assetbest 
We recently bought a condo with a small yard (we actually moved in last August). After years of owning larger yards and paying someone to mow, I love this setup. Beyond the money saved, the biggest benefit is the time we get back.
The small space inspired me to do all the landscaping myself. I decided on a low-maintenance, low-water plan. The soil was hard and nearly impossible to dig, so I only planted a few things in the ground. If you plan to do a lot of digging, rent a Hitachi; I wasn’t that ambitious and just soaked the ground for several days to get the plants in.
I chose native plants that don’t need much water and they’re thriving. The rest of the yard is filled with pots, which are easy to move around. A nursery salesman tried to sell me ground cover, but I passed and splurged on large Mexican river rock instead. For a final touch I hung bright plexiglass sheets on the fence that I picked up on closeout at Block Buster.
The yard looks great and didn’t take much time or money to put together.
Wondering where kids will play? Many of our neighbors have small children and do fine with a small yard. Some install a little grass plus a plastic slide and water table. Older kids head to the park for soccer or the monkey bars. Others ride bikes and play catch in the parking lot most evenings.
Don’t get caught up thinking you need a big yard. A small, manageable plot can save time and money. I wish I’d bought a condo years ago.
Have you considered a small yard to save time and money, or do you prefer a larger yard so kids have more space to play?
