean = American actor

• 1932 = Oscar de la Renta = Dominican-American fashion designer

• 1932 = Tom Robbins = American novelist

• 1934 = Louise Fletcher = American actor

• 1935 = Grover Dale = American actor, dancer, choreographer, director, and publisher 🌈

• 1938 – Terence Stamp = English actor

• 1940 – Alex Trebek = Canadian-American game show host and producer

• 1941 = George Clinton = American singer-songwriter

• 1943 = Bobby Sherman = American singer-songwriter

• 1944 = Peter Jason = American actor

• 1946 = Danny Glover = American actor, director, and producer

• 1946 = Paul Schrader = American director and screenwriter

• 1947 = Albert Brooks = American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter

• 1947 = Don Henley = American singer-songwriter

• 1949 = Alan Menken = American pianist and composer

• 1948 = S. E. Hinton = American author

• 1955 = Willem Dafoe = American actor

• 1958 = David Von Erich = American wrestler

• 1960 = John Leguizamo = Colombian-American actor, producer, and screenwriter

• 1961 = Keith Sweat = American singer-songwriter

• 1963 = Emily Saliers = American singer-songwriter and Indigo Girls co-founder 🌈

• 1964 = David Spade = American actor, producer, and screenwriter

• 1967 = Rhys Ifans = Welsh actor

• 1972 = Colin Ferguson = Canadian actor, director, and producer

• 1972 = Seth Fisher = American illustrator

• 1992 = Selena Gomez = American singer and actor

• 1973 = Rufus Wainwright = American singer-songwriter and composer 🌈

EVENTS

• 1598 = William Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice, is entered on the Stationers' Register. By decree of Queen Elizabeth, the Stationers' Register licensed printed works, giving the Crown tight control over all published material.

• 1893 = Katharine Lee Bates writes "America the Beautiful" after admiring the view from the top of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

• 1959 = Ed Wood's cult classic Plan 9 from Outer Space, often called one of the worst films ever, is released in the US.

• 1983 = Jaws 3-D is released in theaters.

• 1996 = The Daily Show premieres on Comedy Central.

HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES

• National Hammock Day

• National Mango Day

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PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The student of history knows no more refreshing recreation than that of nailing liars, like vermin, to the wall.”
Frederick Rolfe