I really think I am blessed, so don't take the following as evidence of the opposite--but my husband (one of the three dancing the small house dance) has Stage IV cancer.  This means he is on maintainance chemo indefinitely and that our income is much reduced.  Our daughter, 17 years old and the love of our lives, faces major surgery this June for a serious ear problem.  This means we really, really, REALLY love our home.  It is our refuge and our sanctuary--and if it was smaller I would feel the same.  This is where we make memories and heal and recover from the hurts of the world.  I totally love my home.  Not a day goes by that I don't bless God for this refuge. 

 I don't say this to make you feel guilty.  Please just look at your blessings and know them.  Praise God for the love in your home and be good stewards of your shelter.  I hope you understand--I don't judge--but I do know the blessing of a good home.  Love in HIM.

MemoriesMama, I hope some of the ideas we toss around help you to use and even come to love your space. I have seen the prices on some pieces I feel would make things neater around here but I can find other places that need the money more. I am trying to buy things a piece at a time as I can find things that I like and are low cost.

Deb, I can thankfully say no, we have not been personally effected by fraud.

Lisa, do you find a smaller home helps you to be able to better afford essentials?

I think we all lack the feeling that our home is our sanctuary so many issues we see are really started there.

Hello Everyone,

Just reading through the topics and had to post with this one... I Love the site due to issue of frugality...

We are a family of soon to be 11 (August) and although now we have a large addition (added 1500sf), when we had 7 children we were living in 880 feet of living space with one closet, one bathroom(w/4 girls, yikes!!) and only 2 bedrooms, we bought husbands grandparents home, even though the size was small for our size family there was a definite desire for the property due to family (we have 15 acres on a dead end road) 

Anyway, I thought you may find this little book helpful, it is from a Christian perspective, it is a wonderful encouragement in regards to frugal living and living by faith and waiting on the Lord, but I have actually reread this book 3 times and I find that when I am discontent, which happens more than I'd like to say, that's still a work in progress:-) The name of the book is Momma's Guide to Living On One Income by Kimberly Eddy you can find it on the internet easily, not too expensive either, maybe $7 or $8 I think.

We must remember that even in these difficult times that some are going through, we are not as bad off as some, and some of the folks who are having it worse than we are could teach us a thing or two about contentment.

When my girls(teens) get discouraged or depressed I say to them,"Well, you are not in a hospital bed unable to get outside like alot of people are, are you?...it may sound crazy to say that but it puts our problems into a better perspective and helps us return to reality, now when I have a blue day, my girls say the same thing to me......it always comes back around doesn't it? and helps me to get out of my own troubles (some self-inflicted):-)...

Thanks for listening!

Keep up the great work everyone, I am truly happy to have found this site as I am always trying to stretch those dollars. 

You are absolutely right, Mother of Many.  Where I live, in San Francisco, there are hundreds or thousands of Chinatown apartments where 6, 8, 10 folks crowd into a studio such as I live in all by myself.  And then there are all of my public benefits.  I am blessed beyond measure.  I just try to pray for everyone I know, & pray for myself that I never lose gratitude in teh L-rd.

 For those of us still looking for organisational tips..

Storage Solutions 

Brandy,

Lowes has house plans called Hurricane Katrina, and the are sold out, but the book cost only $2. plus tax. It could have what you need to build your own. You can tell Lowes what happened to your family and they may give you the supplies for free. Who knows it is worth a try. Just order the book, or go to Stretcher's Build Your Own cabin in the Natural Living section of the library. I hate to see nice people like you suffer like you are right now, and if you want it I will send you the article I printed off from that story, or you can look it up yourself. It's your choice. I always say we make our own happiness and nobody else. Well good luck.

Tanya

Brandy,

It may interest you to know I have in the past before we moved into apartment living last year. That we lived in a 1 and 1/2 bedroom trailer with country kitchen and two porches. My children lived in the back bedroom which had no closet what so ever. Four walls and that was all.the door was off it hinges and had no latch, so we took it down. I put bead curtains up for a door. we had one bathroom with one shower and tub. The toilet we had to hook up ourselves and worked in the end. I think that the single wide trailer was quaint and homey as ever. The children shared a bed in their room. It was 4 in a bed, and my older ones slept on the sofa sleeper in the living room King size of course. I slept in a tiny bedroom with the only closet in the place. We all shared that closet. We did have a yard that was large so the children could play. We lived there for five years. We were happy and content there. Small spaces brought us together in ways I could never think would ever happen. The children actually started picking up after themselves, and instead of fighting said I am sorry and I love you lets not fight. I still hope you get a bigger place soon though. Make sure its a home you want truly in the end.

Tanya

I really appreciate the effort you make in suggestions. We don't have property to build on however. We have considered property and we have gotten about as far with that as we have with anything else.