A Smaller Home Can Make You Happier

Many people would turn their heads at the thought of downsizing to a smaller home. After all, it's hard enough trying to find space to store your seasonal clothes and extra furniture. But there are several key advantages to living in a smaller home, some of which you may already know, while others may surprise you. If you're still on the fence about downsizing, keep reading to learn how a smaller home can make you happier.

Family Bonding

Smaller homes promote greater family bonding, which is something that's become increasingly rare in today's gadget-connected society. With rooms built in close proximity to one another, family members don't have to travel far to converse amongst themselves. The living room typically becomes the “go to” area where family members can rest, relax, talk about their day, watch television, or simply enjoy each others' company. This alone should be reason enough to downsize to smaller home, but there are several other benefits worth noting as well.

Save Money

Downsizing to a smaller home can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year. Rent/mortgage is generally cheaper, along with taxes, insurance, electricity, gas, water, etc. So if you're looking to save money but don't know where to start, consider moving into a smaller home.

Here's a tip: if you decide to downside to a smaller home, set aside the difference in mortgage/rent in a separate savings account. After a couple of years, you should have enough for a nice "luxury" purchase of your choosing, such as a new major home appliance.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Tired of spending countless hours each week trying to keep your home clean and dust-free? Cleaning a large home is a tedious, laborious task that most people would prefer to avoid. From vacuuming and mopping the floors to dusting the furniture and wiping down the windows, you can easy spend several days cleaning a large home. Smaller homes, however, require minimal cleaning and maintenance, allowing you to focus your time and energy elsewhere.

Eco-Friendly

A third benefit of small-home living is the simple fact that it's better for the environment. Smaller homes use less energy and produce less waste than their counterpart, reducing their environmental impact. You can sleep a little more soundly at night knowing that you're doing your part to protect the Earth by living in a smaller home.

More Free Time

This benefit goes hand-in-hand with less cleaning/maintenance. Being that smaller requires less cleaning and upkeep, you'll have more free time on your hands. Whether you enjoy playing sports, working in the garden, camping, etc., you'll find that living in a smaller home gives you extra time for recreational activities such as this.

Security

Last but not least, smaller homes generally offer greater security than large homes. It's not something most families want to think about, but burglaries do occur. Smaller homes, however, are a natural deterrence against break-ins since thieves are more exposed.