My parents have recently divorced and I chose to stay with dad. Our family home was quite big, with a yard, patio,… now my dad rents a studio - we have living room, kitchen, bedroom (1 room) + bathroom + balcony. I actually really love it, it’s very cozy, intimate, nicer location, easier to clean, less clutter…
I like something in-between. I have hobbies where I use some equipment for building stuff. A smaller space would have worked if I could have changed some things in my old apartment, like being able to change the layout of my closets. (So I could store my stuff in a way it’s easier to get to. I could work around it, but it wasn’t optimal.) My family is also pretty messy, and I only have so much “effort” in me in a day. In certain small spaces, it’s pretty involved to try to get to something if your family blocked it, didn’t put it back, or just otherwise disrupted the “flow.” A little extra space means I have some wiggle room, and I am able to make sure our stuff doesn’t expand to fit the emptiness over a longer period of time.
I do like to have people over and entertain… It’s possible in a smaller place but a touch more space and it’s comfortable.
I don’t like big living spaces. There is too much space for things to get lost and there is more to clean and maintain. I like to buy stuff in bulk when there are sales, but there is a point where it’s just too much.
When I live by myself, all bets are off. Small spaces all the way. I don’t need to consider anyone else’s needs and I can make everything super efficient.
Another thing to consider about big spaces is that we often find things to fill them with. I’d rather have a smaller space and prioritize what I need, than have lots of room to store junk I shouldn’t have bought in the first place.
Facts. Folks tend to only carefully consider what they keep or bring in when it causes issues, like running out of space. They don’t usually think about it otherwise.