<prompt> Human: tl;dr Sometimes it pays to take a fresh look at your financial situation, and even your own desires and expectations. Have the guts to consider even the most drastic, out-of-the-box changes. Leave everything on the table.We dramatically downsized our house and have never felt better. We have more financial freedom and we have come to love living in a smaller house, despite our familys skepticism.Your house shall be not an anchor but a mast. The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran---Late 2014 my wife 25 and I 27 werent struggling by any means, but we had taken on some debt thanks to a rough year filled with unexpected expenses, and our daughter had just turned 1. We felt like our house was weighing us down. A seed was planted and an idea began to grow. Do we really a 2500 sq ft house? Is it possible to make a clean break?We loved our house. It was large for us, but that was a plus when we bought it because we knew it could fit our growing family. We thought wed never sell it, so we thought the stretch would pay off in the long run.Old house stats: - 2,460 sq ft, 2 story, 2 car garage - 4B2.5Ba plus Bonus - 7,000 sq ft lot on a hill, with high-maintenance terraced backyard and garden beds - 25 and 15 min commutes - HOA dues - Needs new windows, exterior paint, as well as other maintenance - Over 280,000 principle left on mortgage - About 1,980 payment PITI - 70,000 in equity, since we bought near the lows in 2011 As the idea grew, we began to realize just how much we didnt use or need the majority of our house. Bedrooms and a bonus room were empty. We had two eating and living spaces; twice as much as we needed.At the same time, we began to fantasize about how much money we could save, how much more time we could spend with each other, and how much weight would be taken off our our shoulders by downsizing. We began to get excited.We decided to look for smaller homes. The idea was becoming real. Id be lying if I didnt say it was scary at times, despite our optimism. All major financial decisions cause you to doubt yourself at one point or another.It took a lot of work, but we sold our house. Were talking hours and hours of bringing it up to showing standards, and dozens of quick escapes with a toddler to show it. The day we moved the last box out and dropped off the keys was so incredibly liberating. We didnt even miss it, and we knew this meant that wed made the right decision.During this time, our family was always supportive, but we could sense their uneasiness.We finally found our new house, and our offer was accepted. We were ecstatic.New house stats: - 1,090 sq ft rambler with 2 car garage - 3B1Ba - 9,000 sq ft lot that is completely flat and very low maintenance, as well as a covered patio in the backyard - Less than 10 min commutes each, I can now bike to work - No HOA dues - Immaculate condition needing virtually no major maintenance - Put 20 down with the proceeds of our sale, no additional money needed - Balance of 184,000 principle on mortgage - 1,180 payment PITI - 5 min from local college - Incredibly convenient location near grocery stores, etc. I could go on raving about how great our new place is, but the stats alone speak for themselves. We eliminated six figures in debt and our current payment amounts to the same cost of a one bedroom apartment in our area. Everything is cheaper in a small place, as well.We learned that sometimes you cant be afraid to entertain every possible opportunity. And sometimes you have to have the guts to pull the trigger. You are never stuck. And especially have the guts to find your own path instead of seeking validation and fulfilling the expectations of people who dont write your checks. Finally, dont just reevaluate your financial positions, but reevaluate your own expectations and desires.  <response>: Finally, dont just reevaluate your financial positions, but reevaluate your own expectations and desires.This hits home for me. Going into my first year out of college I never thought the biggest challenge would be telling myself no. 