April 25, 2018 Posted in Looking for a Home
Eva Johnson

Digital nomad born in New York but currently living online, Eva knows everything there is to know about packing and moving.

Everything You Need to Know About Moving to a Smaller Home

Living in a big house can make it seem impossible to imagine moving to a smaller home, but there are so many benefits to downsizing. Here is a list of everything you need to know about moving to a smaller home.

A small house model on a man's palm overlay
Tiny residences come with many benefits

The Benefits of Moving to a Smaller Home

You might wonder why would anybody even consider downsizing for a move? Realistically, the biggest benefit of a large building is an abundance of space. Space that with time turns into storage for old items we don’t use, ones we might use, or things we just might require one day. First and foremost, that much room is probably not necessary. If you get rid of the things you don’t use or need by donating unwanted items, you can easily move to a more compact habitat without having to reduce costs when moving.

Larger houses take more time to clean and there are a variety of things that can break and require fixing. Basically, it is simply more expensive to own a big residence, since not only the maintenance costs are higher, but the property taxes and insurance as well. In conclusion, living in a small building means lower housing bills and more free time so you don’t have to rush to find a job before moving to another state.

Decluttering can be a good idea when you’re relocating to college or have opted to move for a job. However, downsizing can be beneficial even if you don’t ever move. First of all, you can just clean up your storage and earn extra money by having a yard sale or putting things on Craigslist. Also, thinking about the rooms and their use can help you make your current living facilities better and more practical.

Move With Confidence Get Free Quote

Downsizing Tips – Find the Right Storage for Your Stuff

When you start thinking about the advantages of moving alone to a more modest place, you should work on changing your mindset. Don’t feel limited or afraid just because of the square footage you will have.

Looking for a new place when it’s time to move can be stressful, and it can cause you relocation anxiety, but moving into the wrong one can cause you relocation depression. That’s why you should try to set your top three priorities before you start checking the safety of your future neighborhood and house-hunting. Think about the things you need or want the most in your living environment, like a lot of light, private outdoors, or even things like wooden floors and marble kitchen. When you know your priorities, it should be easier to avoid common moving mistakes and find the right option that will make up for the lack of square footage.

When moving to a new house, you should learn a few packing tips and tricks and make a must-have list of items you need in your life or an inventory. Things like kitchen appliances, other electronics, beds, furniture, clothes you use daily. Get rid of things you don’t use, such as old clothes, broken machines, extra glassware, uninteresting books, and empty bottles. Keeping duplicates and hoarding items you might require one day should become a thing of the past.

Organize Your Life in a Smaller Home

It is a big change to switch from a big storage place to a new tiny one. It takes time to get used to the limited room. But if you are having trouble letting go of some of your things or fitting them into the new place, you can always rent a storage unit or consider some moving tips for downsizing.

Consider Renting a Storage or Making One

Renting storage makes sense, especially if you think you might move again into a larger place within the next year, or you require some more time before you can find a place for those items. Furthermore, if you’re not relocating alone, but have decided to move in together with your significant other, you are bound to have some extra stuff, you can put away. A storage unit can come in handy for many items like:

  • Craft supplies
  • Seasonal items, like clothes and decoration
  • Business inventory
  • Appliances you don’t want to sell or give away

Before you move to a new house, you can always install lots of storage. Have in mind that floor-to-ceiling shelving, cabinets, and closet shelving can make most of the room you have. A well-organized house means everything takes up a minimal amount of room while being easily accessible. Using closet shelving can help with clothes, while that floor-to-ceiling shelves can keep books and documents neatly organized and accessible.

Is a Smaller Home the Cheaper One?

We said that having a big house means higher taxes and larger utility bills, but tinier houses have few more perks that distinguish them from big ones:

  • They are cheaper to buy, which means there is a lesser risk of debt
  • They are energy efficient – mostly because they have a limited surface to heat and cool
  • They are easier to clean and maintain – fewer rooms means fewer cleaning tasks
  • They are cozy and intimate
  • They can be more unique

Maximize Your Potentials

The positioning of the furniture in limited spaces should be planned so that you could avoid clutter. Better organization and uncluttered space lead to comfortable and easy living. That’s why you have to get into a mindset that helps you plan your indoor activities. For example, adopt a strategy that states that whenever you bring or buy something new, you should throw away something of the same size. This will make you avoid gathering unnecessary things.

You could always let your creative side take over and paint rooms in different colors, it could also alleviate moving stress. The makeover will give them their own unique look and transform them into great places to be in. Try to let a lot of natural light into the place and a lot of artificial light that will generate a brighter vibe. Putting large mirrors at strategic points can help as well. The same goes for using glass doors and dividers to create an illusion of a large open area.

Using multi-functional pieces of furniture can also help. Just think of the furniture that can be used to store things in, such as footrests and seats with lids. Use convertible furniture pieces for several different purposes.

Family and Friends

When buying a large house or relocating to the suburbs, you often hear that there is room for everyone. But buying a place with less space doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of your own room. Those buildings provide more family time since you will be closer to each other, which could be one of the reasons to move to a smaller home. Modest houses usually don’t have large backyards that divide them, so it is easier for you to meet your neighbors and bond with them. Lack of big yards creates a feeling of familiarity and security.

Consider This When Downsizing

Places that might lack the space and the opportunity to keep things can make up for it with the coziness and familiarity they bring. Living in that kind of house takes creativity, flexibility, and organization, it will make you think twice about the purpose of every item you have. Remember, a more compact home might be limiting in some aspects, but it is liberating in many other ways.

If now is the best time of the year to move and you decided that changing the address and moving to a smaller home is the right decision for you, then plan your moving budget, figure out how to reduce relocation expenses, find out what would be the cheapest way to move out of state or a big city, or choose a highly recommended professional cross country moving company.

They offer a wide range of professional services like packing and even cross country moving services, national and international shipping. They can also offer reliable auto shipping services if you’re thinking about transporting your car across the country. Just remember to check carefully how does car shipping work.

QUICK MOVING ESTIMATE

    Download as PDF Moving Checklist
    Get a Free Estimate 877-888-0708