Downsizing Replace: Virtually 5 Years Later

In November of 2020, we revealed a publish known as “What’s It Like To Downsize” after dwelling in our smaller residence for six months. We coated a spread of experiences – like the nice issues about transferring to a smaller residence (proudly owning much less stuff! saving cash!) and a few of its challenges, particularly within the preliminary phases of downsizing (paring down! determining storage!). We nonetheless agree with every little thing in that publish, however it had solely been six months… and because it has now been over 4.5 years (!!!), we really feel like we have now a couple of extra so as to add concerning the long-haul downsizing expertise. Let’s get into it.

I gained’t recap our total determination to downsize (you’ll be able to see the total rationalization right here) however the highlights are:

• We used to stay in a 3,150 sq. ft. residence in suburban Richmond, Virginia
• Now we stay in a 1,400 sq. ft. residence a couple of blocks from the Gulf of Mexico
• We have now 6 rooms (together with simply 1 rest room)
• Our present home’s lot is 1/tenth the dimensions of our final home’s lot
• We don’t have a storage, attic, or basement (however we do have a pool/sizzling tub/firepit)
• We needed a home that’s “walkable” & can now stroll to outlets/eating places/the seashore
• Our household downsizing motto has been to “stay with much less & be outdoors extra” (various motto: “spend much less time cleansing & extra time within the pool”)

After 4.5 years, we will nonetheless confidently say that downsizing was an amazing determination for us. We commit so much much less time, cash, and vitality into homeownership (upkeep, renovation, furnishing, cleansing) than ever earlier than – which has freed us as much as give attention to household, hobbies, nature, and a greater work-life steadiness. Financially it has additionally been useful (we made an entire chart about saving $$$, as a result of though our home is in a hotter location, it’s so much simpler to warmth & cool). You may see that breakdown in our unique downsizing recap.

We’ve additionally had our present residence longer than our first home, our second home, our seashore home, or our duplex at this level (time is wild!). So our downsized way of life is hardly a “blip” and we actually would have modified issues by now if it wasn’t match.

Forgetting You Downsized

Most days it’s simple to overlook that we ever lived with (or believed we would have liked) more room. We’ve lived on this home lengthy sufficient to completely modify (each mentally and logistically) to having 1400 sq. ft. What as soon as felt like an “unconventional” or “totally different” way of life change feels regular and unremarkable. A lot in order that it’s just a little tough to put in writing this publish. We’ve turn out to be just a little blind to what’s attention-grabbing or distinctive about it!

So why will we draw consideration to the “forgettableness” of downsizing? Properly, for a few causes.

1. Transitions Are Short-term

First, we hope this reassures anybody going through the same transition, whether or not by alternative or not. Downsizing can really feel difficult at occasions, however the challenges don’t final perpetually. As a result of identical to any transition in life – going to varsity, beginning a job, having a child – the adjustment interval is commonly the toughest half. So allow us to be an instance that, sooner or later, you’ll be on the opposite facet. You’ll modify.

That’s to not say the adjustment is all the time quick or simple. And totally different components could also be tough for various individuals. We loved paring down our belongings, in order that half wasn’t too tough for us (dare I say, thrilling?). However after transferring into our smaller residence, it took us 2-3 years to:

• work out furnishings preparations in a couple of trickier areas
• absolutely implement adequate storage options (like including closets)

So there was an preliminary “sticking level” to find one of the best ways to retailer sure issues (or a literal ready interval whereas we constructed the storage cupboards or closets that we would have liked). However now that we’ve figured these issues out, every little thing has a spot to stay, and it’s much more autopilot round right here. In actual fact, if pressed to recall what we struggled with storing or what took the longest to determine, it’d take a 10-minute brainstorming session to truly keep in mind.

2. It Was The Proper Transfer For Us

Secondly (and extra personally), the “forgettableness” of our determination tells us we did the best factor. Downsizing isn’t for everybody, so the truth that it has turn out to be so normalized for our household is immensely reassuring. We nonetheless have individuals over (our pool & proximity to the seashore is an actual draw). We spend much more time outdoors as a household. We clear the home collectively each Sunday in about half-hour (all 4 of us have our fav jobs). Six rooms complete (and just one rest room) actually have a plethora of upsides.

That’s to not say we don’t typically really feel the restrictions of a smaller residence (right here is the place I’d argue that limitations aren’t all the time unhealthy – like do we wish a home with sufficient area to retailer actually *something* we have now ever needed?).

To choose an instance of a storage limitation, a couple of years in the past Sherry needed a couple of of these 6′ skeletons to hold from our second flooring deck every Halloween. She proposed storing them within the crawl area (which may have labored – though skeletons beneath the home may be just a little creepy if somebody ever stumbled on them throughout an inspection or one thing). After some thought, Sherry ended up getting 4 smaller skeletons that fold on the waist and may simply be saved in a basket inside. The children get a kick out of repositioning them each October (rain chain Miley-Cyrus-In-Wreckingball scenes have been created) so there isn’t any scarcity of pleasure, and it hasn’t ever actually felt like a “sacrifice.” You modify. You pivot. All is okay.

Really, there’s a peace that comes with a resolute “nope, it gained’t slot in our home” that helps us stroll away from a lot of issues with out a lot inside debate (and with cash remaining in our pocket). Additionally, a lot of individuals stay with out 6-foot skeletons… which is kinda the purpose. The longer we stay right here, the much less regularly we let our area limitations distract from the positives of downsizing. It’s only a truth of life that we’re glad to stay with in change for the opposite issues we’ve gained.

Being Reminded You Downsized

Like I stated earlier than, this subsequent part seems like a direct contradiction to every little thing I simply stated. How can or not it’s simple to overlook we downsized… but additionally be recurrently reminded of that truth? This attention-grabbing dichotomy simply appears to be part of downsizing, so I believed I’d try to put it into phrases for anybody who’s considering a downsizing journey.

For the reason that day-to-day of dwelling in a smaller residence during the last 4.5 years has turn out to be so normalized to us, there are humorous little moments after we’re reminded that our determination isn’t everybody’s norm. A kind of humorous reminders may be when one other individual asks us about downsizing and says they may by no means stay with out their visitor room & their double storage (we normally chat about how downsizing positively isn’t for everybody – and every individual has various things they couldn’t stay with out).

Typically it’s simply this second of being in a bigger residence whereas visiting a buddy and noticing they’ve 12 closets or a large laundry room. It’s not a nasty sensation – it’s only a noticeable second of “oh yeah, some individuals have all this room! I’m wondering in the event that they assume our home is bizarre, regardless that we’re so used to it.”

To take this one step additional, comparability is a near-universal reality of homeownership, whether or not you’re evaluating your property to a home throughout the road or a house that’s featured on the web or in {a magazine}. This isn’t particular to downsizing AT ALL. I’m positive a lot of you in bigger properties have envied somebody’s much more spacious home sooner or later. And you could even have felt a pang of craving for a smaller and extra easy residence, however don’t really wish to stay in a single. It will possibly simply be just a little momentary feeling.

My most important level right here is that a lot of little needs or yearnings can exist directly in your thoughts, and people momentary pangs don’t imply you hate what you have already got or should change issues. Insert that quote concerning the grass all the time being greener. So when you’re fascinated with downsizing, it could be sensible to take inventory of how these comparisons actually make you’re feeling over an extended time frame (fleeting needs apart).

In the event you’re somebody who can say “that’s so cool for them, however I don’t assume I’d wish to clear these 4 additional rooms” – you would possibly actually be prepared (and excited!) to downsize. But when seeing these grander properties stirs up some form of burning want (versus being a passing second of “woah, they’ve a theater room!”), perhaps take a while to dive deeper and ponder if downsizing really feels best for you.

After we stroll into large open homes or showhomes, we’re very glad to take in all of the inspiration & recognize each element after which fortunately return to our cozy little home. Touring these “greater and higher homes” is enjoyable for us, and it’s additionally an train that reaffirms our alternative each time.

Once more, for us, dwelling with much less = needing much less cash = working/cleansing/sustaining/organizing much less = extra time for household/mates/hobbies/nature. There’s a large “why” behind our alternative. So seeing somebody’s greater/nicer home typically turns into second to savor the readability we have now round our targets. Is it lovely? Sure. Is it value spending extra time sustaining it and dealing longer hours to afford it? Not for us.

I’m particularly grateful for that readability given the wide range of properties round us. One distinctive factor about dwelling right here is the wide selection of home sizes (and, let’s consider, fancy-factor?). The properties in all of our earlier neighborhoods had been comparatively the identical. Some might need a more moderen kitchen or rest room, a completed attic, or an addition on the again, however the variations normally weren’t greater than a renovation away from the home subsequent door.

In our present space, nonetheless, the vary is actually WILD. You’ll find lavish & giant waterfront properties value eight figures only a brief stroll away. On daily basis we see every little thing from little cottages like ours to towering multi-family trip properties. Fortunately that wide selection doesn’t make us second-guess something about our determination to downsize. However I think about it could be tougher to deal with if we felt like our home actually was too small and we had been squeezed in there like sardines whereas these round us had all that room after which some.

All this to say, I’d not select a neighborhood like ours when you’re vulnerable to house-size envy or when you fear you’ll second-guess your determination to downsize. Sherry and I really take pleasure in that our home “stands out” in our neighborhood as being one among simply round two dozen “unique cottages” that had been constructed earlier on when our streets had been sleepy and gradual (it’s an amazing dialog starter!). However I believe a youthful me who was much less positive in my selections would possibly’ve most popular to mix in and sustain with the Joneses just a little extra. I believe that will’ve made this course of tougher. So… know thyself.

Would We Nonetheless Select Downsizing?

If it isn’t already obviously apparent, YES!

Within the nearly half a decade since making this alternative, we’ve solely grown extra steadfast in our determination. We had been so targeted on the logistical and monetary facets of downsizing in our earlier downsizing recap, I don’t assume we had actually digested these psychological facets sufficient to elucidate them. We had been additionally solely 6 months in, and really a lot loving our new residence, new location, and new way of life – however it could not have been simple to see it from as broad of a lens as we will at the moment.

And now, 4.5 years after downsizing, any form of honeymoon interval that will have occurred is over and we’re nonetheless very fortunately married to it. We’re amazed by how normalized it has turn out to be to us, and the way simple it’s to brush off any “temptations” round us. Sherry says that like getting tattoos, paring down and simplifying is addicting. Besides I assume on the subject of the occasional jonesing for giant skeletons. However even that may end up okay…

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