FFF: Small? or Favorite?

My schedule has been such that it is difficult to consistently get to this screen to post my favorite five's weekly.  But Susanne's practice of pointing us there weekly is never far from my mind even if my fingers don't make it to this keyboard.

Thank you Susanne for the weekly reminders!

This week, I do have a minute to join in, and so I am!  :-)

It has been a very short time since we found ourselves moving.  The house we are in the middle of moving into is about half the size of what we were living in.  That has left us with some big changes.  Some of those changes are quickly becoming favorites.

1.  Instead of the "s" word small, I have found a different "s" word come to mind... SIMPLIFY!  It is definitely forcing us to do that.  I mean, who needs 16+ coffee mugs... really?  And that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the number of pieces of furniture and bags being filled with items in preparation to find their way to other homes.

2.   Another "s" word that comes to mind is SPACE.  Even with this house being only about 1/2 the size, we have agreed that we will not fill it wall to wall and corner to corner with stuff.  We are intentionally leaving visible space.  And strangely it seems that I can be more relaxed with even less than what this house would potentially hold.  *Inhale deeply*   aaahhhhhh......

3.  Amazingly enough the house seems to be staying so much more picked up.  Perhaps it's the less stuff to begin with and the allowed empty spaces that help contribute to this?  Whatever, I'll take it!

4.  Cleaning is not nearly as laborious of a task.  With only 1/2 the house to clean... it takes only 1/2 the time. Yep, favorite!

5.  And perhaps my most favorite of all... no matter where my chidren/family are in the house, I am aware of them and can hear them!  In the bigger house each one could make their way to different corners of the house and unless intentional effort was put into thinking of where each one was, it wasn't so obvious.  Not so here.

For instance, right now sitting here typing in the living room I hear music coming from the little guy's room as he is down for bed.  I hear the occasional cough and sniffle from my daughter's room as she is resting. (and not feeling so well at the moment poor girl!)  I hear my husband and son laughing downstairs at whatever it is they are watching.  And occasionally I even hear their discussions back and forth in conversation. 

FAMILY!  This smaller house has brought us that much closer together... just in the living day to day and moment by moment in this place.  That is a a favorite of mine indeed!

What have been favorites in your week?