Live Smaller, Budget Bigger
Wednesday, July 24, 2019, 6:00 AM | Leave Comment
Downsizing your living situation doesn’t have to mean downgrading your life.
Living in a smaller space can actually help you gain more financial freedom and give you more free time than you previously had in your bigger space.
If finances are tight or you’re motivated by another reason entirely, downsizing your home is a great way to save money and change your lifestyle.
After all, housing is one of the major parts of your life and budget. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind when making a move like this.
Luckily, there are some tips that can help you make a seamless transition to something beyond the traditional family home.
Downsizing can be fun, effective, and efficient when done with a little planning and forethought.
Image Source: Unsplash
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Consider Your Lifestyle
When you start to think about downsizing, you should think about your lifestyle and what you will need to do to accommodate it in your smaller space. For example, if you are really into outdoor adventures and you have a lot of gear, you’ll need to consider where you’ll keep things like skis and kayaks in your smaller home.
It’s best to think through any potential issues like this before making a commitment to downsizing. You want to be sure that your switch to alternative housing will suit you and that you will not feel resentful because of the things you had to give up.
If you are building a smaller residence instead of buying one (and especially if you’re doing so on a budget), there are different things to consider, like how you can best build and organize the space to suit your specific lifestyle and needs. You’ll also want to check on lot restrictions and financing options so you know what you’re getting yourself into before you commit to anything specific.
Be aware that you may have to make changes to your lifestyle to accommodate your downsized living situation. This is often easier than trying to make your smaller home accommodate your lifestyle. You will be happier if you are open, willing, and flexible to make small changes.
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Have a Plan for Downsizing
Downsizing can be overwhelming. You might wonder how you are ever going to sort through all your belongings, choose what stays and what goes, and then organize it into a new space. One of the best things you can do to ease the transition is to have a solid plan that will help you do the job effectively.
Starting with a timeline is smart because it will help keep you on track. Your most monumental task might be getting rid of what you no longer need or want. This can be a difficult task to follow through on.
“Hobby items that are no longer used are easy to get rid of, as long as you appreciate the role they played in your life and recognize how they can help others once sold or donated,” says Atlas Van Lines. “The junk drawer and repair projects you never got around to is another easy area to target.
Focus on practicality and consider whether you actually want to pay to move that broken TV or box of mismatched clothes, much less have a use for them in your new home.”
You should give all your items thorough thought before putting them in a box. This way, your smaller space won’t be too cluttered. Getting rid of excess items also helps make your current home ready for potential buyers. While it may be painful at times, downsizing your home means downsizing your belongings. There is no way around it!
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The Benefits of Living Smaller
During the purging process, you may be asking yourself why you’re putting yourself through this in the first place. But, the benefits of living smaller are many. If you can keep those in sight, all the moving and weeding out will feel worth it in the long run.
One huge benefit is that downsizing your home often leads to financial savings. Smaller homes should cost less to heat, cool, and light, for one thing. You will also have the chance to have some extra income when selling all the things you want to get rid of before moving.
Aside from financial benefits, there are mental benefits of downsizing as well. Sometimes physical clutter in your home can lead to mental clutter, causing you to feel ungrounded and scatterbrained. A smaller, well-organized and clutter-free home will feel better mentally and emotionally.
Finally, you can feel good knowing that having a smaller living space is better for the environment. Large houses have huge heating, cooling, and electric bills and high consumption rates that use up our planet’s resources at an alarming rate.
It’s clear that there are many benefits to downsizing your living situation. With a little thought and planning, you can get through the hard points of moving and enjoy the benefits of your move in no time at all.
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