Published February 27, 2024
The Upsides of Downsizing: Simplifying Your Space

Living in a smaller home has become
a standard practice today. There are a couple of reasons why this came to be.
First, these homes tend to be much more practical than big houses. Plus, living
in urban cities would be nearly impossible without vertical housing. Secondly,
these homes come in various sizes. Therefore, everyone can find a perfect size
for themselves. Also, a problem often occurs in the form of expenses. People
flock to big urban cities such as Seattle for a better quality of life. However,
most of them can only afford to rent a place. Plus, the bigger it is, the
higher the rent. Here's where the upsides of downsizing stand out. We're here
to explore these benefits so you can embrace this new adventure with open arms.
What are the
Upsides of Downsizing?
Downsizing, in the context of modern
living, goes beyond just moving to a smaller residence. Simplifying your space
is a deliberate choice to make life
easier by reducing physical possessions and living spaces. This trend is
gaining momentum among various age groups, especially with people looking into buying a new home,
which is otherwise very expensive. It is also driven by the desire for a
simpler, less cluttered lifestyle. For many, the decision to downsize is not
solely about managing space but about:
- seeking financial freedom
- improving the quality of life
- most importantly - practicality
Seeking Financial
Freedom
As previously mentioned, living in
dense and urban areas presents certain challenges. If you decide to live in an
expensive area, living in a smaller apartment will drastically reduce your
expenses. These expenses include the mortgage or rent, utilities, and ongoing
maintenance. This newfound financial freedom enables individuals to accelerate
debt repayment and enhance their savings. The
act of downsizing also often involves selling or donating excess possessions.
Thus, you will declutter your space and potentially gain an extra source of
income or tax deductions.
Improving the
Quality of Life
More than anything else, the upsides
of downsizing are about enhancing your quality of life. It's all about making
an environment that encourages the pursuit of personal interests and meaningful
engagements rather than personal possessions. With less space to maintain and
fewer possessions to worry about, you
will have more time and energy to devote to hobbies, travel, and quality
moments.
Lastly, being flexible and open to smaller housing options means getting
closer to the action. Simply put, you can land a job much easier if you are
comfortable relocating to another city with more job opportunities. The same
goes for being close to various amenities that'll be of use to you every day.
All of this combined can potentially improve your quality of life.
Practicality
Downsizing is a practical decision
for most people. If you choose to live in a smaller space with fewer
possessions, you quickly realize that you didn't need that many things to begin
with. Here are three practical advantages of downsizing:
·
Home cleaning and maintenance get
much easier.
·
You get to move around your home
more freely.
·
There is more space for hanging
around with your friends or family.
Downsizing Tips
Simplifying your space might seem
intimidating at first, but you can easily downsize by following these tips:
- Going for an early start: Kick off the decluttering process well ahead of your
move to avoid feeling rushed.
- Being methodical:
Employ the room-by-room strategy to reduce clutter systematically.
- Using the one-year rule: If you haven't used an item in the past year,
consider donating, selling, or recycling it.
- Digitalization:
Consider converting physical items like photos and documents to digital
formats to save space.
- Measuring your new space: Recognize the dimensions of your new living space to
organize everything better.
- Selling or donating:
Donate items to reduce waste or sell them to earn extra cash.
- Embracing the multi-functionality: Use the multi-purpose furniture and items to maximize
efficiency in a smaller space.
- Asking for assistance:
Don't hesitate to involve friends, family, or professionals in sorting and
moving.
Seek Help from
Professionals when Moving
Moving involves thoughtful planning and execution. In this context, hiring a moving company can be very
beneficial. Professional movers can make your move a much easier endeavor,
particularly if you’re moving long-distance. Let’s say you’re relocating from
Manhattan to Seattle. In this case, the warm-hearted and trustworthy movers from
Heart Moving can handle
the logistics of packing and transporting your belongings. At the same time, if
you still have excess belongings that you don’t want to part with, this moving
company can also provide convenient storage solutions.
Final Thoughts
As you weigh your options, you will
eventually realize that a minimalistic way of living is a good idea. The
upsides of downsizing are prone to subjective points of view, but several key
aspects can't be denied. Simplifying your
space is an excellent choice for people that are all about practicality. It
also saves you a lot of money. Lastly, it allows you to have a wider selection
of housing options. No matter where you go, finding a home will not be a
problem if you're comfortable with smaller spaces. What's more, it will
potentially provide you with more options in general. All in all, going for a
downsizing process is an idea you will surely not regret.