How Much Is Enough? Rethinking Home, Simplicity, and the Pace of Our Lives

In 1950, the average single-family home in the U.S. was about 1,500 square feet. By 2023, that number had grown to 2,286 square feet—even though the number of people living in each household has gone down.

It’s natural to want a comfortable space to live. But sometimes I wonder: have we been quietly conditioned to believe bigger is always better? Have we equated square footage with success, even if it means taking on crushing debt or living with constant financial anxiety?

Somewhere along the way, many of us began to see our homes not as places of rest and grounding, but as investments, status symbols, or checkboxes on a cultural to-do list. But what is a home really for? How much space do we actually need? And what happens—especially now, in the midst of a worsening housing crisis—when the dream of homeownership becomes unaffordable or unattainable for so many?

These questions have been on my mind a lot lately, and they’re deeply tied to something I’ve been exploring in my own life: the power of living more simply.

One of the greatest shifts I’ve experienced in simplifying my life has been learning how to slow down. I used to rush through everything—walking fast, talking fast, eating fast… even trying to sleep faster! I was constantly pushing to get everything done, as if productivity were the only thing that mattered.

But that pace was exhausting—and unsustainable. And somewhere deep down, I knew I was rushing right past the actual experience of living.

Slowing down didn’t happen overnight. It’s been a gradual process—tiny steps over years—but it’s completely changed how I live. Through a more mindful and minimalist lens, I’ve begun to let go of the noise, the clutter, and the pressure to keep up. And in doing so, I’ve found something I didn’t expect: space to breathe, clarity about what matters, and a deeper connection to the present moment.

Minimalism, for me, isn’t about stark white rooms or owning a specific number of things. It’s about making room for what really matters—and letting go of the rest. Mindfulness helps me stay rooted in that choice, moment by moment.