By 
When you were younger and full of ambition, maybe you dreamt of a big home with a huge back yard. Perhaps you own that home right now. But as life goes on and the years take a toll, the dreams become smaller and the needs humbler. So it isn’t unusual for a senior to want a small home that only serves his needs and is yet more comfortable to manage. You may choose to downsize after you retire, or maybe you want a simpler lifestyle. Either way, there are numerous benefits of shifting into a smaller home.
Benefits Of Downsizing
- Easier To Relocate
Selling a property can be a big hassle. It depends heavily upon the condition of the real estate market. But if you move to a rental unit, you can easily decide how long you want to live in that city. If your loved ones are in another town, you can lease an apartment next to your family.
- Reduced Stress
The stress of maintaining a big home can be too much for some people. They will have to clean and keep all the rooms. If you are unable to, they will watch the rest of their home catch dust and rot. That can take an emotional toll and stress you out. When you need to start living a stress-free life, a small is easily maintained in a little time, and enjoy the rest of the time doing things you love.
- More Organized
Having to downsize means that you have to declutter. With a big home, you will only use a couple of rooms of the house, and the rest will collect dust and clutter. But downsizing means that you will get rid of anything that you don’t need. That will result in better organization of your home.
Furthermore, you can store your heirloom furniture and fragile items like china sets and crystals in an affordable self-storage unit. That way, it will be easier to move into an apartment without getting your precious items damaged.
- Easier Accessibility
A small home also means that you won’t have to climb tons of stairs to get to the bedroom. Stairs are also a health risk as the elderly can fell and get injured. If you have face mobility issues, you can easily find a home without stairs.
A Step-By-Step Process To Downsizing Your Home
- Make Your Decision
At what point in time you want to move? After retiring from the current job? Or you have plenty of saving and want to enjoy your free time sooner. You are your boss. It is better to set a time in life to be sure when you want to downsize and stick to your decision.
- Set Goals For Downsizing
Before deciding to sell off your existing home, determine what are your fundamental goals for this step. You can make the following goals:
- Financial: Decide on the money you want to take out from savings to pay for the rental unit you decide to move into.
- Lifestyle: Where do you want to locate. What is your main priority? Do you want to live near your sons and daughters? If you do not have any children, you prefer living close to best friends or relatives maybe? Choose where you want to locate.
- Consider Your Housing Options
Small housing options won’t have the extra rooms or a huge garden to manage. Instead, you can find rental apartments or home units according to your needs and liking. If you face mobility issues, consider single floor condos. A small space will help you maintain your expenses and live a stress-free life.
- Consider Handing Out Legacies Sooner
Maybe you have an antique clock or a china set that your daughter always loved. Now is the time to hand them away. It will allow you to clear space from your home. Another benefit is that you will enjoy the feeling of gifting something valuable to your loved ones. You will be making your children and family happy while reducing your load at the same time.
- Declutter
When you go through years of belongings, your nostalgic emotions can make you keep things you don’t need. We understand that it can be challenging. So if you want to downsize, limit yourself to something you have to keep and things you have to sell, donate, or throw out. There is no room for things you can maybe keep and make space for.
Handing out legacies and donating are good options, but you need all the money you can get after retirement. So instead of moving everything to the storage unit, handing it out to your children, donating it, or throwing away, sell them instead in a garage sale or online. A garage sale can sell out quickly, but it won’t secure you much money. Selling online will benefit you more, and you will get a little extra money to add to your retirement savings.
Conclusion
Downsizing can be an emotional period as nostalgia tugs hard and makes you think it’s a lousy option to downsize. But downsizing comes with freedom. You won’t have to carry the stress of managing everything yourself. Besides, the memories and attachment to your existing home are natural. But it is better to move ahead in life for a better future.
Comments