Five Benefits to Downsizing Your Home and Simplifying Your Life

Photo Courtesy of Laurey W. Glenn

‍Are you considering downsizing your home? It’s not uncommon for homeowners to move into a smaller house after their children have grown and moved out, leaving them with too much-unused space. Or, the charms of living in a big home no longer seem to be worth all of the extra time, effort, and expense in the cleaning or upkeep.

Deciding to downsize has the potential to improve your quality of life considerably. It could also turn out to be a financially wise decision for you and your family. Here are just a few advantages that make downsizing a popular option:

Save Money

Owning a smaller home can provide several financial benefits: 1) It can potentially reduce your mortgage payment; 2) Lower your monthly utility bills, as you will need less energy to heat and cool a tinier space; 3) Lower your property insurance since the home will cost less to replace or fix than a much larger structure; and 4) Decrease property taxes, given the smaller footprint of your home.

Additionally, the savings that result from downsizing can be reserved to provide financial security and flexible lifestyle choices—such as travel options, vehicle or home upgrades, etc.

Clean Less & Minimize Upkeep

While some people enjoy cleaning, it’s safe to say most homeowners don’t want to spend their free time dusting, sweeping, mopping and vacuuming. And, the smaller the home, the less effort it takes to clean it. The less time you spend on the upkeep of cleaning your home, the more time you have with friends and family, and on activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. If you rely on a cleaning service, your cleaning bills should also reduce with less square footage to clean.

A smaller home requires less upkeep too. From mowing the lawn and cleaning out rain gutters to painting the interior and exterior and replacing light bulbs, you’ll spend much less time on basic maintenance. The result? You’ll spend more hours in the day pursuing the things in life that truly matter to you.

Take Advantage of Multi-Purpose Rooms

Chances are there is at least one room in your existing home that doesn’t get much use. Maybe a dining room, home office, or an unused bedroom? In a smaller house, there isn’t room for unused space. Instead of having a formal dining room separate from a breakfast nook, a downsized home might combine the functionality of both eating and entertaining in one space. A home office might serve as a comfortable guest room for overnight guests. A living room might double as a media room for playing games, watching TV or listening to music.

Lower Your Family’s Carbon Footprint

A smaller home means you are using less energy to run the heater and air conditioning. As a result, you will wind up lowering your family’s carbon footprint, which helps you do your part to conserve natural resources and protect the planet. Going green also saves money, of course. It takes less water to clean a smaller home as well as to keep the lawn and other vegetation healthy.

Simplify Your Life with Less Clutter

Another significant benefit of downsizing your home is that it helps you to simplify your life. Because space is limited, you have less space to decorate or fill it with material items. By bringing less into your home, you simply declutter your life. When it comes to purchasing items for your smaller home, they will be items that are absolutely necessary.

Questions about downsizing your current or future home? Connect with Riverside Construction by calling 765.838.1644 today.