Cut your housework in half, eliminate tedious yardwork and increase your savings. I've got your attention now, don't I? With enticing benefits like these, how is it that downsizing still has a negative connotation for many? For some, it's hard to leave a cherished home when children are grown or when managing it becomes too difficult. However, many folks are now considering the virtues of downsizing -- or "smartsizing," which is what I think it should be called -- at a younger age. Maybe it's time to reevaluate your lifestyle, shifting energy from child rearing and property maintenance to the freedoms inherent in a smaller, smarter home.
Kimberley's do's and don'ts
DO reconsider your needs. Perhaps that industrial-size range and Sub-Zero refrigerator aren't really necessary. Can you opt out of a second bedroom in favour of a dedicated hobby space? If guests visit only once a year, then maybe a hobby room is more worthwhile than a guest room.
DO draw up a floor plan for the new space before determining any furniture choices. Your favourite sofa may look like it fits in your new home -- make sure it does! As well as assessing your furniture for room arrangements, measure large, wide pieces like sofas to see if they'll fit through the front door, and keep in mind any stairs or elevators to be negotiated.
DO eliminate the entertainment centre by purchasing a flat-screen TV to mount to the wall.
DON'T decorate for how you wish you lived; rather, shape your home to how you actually live. In other words, don't surround yourself with crystal and fine silver if you're more of a put-your-feet-on-the-coffee-table type.
DON'T limit rooms to a single use. The living room may be ideal for watching TV, crafting and housing the occasional overnight guest. Again, a floor plan helps you realize your goals.
DON'T overlook the potential to reap financial gains by purchasing a smaller property. Consult a financial adviser to invest newly available funds, pay off debt or take that dream vacation.
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn
4 Comments
whoa eriq, calm right down. To edit your possessions simply means to remove things that you dont need/want anymore so that when you are moving or redecorating your space, you dont need to account for things that will be a waste of space. A good example I think, is my step mother. She is a huge packrat/arts and crafter, and her home is packed to the gills with stuff. She could turn the basement into a useable space for her hobbies, but instead it is filled with games/toys that her children used 30+ years ago, and broken bikes. Editing these sorts of things from her space could give her more freedom to enjoy her space now, instead of holding onto these items and being stressed from the lack of space. Editing your living space is NEVER a bad thing, and she even points out not to remove things that absolutely define you and that you love. I love this article, as I just bought a house and am moving today!! We totally let things until the last minute and are now trying to edit as we pack.. An utter waste of time. Cheers!
Gee, I thought she was talking about people like me, who's kids have grown, no longer require the extra bedrooms & playroom & are sick of the long commute between the suburbs & the city. A condo downtown is looking pretty attractive to me right now.
I don't think Kimberly was specifically targeting people that have lost their jobs and have to downsize. She and other decorators have been giving "editing" tips for years. My husband and I went from a 5-bedroom, multi-level on an acre of land to a 3-bedroom, 1 floor bungalow and a manageable backyard and lots of flower gardens that I can still play with. My housework went from 3-4 hours on the weekend to about 1 hour as this house has hardwood floors so less vacuuming. Why did my husband and I need a 5-bedroom house. This house is mangeable now and in the future when the "joints" aren't working as well anymore. This house gives us more time on the weekend to golf, take the dog for long walks and enjoy our time off for our 2-day weekend.
'EDIT' your living space? Madam, you are talking about people who are abandoning their living spaces for something like poverty conditions because this over-inflated, collapsing economy just blew their jobs and their incomes from the middle classes straight out of the water. Do not demean them with sleazy euphemisms like 'edit'. This 'service economy' is going to destroy zillions of jobs and the law of averages does not preserve anyone's job above anyone else's unless your name is Warren Buffett. 'Edit' your own living space, Madam, when you too become redundant.