For most adults, there is a general tendency to move into a larger and nicer home every few years. There are several reasons for this common trend, such as to keep up with the Joneses, to feel as though they are up in the world as they get raises or promotions or to simply appear to be more successful. However, this trend is increasingly being bucked as more people are transitioning into smaller and more practical homes. While some people fully embrace this trend by moving into a tiny home, others are choosing to live in a modest yet comfortable space. Before you decide which home to build or buy, a closer look at why small living spaces make sense is a great idea.
Save Money
Smaller homes can result in tremendous financial savings over the years. The most obvious savings is on your monthly mortgage payment. In addition to this savings, you may notice that your property insurance, property taxes, utilities, maintenance, and repair costs and other living expenses are reduced. It also costs less to decorate your home, and this means that you may be able to afford stylish and comfortable d or that you truly want in your space and that helps you to feel at home in your space. With substantial savings in so many areas of your budget, small living could help you to save more money over the years and to become financially independent sooner. Keep in mind that daily financial stress related to living on a tight budget may be reduced or eliminated as well.
Less Maintenance
All homes require regular maintenance. The most frequent maintenance activity is house cleaning, which may require your daily attention. Consider that keeping your floors, kitchen counters and other spaces clean on a daily basis requires much less effort when you live in a home that is half as large. In addition, tasks like changing air filters, replacing light bulbs, sealing doors and windows and more may be dramatically reduced when you live in a smaller space. Many smaller homes are placed on smaller lots, and this means that your yard maintenance tasks may also be reduced.
More Time
When you spend less time cleaning and maintaining a small living space, you have more time available to spend enjoying life to the fullest. You will not need to spend many long hours each weekend cleaning your house and doing yard work, and this is the time you may spend relaxing, bonding with family, pursuing a hobby that you have always been interested in and more. You may even have enough time available to pick up a part-time job so that you can achieve financial goals, such as paying off all debts, faster.
Resistant to Accumulating Junk
Many people have a tendency to accumulate more items over the years than they truly need. When you have a large home, it is easy to bring new items into the home and to stash existing items farther back in closets, cabinets and other storage areas. Eventually, a large home will be brimming with items that you did not truly need and have not used sufficiently to justify the extra cost. On the other hand, when you live in a smaller home, you may be less likely to spend your time and money buying unnecessary items. This is because you simply do not have storage space available for extra items. For example, while you may want an extra pair of boots or a new small appliance for the kitchen, you may not act on these desires because you know that there is no room in your home to store these items.
Use All of Your Space
Many people who live in larger homes rarely use all of their living space. For example, you may have one or more extra bedrooms that are rarely or never used. Your home may have a spare home office, an extra living room or a formal dining room that is used only a few times each year at best. These are spaces that increase your mortgage payment, maintenance needs, property taxes, home insurance, utilities and more unnecessarily. When you live in a smaller space that is better suited for your needs, you may maximize the use of the space you have without being wasteful.
Closer Family Relationships
In larger homes, there may be a general tendency for family members to scatter to different areas of the home in isolation. This can create loose family bonds and unnecessary distance. On the other hand, when you live in a smaller home, everyone will communicate more frequently. They may be more inclined to come together to enjoy their free time as a unit and to otherwise strengthen family bonds. This may lead to improved communication and enhanced involvement as well.
Less Environmental Impact
Living in a larger home than you need to can create pollution and waste unnecessarily. Consider that building a larger home uses substantially more resources. It also requires more energy, water and other resources to maintain. You will leave a larger footprint through home decorating and repair work as well. If you decide to use the services of VeranieceConstructioinCorp to build a smaller home, the environmental impact associated with the construction process as well as daily activities in the home may be dramatically reduced. Because the installation of solar panels or a water collection system may be reduced with a smaller home, you may be more inclined to take these additional steps toward green living.
Living in a larger home may give the impression of success and wealth to others, but there are tremendous personal and environmental costs associated with doing so. There is an increasing awareness of how living in a larger space than is truly needed is impacting people’s lives. Now that you understand the detrimental impact that this may have on your life, you may be eager to explore downsizing options and enjoying all of these benefits by doing so.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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