Ditching My House for Airbnbs Taught Me 5 Surprising Lessons About What Really Matters in a Home

Size doesn’t matter but “spaciousness” sure as heck does

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

I thought I knew what I wanted — and needed — from my home. Turns out, I had no idea.

Living in vacation rentals for the last two years has taught me some huge lessons about what is most important about a home. I change my abode up every 4–8 weeks so I’ve seen a LOT of places, and I’ve observed how every single one of them is decorated, how they are equipped, and how they make me feel.

So, what should you be prioritizing? Is spaciousness as important as we think? How about home decor, furnishings, or personal touches? Do we have it right, or are we placing too much emphasis — and spending too much money — on the wrong priorities?

Here’s what I’ve learned.

A home doesn’t have to be spacious in order to feel spacious

I recently wrote about one of my favorite short-term rentals and y’all seemed to like it too (the piece went mini-viral).

This was not a large space. It measures something in the region of 400 square feet, has no outside space and the lounge is small enough to almost touch either wall.