When it comes to home ownership, there used to be this general consensus that bigger is always better, but our unbridled enthusiasm for square footage is actually starting to wan. Increasingly, families are choosing to live small—especially in a city whose housing market is continuing to skyrocket disproportionally out of reach.
For many people, a smaller home isn’t a “downgrade.” It can be an ideal choice for a family who wants a home without the many maintenance responsibilities that go along with it, or desire to make an exciting lifestyle change by moving into a different neighbourhood. There are so many benefits of downsizing your home, and this is my take on why it could make you happier, too!
Smaller homes are easier to maintain
Anyone who has owned a house understands the amount of energy, and effort it takes to maintain it. Naturally, if you live in a smaller home, it will require less time to maintain it. That can be mentally freeing in a way, because it will free up extra hours to do the things you truly love, instead of maintaining your home.
You can embrace a new sense of minimalism
When you live in a smaller place, by virtue, you have less space to fill out with…stuff. Smaller home living offers an opportune time to keep clutter and excess out of your lives. You don’t have the room therefore you can’t afford to have any excess clutter. Downsizing your home can help you embrace simplicity and eliminating anything you don’t need or value.
Your budget stretches farther
Because you’re in a smaller space, your dollar goes farther in terms of how you may want to update your fixtures or furnishings. You have less room to work with, therefore you can really invest in the features you love without feeling like you have to redo a much larger space. You can splurge on things like smart appliances or even a home gym!
More energy efficient
We live in a time where we have to make a larger commitment to how we impact the world, and how our choices can affect the environment and the global climate crisis. When we’re in a smaller home, by default we use less energy. Smaller homes are more energy efficient because they have less space to heat and cool, which means they have a lower ecological footprint.