Size Small

A lot of people seem to buy a lot more house than they need. Some are also buying houses they can't necessarily afford. I grew up in a small bungalow with one bathroom. There were 4 people in my family. I am sure at times my parents would have liked more space, but we managed to get by. My parents weren't in debt up to their eyeballs and didn't have a credit card. They lived within their means.

According to a Globe and Mail report:  "in 1975, the average size of a house in Canada was 1,050 square feet. Fast forward to 2010 and new homes being built almost doubled to an average of 1,950 square feet. In 1999 the price of a home was 3.2 times income, this had ballooned to 5.9 times income in 2010."

I can't believe that people are spending so much of their income on housing. Also, imagine not having your house paid off when you are retired? To me that is really scary.

A view of my small (but efficient) kitchen.

Benefits of Small Space Living

1. Less to clean. I am slightly obsessive about cleaning. I couldn't imagine having to manage a larger space.
2. Lower carrying costs. We have a very low mortgage payment. Insurance, property tax, and utilities are reasonable. 
3. Less room for stuff. We simply don't have the room for a lot of things, so I think before I buy something and am constantly decluttering.
4. Not as much worry about rising interest rates. When we have to renew our mortgage, we don't have to worry about how we will afford it. If we had bought a house we could only afford because of a low interest rate, we might be in trouble.
5. Smaller footprint. Buying small means less energy consumed. Better for the environment!

Don't get me wrong, there are definitely drawbacks to a smaller space. But for the most part I am really happy with living small!

Call me Joanne McLeod

I am pathetically out of shape. I really need to get in shape but can't seem to get motivated. So, when I was at the London Bump, Baby and Toddler Expo, I received this postcard and was sort of intrigued.

Move More Mommy is a Postnatal Exercise Research Study through Western Health Sciences. You have to be between 12 and 52 weeks postnatal (okay, apparently this isn't true because I am only 6 weeks postnatal), have not been physically active more than 2 days per week for the past 6 months (or in my case, not active at all in the past 6 years), are able to participate in moderate intensity exercise (I'm not so sure if I am), and have access to the Internet (who doesn't, it's 2013).

So I decided to participate in this little study. I had to go to an orientation this week, and it was a little alarming when my 3 minute exercise step test had me totally winded. Next week I have to do a full blown 45 minute class so that should be interesting.

Here is a short list of why I am taking part in this exercise program:

- I attend one exercise class each week at the YMCA, but I get a free membership for the entire 8 week period. So I can go to the gym (for free) whenever I would like during that time
- I get to exit the house
- I may become slightly more in shape
- I get to fill out a lot of surveys (fact about me: I love a good survey)

So each week I get to throw on my New Balance runners and see if I can become the next Joanne McLeod. We will see how this goes!  

Baby essentials according to Kim

I spent a lot of time looking into what was really essential for our baby because I didn't want a house full of stuff. Items like a bottle warmer, bottle sterilizer and wipe warmer just aren't necessary. Babies really don't need that much, and I had intended on keeping things as minimal as possible. 

Since we had a baby shower before Hannah arrived, I only registered for items I thought we needed. However, due to having extremely generous family and friends, we received far more than we registered for! Just when I thought we couldn't possibly receive any more gifts, they kept coming in after Hannah was born.

We have so many receiving blankets, toys, books, and clothes that I feel guilty. She simply doesn't need all of this stuff! If anyone is having a baby and wondering what items are necessary, I have compiled a list of Hannah's must-haves for the first month of her life! This is all of the "other" items outside of a crib, stroller, car seat, etc.

Pictured above: Overly cute baby

Hannah's must-haves:

Sleepers & Onesies: About 12 sleepers and 12 onesies should do. We have a lot more than that, but 12 is really all you need. Newborns are basically in sleepers and onesies all of the time. It's nice to have a few cute outfits, but they are more of a hassle to put on. Note: Sleepers with zippers are alot easier than ones with snaps.

Sleep Sounds: We use a combination of things to help soothe Hannah to sleep. She loves her Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother. I also play a Rockabye baby CD to her every night. This week it is U2. At this point, I am getting a little sick of the lullaby version of Sunday Bloody Sunday, but whatever helps!

Baby Carrier: Sometimes I just need to get shit done. With a baby carrier Hannah can come along for all of my mundane household chores. I also use the carrier for walks.

Swaddler: Sure, you can just use a receiving blanket to swaddle your baby. But life is so much easier with a product like "The First Years Easy Wrap Swaddler" (that's what we have). It has velcro tabs that makes a nice fit every time.

Burp Cloths & Washcloths: I like the Kushies brand when it comes to burp cloths and washcloths. They aren't cheap and thin like a lot of other brands. Plus the items are actually made in Canada. Shocking.

Blankets: A couple of nice blankets to keep baby warm. We have about a dozen, but only use our favourite few.