We deeply understand and resonate with dreams of grandeur like owning a huge house, driving fast cars, and living life to the fullest without a worry in sight, but after you’ve got a taste, you start to appreciate the smaller things that make your life whole. Frankly, these material objects that many of us strive for are great at motivation, but they’re nothing more beyond that alone. The substance will always emerge over form.
And, in light of this concept, we want everyone to consider the idea of downsizing their home, to make the switch from big houses to something more compact and not-as in your face. Sure, you might have your doubts and are wary of change, but there are disadvantages to a bigger home that make switching an economical and wise decision.
There Are Disadvantages To A Bigger Home
It might be unbelievable to hear at first, but once you consider the following points and reach a certain age, you will start to value these reasons even more. So, before you click off and call us quack for trying to convince you to get a smaller house, you might want to give us a chance first.
#1 More Space To Clean Up
Let’s be honest, while cleaning can be therapeutic at times when you’re cooped with stress, 99% of the time, it’s just a hassle to do, and it’s something we all wish we could skip. And, with a bigger home, there’s just more surface area to clean up and maintain, meaning you’ll spend more hours scrubbing and vacuuming than you will in a smaller home.
- You’re Busy Doing Something Else: With most of us working from home and crunching our time to get documents and files ready, many households are just too busy doing something else to be bothered with cleaning. And, if it’s not your career that’s eating your time, you could also be busy with other important matters that take priority.
- You Just Don’t Find It Fulfilling: Apart from being annoying to do, cleaning around the house isn’t just as fulfilling as working on your hustle, investing in your skills, or focusing on self-improvement. And if cleaning alone is taking precedence over the things that make you happy, then downsizing can free up so much time for things that do matter.
#2 Very Costly Expenses
Yes, big houses are beautiful to look at and give you plenty of space to experiment and design to make it as comfortable and representative of your personality as you want. However, with a much bigger house also comes a proportionally larger monthly expense, and during these times of economic turbulence, having something set aside is the smarter thing to do.
- Property Maintenance: Uncertainty can be quite the doozie to handle, but we also need to be prepared for the unexpected. Naturally, with more space means more can potentially go wrong, let’s say the patio suddenly succumbs to wear and tear or the heating system gives up on you. A bigger house means spending more on property maintenance, and a smaller house means less to consider.
- Bills, Bills, and More Bills: From water bills to electricity, utilities are a staple to live a comfortable and modern life by today’s standard. However, a bigger house means more appliances that require power and more bathrooms that increase your water bill. So, if you’re planning to save and live comfortably off your investments, then downsizing can help extend the lifespan of your savings.
#3 Keeps People “Apart”
Last but not least, a bigger home just tends to keep people apart and stuck in their respective rooms. Everyone busy doing their own thing, and the family only ever getting the chance to talk when it’s over breakfast or dinner. Sure, it may be reasonable to have a bit of privacy, but complete seclusion from your loved ones isn’t something commendable either.
Yes, you could argue having more space to yourself is not inherently bad, but there’s merit to keeping close ties and talking more often. And if you think you need a bit more of the latter, getting a smaller home helps lessen the gap that keeps people apart.
When You Should Consider
Of course, we wouldn’t want you to throw away a newly bought house that still has a considerable amount of mortgage that needs to be paid. So, before you jump into the downsizing train, here are some things to think about first.
- Economic Reasons: The pandemic fallout has had many households on the backfoot of their financial lives, and if the stimulus package is just helping you get by, then a smaller home will help ease any unnecessary financial burden. And if you’re lucky, you could get a more affordable heating system from the local furnace company or land in a neighborhood with a strong potential for property appreciation.
- No More Kids To Look After: The kids will eventually move out, and if no one else is going to be using that room, keeping it will only incur unnecessary expenses. Sure, there’s the off chance that they come back crawling needing a place to stay, but there’s nothing wrong with letting them crash on the couch.
A Refocused Life, A Smaller Home
A smaller home changes your perspective, and downsizing will put an emphasis on the essentials of life. So, if you’re ready to make the change and to refocus your energy and passion, don’t forget that we told you here first!
