Thoughtful Downsizing: 5 Tips to Achieve Less House and More Home
More and more Boomers are discovering the benefits of downsizing their homes. There is an increase in Boomers looking for Homes For Sale In Georgia, Hawaii and South Dakota (the 3 best states to retire), the majority of which are looking for smaller homes. With an empty nest comes the next phase of your life, and downsizing provides the perfect opportunity to reset, reassess your priorities, save money, and simplify your daily living. So what’s the key to successfully reducing your possessions and inhabiting a smaller space? Thoughtfulness. If you rush head-first into the practicality of it all, you may end up with a new house, but not a home. Here are a few tips to ensure your smaller place is still warm, inviting, and homey.
1. Don’t try to clone your previous home. Create something new.
Downsizing is often confused with “get rid of some stuff until I can fit as much of my current house into my new, slightly smaller house.” But if you want to be thoughtful about it, you shouldn’t try to recreate your old home on a smaller scale. Instead, focus on creating something new. Find creative, multi-purpose furnishings for your smaller space. Challenge yourself to do more with less. Don’t just throw stuff away and hope for the best—really work to transform your new house into your home. However, you might just want to get brand new furniture anyway (I mean if you can afford it then why not treat yourself). If this is something of interest to you then why don’t you check out someone like furniture in fashion.
2. When dealing with hardwood floors, rugs are your friend.
Now, down to the details. If you’re moving into a smaller townhome or condo with hardwood floors, one of the best ways to warm up your space (both physically and atmospherically) is with well-placed area rugs. Whether a round area rug under the dining table or a long runner in the hallway, rugs will help soften harsh sounds, warm cold feet, and provide your space with a classic homey aesthetic. To ensure that you’re going to get the rug that is right for you, look at this rug buying guide, how to shop for a quality rug.
3. Think oasis. Go green with living décor.
Home décor is great for creating a welcoming home. Living décor? Even better. While you may have to say goodbye to your backyard garden, you can keep your thumbs suitably green with potted plants on the balcony, fresh herb planters, hanging plants, and more. There’s no shortage of new urban gardening ideas and products to get you started.
4. Save (and display) your family treasures.
A home doesn’t need to be your family’s museum, but saving a few treasured items and proudly displaying them can go a long way toward cultivating an inviting space. From special photos and decorative pieces to your children’s early-period artwork (think kindergarten masterpieces, these memories deserve a place front and center.
5. Don’t give up what you love—just shrink it.
Downsizing is not about giving up your passions. It’s about making them more efficient. It takes creativity—and a stomach for parting ways with some of your larger prized possessions. But let’s be honest: your grand piano wasn’t going to fit in your condo anyway. Try a smaller keyboard with some high-quality headphones. Book lover? E-readers can carry your entire book collection on a device no bigger than a novella. Photo album hoarder? An iPad or other tablet can store and beautifully display all your family photos—and it’s easy (and fun) to share with visitors. The key to all of this? Utilize technology to maintain what you love in a downsized home.
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