How to make the most of downsizing your home

A rare situation where losses are actually gains, it’s a great way to live your life with a more streamlined appeal.

Downsizing your home is a big leap to take. It involves scaling back your materialistic responsibilities to enjoy a more liberating lifestyle.

Still, not everybody makes the most of these opportunities. Many people wait until their elder years, and even then, it can be a pained decision, one riddled with self-doubts and uncertainty. It’s a shame to wade into these waters cautiously, especially when there’s so much enrichment to enjoy here.

Downsizing can be a wonderful thing. You won’t have as much property maintenance to perform or pay for, nor will you have lots of empty, wasted space that you’re simply not using. You’ll live within your means, and there’s no shame in getting started on such aims early.

Here’s how to make the most of downsizing your home.

Live abroad

Downsizing means you have a wider range of properties to enjoy without countless limits and restrictions impeding your decision-making. You can quite literally live anywhere, paperwork pending.

If you’re going to live in a new property, why not widen the scope of your ambition? You can find a nice single storey house for sale in Malaysia, for instance. Some will be bigger and more lavish than others, so adjust the price range with PropertyGuru’s tools as you see fit to ensure you’re browsing suitable options. You can also filter by the number of bedrooms and other factors, lending more precision to the results that show.

Every country will likely have an affordable price range for single storey living. Explore and see the world while still establishing roots of a kind, integrating into a new place properly. Downsizing is a chance to lead a new kind of lifestyle, and by moving to a new nation, you can double down on that effort in the most exciting way possible!

Think about how downsizing affects affordability too. Lower utility bills can be enjoyed, or you could live in a land with a lower living cost. It can be easier to do if you use downsizing as a blank slate than you think!

Live nearer to loved ones

It’s not always necessary to move away. Different personality types have various needs, and some may choose to be nearer to those they love most – especially after the disconnect everyone’s experienced in the last year.

If you have friends and family who live far away, downsizing is the perfect opportunity to situate yourself closer to them. Longer and more frequent visits or taking outings together – it’s all much more doable logistically speaking when you’re all close to one another.

Virtual calls and video games aren’t always satisfying ways of socialising. Some people make do with them in coronavirus lockdowns, but they can’t always fill the void of one another’s physical presence. Downsizing might be a way to address these issues and get back to the people you belong with.

Clearing your head

Many people have endless piles of junk in their homes, some more than they were ever aware of. It can build up over time, unnoticed, until the reality of the situation dawns on everybody one day.

During the pandemic, there was debate over whether the UK had become a nation of hoarders, stockpiling goods instinctively. Others resorted to making mindless purchases online with the closure of online stores, losing their sense of reality as the digital world seemed less consequential. It doesn’t take long for these situations to spiral out of control.

By now, it’s quite likely many of your belongings are no longer serving an active role in your life. Downsizing is the perfect opportunity to finally be free of them. It might seem hard, but if you have refrained from disposing of such items before, the stars will start to align when you downsize and motivate yourself into these efforts. Don’t store things away if you know you won’t miss them. Clearing your personal inventory can also clear your head.

Donating goods

Of course, one person’s rubbish is another’s riches. It’s worth keeping this in mind throughout the downsizing process.

There are often many tragedies that mobilise people to donate their goods. If you’re downsizing, it’s an excellent opportunity to be part of these schemes and offer up whatever you can. It’s certainly a more fulfilling use of your time than disposing of your items down the local tip.

You’ll feel better about yourself for partaking, too, lifting another weight off your chest. After all, many people feel powerless when learning of these events, so having a way to reach out and provide some assistance is a powerful thing. You can help more than just yourself.

Donating items is also a great way to meet people who share your values. Additionally, if you bring younger family members in tow, you can also teach them what you’re doing and why. In the end, donating your downsizing leftovers can trigger a chain of wholesome events in yourself and others.

It’s not for everyone…

While some people might not want to downsize, it is ultimately an option for others to consider. No matter when you intend to navigate this process, go forth with the understanding that what you are doing is for the best. But do your research carefully. This article is not financial advice.