Podcast Summary: Post Reports

Episode: Why smaller houses can make us happier
Date: January 28, 2026
Host: Elahe Izadi
Guest: Michael Coren (The Washington Post’s Climate Coach)
Podcast: The Washington Post’s Post Reports

Episode Overview

This episode explores a counterintuitive idea: that smaller homes can actually lead to greater happiness, despite societal pressure, market trends, and a cultural obsession with bigger houses. Elahe Izadi and climate coach Michael Coren discuss why “sizing up” often doesn’t bring the anticipated satisfaction—and how social connections, neighborhood, and personal priorities matter far more than square footage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Personal Angle: Living Small

• Introduction: Elahe shares her own experience in a 900-square-foot home, facing pressure (“When my mom stayed for a couple days, she kept talking about how the kitchen was too small…” [00:02]) but finding unexpected positives—like reduced clutter, easier cleaning, and less furnishing expense.
• Sentiment: “I can't really hoard too much stuff... I love that I don't have to spend a lot of time or money furnishing my place or keeping it clean.” ([00:31])
• Michael Coren’s reporting reassures her that there’s research to support these feelings.

Does a Bigger House Make You Happier? (03:06)

• Finding: Michael Coren explains that research shows bigger houses do NOT make people happier—sometimes, they do the opposite.
  • “After we have this brief initial burst of satisfaction... people typically report their life satisfaction returning... and in many cases it even declines.” ([03:06])
• Reason: The trade-offs for a bigger house (time, money, commute, social ties) are often overlooked and outweigh the perceived benefits.
  • “We systematically overlook the costs... and we dramatically undervalue the intangible benefits that actually drive our happiness.” ([03:53])
• Key Insight: It's not just financial strain; even those who can afford more space might lose essential social ties or proximity to what matters most to them. ([05:13])

Square Footage, Household Size, and Happiness (05:36)

• Ideal Space? There’s no universal “ideal” home size; however, having less than ~150 square feet per person can lead to stress or anxiety, but this is personal. ([05:44])
• What Matters: The “currency of happiness” is strong social relationships and neighborhood connections, not square footage.
• Household Size: Michael references research by Gerardo Levia showing that households with four to six people tend to be happiest, regardless of home size.
  • “The effect of sharing with others is positive because... the nature of the connections are of support and understanding and love.” ([07:23] - Gerardo Levia)
  • Latin America vs. US: In places with strong extended families and social ties, people report higher happiness even when incomes or living spaces are smaller. ([07:55])

The American Obsession with Bigger Houses (11:34)

• Trends: US homes have nearly doubled in size since 1970, while the average household has shrunk.
  • “1970... homes were just 1600 square feet. Now... around 2,400” with fewer people in them. ([11:53])
• Why? Michael points to “keeping up with the Joneses”—relative status matters more than absolute size.
  • “People care about relative wealth, not absolute value... comparison is the thief of joy.” ([12:40 - 13:24])
  • The McMansion Effect: People’s satisfaction with their home size is influenced by how their house compares to their neighbors’ homes, not the actual size. ([13:24 - 14:36])
  • Metaphor: Michael likens this to everyone standing at a stadium—when one person stands to see, everyone has to stand, but no one benefits in the end. ([15:14])

Individual Experiences & Downsizing (16:02)

• Downsizing Stories: Michael shares emails from readers who regretted losing space, but also many who found happiness after downsizing—fewer possessions, more free time, closer family ties.
  • “Once you wake up, the reality that is that is more happiness, more time, and much less environmental impact, you don’t go back.” ([17:07])

Environmental Perspective (17:09)

• Climate Impact: Smaller homes use less energy and likely involve shorter commutes—two major factors in individual carbon emissions.
  • “A smaller home... is likely going to mean a much shorter commute. And those are two of the three biggest contributors to your overall emissions.” ([17:18])

How To Choose a Happier Home (18:05)

• Prioritize Neighborhood & Social Ties: “Our happiness depends very much on where we live. Because you could think of a home as emotional infrastructure—how does it facilitate our relationships?” ([18:05])
• Quality Over Quantity: Spaciousness is rarely among the top priorities for home buyers; affordability, proximity to friends and family, and walkable locations matter more.
  • “We only use something like 30% of our homes regularly. And it’s three rooms: living room, dining room, kitchen.” ([19:42])
• Practical Advice: Optimize for quality of life, not number of rooms.

Michael Coren’s Personal Conclusion (20:26)

• After reporting on the topic: Michael feels validated staying in his smaller apartment (with his family and husky) and has little desire to move—except maybe to add a bathroom for practical comfort.
  • “All the things we give up for that extra space are just completely eclipsed by what we do have already.” ([21:09])
  • “I think I was internalizing other people or other values than my own and not even realizing it.” ([21:49])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You should feel superior, even.” — Michael Coren ([01:51])
• “After we meet all our needs for shelter and minimum square footage, at best, there’s a tenuous relationship between life satisfaction and the size of our homes.” — Michael Coren ([03:36])
• “Comparison is the thief of joy.” — Michael Coren ([13:24])
• “Once you wake up, the reality that is that is more happiness, more time, and much less environmental impact, you don’t go back.” — Barry Crist (via Michael Coren, [17:07])
• “You could think of a home as emotional infrastructure, it’s how does it facilitate our relationships.” — Michael Coren ([18:05])
• “We only use something like 30% of our homes regularly… living room, dining room, and kitchen.” — Michael Coren ([19:42])
• “I feel so lucky. And the desire to size up has evaporated.” — Michael Coren ([20:49])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02 — Elahe’s personal experience with small home living
• 03:06 — Michael Coren discusses research findings on home size and happiness
• 05:44 — Is there an “ideal” square footage? Discussion of household size
• 07:23 — Gerardo Levia on the happiness benefits of shared households
• 11:53 — History of American home sizes and household numbers
• 13:24 — The “keeping up with the Joneses” phenomenon and McMansion effect
• 16:02 — Reader stories on downsizing and its impact
• 17:09 — Climate impact of home size
• 18:05 — Practical advice: what to prioritize when choosing a home
• 20:26 — Michael Coren reflects on his own living situation

Takeaways

• The assumption that a bigger house equals more happiness is not supported by research.
• Social connections and a fulfilling neighborhood life are far more significant for wellbeing.
• Americans have increased home sizes dramatically, yet are lonelier on average—indicating bigger does not mean better.
• Psychological traps like status comparison (“the McMansion effect”) drive desires for more, even when it doesn’t satisfy.
• Downsizing can bring happiness through less clutter, financial freedom, stronger relationships, and a smaller environmental footprint.
• When house-hunting, focus on community, design, walkability, and personal needs above sheer size.

For anyone weighing a move or feeling pressure to “size up,” this episode offers both research-backed reassurance and practical advice: happiness is more about who you share your space with and where you are, not how much room you have.