There are several circumstances in a person’s life that could make them consider downsizing their home. Retirement, relocating, seeing the last of your children out of the home or other changes in the dynamic of a relationship or family are the most common life changes that would be best accommodated by downsizing. While it can be sad or even, at times, humbling to let go of a bigger home, listed here are reasons to celebrate the decision to find something smaller.
1. The Opportunity to Purge
Years spent in a bigger home can give plenty of occasions to collect more items and possessions than most people find essential. More space in a home typically means there are plenty of extra places for unused or unnecessary items to be hiding. If you’ve been hording puzzles in a storage closet since the purchase of the home, or a baby crib in the basement for over a decade, or an unopened milk steamer in the bottom of your pantry since your wedding 5 years ago, this is a great opportunity to say “goodbye” to those items.
2. A Simpler Move
A smaller home means less space to store your belongings, therefore less time needed to organize and establish placement for your furniture and belongings! Moving in can be a much easier task when there is less to move with (assuming you took advantage of benefit #1) and can even possibly save you money when it comes to hiring movers.
3. A Smaller Area to Clean and Keep Up With
The best possible benefit to downsizing your home is the reduction of housework and maintenance that goes into keeping your house tidy and welcoming. Who wouldn’t love the opportunity to spend less time vacuuming or having fewer bathtubs to scrub? A smaller home may very well mean a smaller yard to have to mow (though not always). The time saved can be time spent doing more leisurely activities or spending time doing things you enjoy. Sign me up!
4. Smaller Mortgage or Rent
This advantage is completely contingent upon the area that you are moving to being similar or less expensive in value than the home you are moving from. However, it’s fair to say that less rooms, less yard, and less square footage usually equal less money. This can be a great opportunity to save some money or reallocate your funds to other areas of your life that could use extra financial attention.
5. Energy Savings Equal Money Savings
A smaller area will be much cheaper to cool and heat, and will typically demand that the dweller have and run few electronics than a bigger home would accommodate. It’s easy to assume that an individual can cut back on quite a bit of electrical usage and therefore downsize their energy bill.
6. The Coziness
Downsizing from a larger home can provide the perfect opportunity to feel cozier in your home. Instead of having a home that feels too big or not full of enough people, you can now have a more intimate setting for yourself or a couple of newly empty nesters. In the case of someone who is sharing a home with others, this creates a chance to spend time with your significant other or family, as opposed to just living under the same roof.
