My family of 5 traded our large home for a one-bedroom apartment. Nearly 3 years later, we're in no rush to go back.

Leaving our five-bedroom home for a one-bedroom apartment has been great for our family. Megan Hawkins About three years ago, my family downsized from a five-bedroom house to a one-bedroom apartment. The small space isn't easy, but we're more intentional about what we buy and how we use each corner. We've bonded more as a family and have reduced our monthly expenses by about $900. My husband, Emmet, and I are raising our family in a one-bedroom apartment . Five people — three kids — all together in 800 square feet. We used to live in a much larger five-bedroom home, approximately 2,100 square feet, believing that success meant more space and more things. Instead, we found ourselves overwhelmed by maintenance, expenses, and the constant feeling of falling behind financially.