Our summers are usually hectic, and jam packed with thousands of plans we’ve coveted and cooked up over long snowy winter days. We maximize outdoor living as much as possible at this time of year…We BBQ, we bonfire, we live our lives to the fullest and stockpile every ounce of summer goodness to keep us fortified over the winter.
This summer, I decided to try something new. Our long-term tenant who had been with us for several years gave us notice that she would be moving, leaving our apartment vacant for the first time ever. I had some repairs and renovations to tackle in the rental unit before I could rent the space again, and I didn’t have much wiggle room in my budget to work with. Since we are rarely in the house during the summer months (weekends are spent at the cottage), my partner suggested we rent out the main house and move into the apartment so that not only could I renovate it at my own pace, but I would be able to finance it this way as well. I mulled it over and decided it made too much sense not to do it.
Here’s what my family and I learned over the course of our 12-week summer downgrade from a 3 bedroom house to a studio apartment a third the size …and why we will likely repeat it next summer.
The Purge: Prepping to Rent
First off, we had to clean the main house to prepare it for listing. And I mean…we had to CLEAAAN. Not a drawer went untouched, not a cupboard overlooked. It took several hours a day for almost 5 weeks to complete the task. God bless my neighbour and my partner for helping with everything from re-wiring lights to scrubbing walls to cleaning the hot tub. Every closet was combed through, every toy bin was dumped. Bags upon bags of donations and trash left the house. Screens were scrubbed and repaired. Pampers boxes of files and paperwork dating back over 5 years were combed through and burned (the neighbour joked that the smell reminded him of his wife’s cooking). I mean, this was the purge of the century. The house hadn’t been in this shape since the first year it was purchased (pre-kids). It was beautiful. I almost didn’t want to let anyone enjoy it now that it was amazing and immaculate.
The Downgrade
The first 2 weeks of living in the apartment were an adjustment as we navigated living in a space that was in the process of having the floors replaced. We lived for just under a week walking on and sticking to industrial grade adhesive that coated the subfloor…several pairs of shoes and much cat toe hair was lost during this initial phase of the reno. Luckily, children are resilient and adaptive, especially when you turn things into play. I stuck a few vinyl tiles over the very sticky subfloor and told the kids we would play ‘The Floor is Lava’ until the new flooring was installed. They enjoyed hopping around the apartment until the flooring was done. I did not. The children slept at their father’s house during that week, and I crashed on a couch in my clinic and showered in a totalled bathroom before work. It was hella glamourous.
Next came the painting. Most of the painting was done the day after receiving my second covid vaccination due to poor planning on my part. Much sweating and heaving was involved. Just as I finished the last wall, my youngest got into the paint bag (attempting to use it as a cape) and so things were paused to scrub latex out of his eyebrows. He sported frosted tips for a week after that.
Finally, the furniture assembly: Immense amounts of cursing and loud singing (and wine) supported this final phase of the reno. I managed to assemble, drag, and stand up the last piece, a large kitchen shelf, as the grand finale which my hernia really appreciated. Finally, we were ready to occupy the space completely.
The Adjustment
The children were allowed to pack one Tupperware bin of toys to take to the new space and I took only the clothes we would need for 12 weeks.
The apartment itself was minimalistic. It had one bed, one sofa, and one desk. Oh, and no TV. The kids had been prepared for this low-tech summer over the spring since they had just completed a 4-month TV hiatus after breaking the new flatscreen with a yo-yo on Easter. We refer to that incident henceforth as ‘The Time Mom Went Crazy’. The kids had to earn their new TV by doing household chores until their birthdays rolled around in June. One child participated dutifully, the other folded 3-4 towels before knocking the pile over in defiance of the chore rule.
The new TV was hung in the main house 10 days before their birthdays but they were not allowed to watch it until their birthday because LIFE LESSONS. They enjoyed the new TV for approximately 3 weeks before we moved to the basement. The Life Lessons continued.
Was it insane to lock myself inside a shoebox with no TV and 2 young children for 3 months? Yes. But did I regret going for a low-tech summer lifestyle? Also, yes.
Although they had tablets for desperate moments, they were happy to be outside rather than in front of a screen, something that pleased me very much. I got to journal and work on creative writing over this period. I also could keep my eye on them since you can’t get into much trouble in a 400 square foot space (unless you hang like a monkey from the bathroom towel rack and rip it out of the wall which proved me wrong).
The kitchen was small with 90% less counter space than we were used to which meant food prep was a drag. Over the weeks, we shopped for small amounts of groceries every 2-5 days, only buying what we needed. Not only did we have virtually no food waste, but we also saved a ton of money compared to the massive Costco runs I was used to doing every 2 weeks in order to stockpile. Fruits and veggies no longer rotted on my counters and went to the green bin.
We also ate better: We stuck to finger foods and picnic style eating. Fruits, veggies, crackers, cheese and lean sliced meat were our go-to, especially since we could throw a meal together in no time this way. It also meant fewer dirty dishes and less packaging. We took advantage of Mezza’s Family meal which fed us well for several days, and we saved the Tupperware for packing our beach picnic foods. I learned the hard way to do the dishes immediately after eating each of our meals since I didn’t have the luxury of a dishwasher anymore. Because the space was so small, it was easy to tidy up daily. Our Roomba which we affectionately named Paul Ruddba did the circuit along the floors every day which meant I didn’t have to vacuum anymore. It was magic.
We were on the road a lot, driving 4 hours to Cape Breton to enjoy our teeny cottage by the Ocean. When we were in Halifax, we enjoyed our backyard more than we ever had before, playing in the stream, walking the park behind the house, and having bonfires. We finished my workdays with trips to the lake so the kids could cool off before a bath and bed. We were outside as much as possible.
When the kids weren’t at their fathers or at the cottage, we piled into the one bed with the laptop and watched cartoons and ate popcorn. The kids are at the stage where they’re pretzel sleepers and I didn’t get much rest crammed between them, but the sofa was always free for a nap when necessary.
The Lessons
Overall, we learned some valuable lessons over this period: We learned not to be attached to things but rather focus on experiences and relationships. Being crammed in one large room as opposed to living in a large house was challenging at times but also meant we had to compromise and be respectful of one another in order to live peacefully. Either that or I restored order by yelling at them like a maniac (whatever works).
We got used to cleaning daily and kept our small spaces orderly rather than living in chaos all week then having to spend half the precious weekend rage cleaning. Also, when we are ready to head back upstairs to our house it will feel so much bigger and cleaner than what it felt like before the purge.
We learned that everything must have its place since we had no counter space to pile things on. Things that did not have a place were donated or disposed of. Time was no longer wasted searching for everyday items like hairbrushes and other specific objects.
We saved money on groceries, earned money with rental income, and renovated the entire lower floor of the house, increasing the property value.
But most importantly, we worked on our adaptability and let go of the lifestyle we were accustomed to. We developed an appreciation for our life and all the privileges we enjoy. Often, it’s only after we lose something that can we fully appreciate it. It’s important to me that the kids grow up humble and grateful so that they learn the value of hard work. If everything is given to them and they never feel a pinch, they are less likely to develop ambition and drive, qualities that are required for success.
This experience was so successful that we will likely repeat it next summer. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback about what I’m doing which has been encouraging. My favourite story is of the mother of 3 who threatened that if her children didn’t start cleaning their rooms, she would force them to live in the basement like her Osteopath was doing with her family.
I’ve become a cautionary tale and I LOVE IT.
Kids don’t need stuff. They need time with family and friends in the great outdoors.
Amanda is a Halifax-based Manual Osteopathic practitioner who has trained with the College d’Etudes Osteopathique as well as the British College of Osteopathic Medicine. Amanda practises a heart-centred approach to Osteopathy and enjoys working with humans of all kinds.
This is so inspiring!! Bravo to you for accomplishing this beautiful space and teaching your children important values!
Amanda: I totally enjoyed this read. Brought me back to the way I was raised & we always appreciated things so much having grown up with a limited budget.
A wonderful experience for your children….as well as yourself!!
I absolutely love the way you write!! All the best!!!