Find Your Freedom: Signs You’re Ready for a Smaller Home
Throughout your life, you move to fit your lifestyle. When you graduate, a one-bedroom or studio apartment fits best. As your family grows, so does your home. Even after the kids have grown and your interests change, it’s still important for where you live to align with your goals and aspirations. But how do you know when downsizing is the right move? Can downsizing help you get more out of life? To help, here are some common signs you’re ready for independent living and an easy tool to help you know if it’s time to move into a smaller home.
Signs Downsizing is a Good Idea
Your monthly housing expenses keep increasing
Retirement usually means living on a fixed income. Downsizing five to 10 years before you retire can save thousands of dollars a year. Even if you’re not planning that far in advance, moving to a smaller space can reduce your mortgage payment, utilities, property taxes and maintenance. Plus, by moving into a smaller home with lower expenses, you can reduce your financial stress and focus more on enjoying life.
You’re ready to let go of the responsibilities of homeownership.
One of the biggest reasons to downsize is to free yourself from minor repairs, painting, cleaning gutters, washing windows, mowing and more that come with owning a home. Plus, hiring someone to handle all your household chores can quickly add up. So, if you find you can’t look after your home like you used to, downsizing may be a wise choice.
You can live wherever you want.
Retirement means you’re no longer tied to a career in a specific location. Plus, when your children are grown and you no longer need to live in preferred school districts, you can choose a new home in a less expensive neighborhood.
You want to be closer to family.
There’s a bumper sticker that used to be more common that said, “If I knew grandkids were so much fun, I would have had them first.” Grandkids can be a very compelling reason to move. Especially, if they live out of town or out of state. You can move to be closer to them or downsize to a maintenance-free senior living community that will give you the freedom to visit family more often.
You aspire for something different.
Whether you want to downsize to better focus on what truly matters or you’re ready to travel and explore new horizons, moving to a smaller home gives you the chance to find an option that better fits your current life and future goals.
One Way to Tell If It’s Time to Move into a Smaller House: The Sticky Note Method
The Sticky Note Method is about awareness, which is the first step to making positive changes. Regardless of whether you decide to move or not, knowing more about how much of your space you use can help you make a more informed decision. Here’s how it works:
- Add a sticky note to every drawer and door or entryway.
- When you go into that room or open that drawer, write down the reason you were there and remove the sticky note as you use that space.
- Keep the sticky notes you remove.
- After five days, check which areas of your house still have sticky notes. These are the rooms and areas of your home you aren’t actively using.
- Review the sticky notes you collected and see if any are places or things that could be stored someplace else or combined with other areas.
The Upside of Downsizing to Freedom Village at Brandywine
By moving to a Life Plan Community, also known as a Continuing Care Retirement Community or CCRC, you save more with time-saving services, amenities and social opportunities. Plus, with our Life Care contract, you’ll have peace of mind knowing a full continuum of high-quality care is available at predictable monthly rates. Maintenance-free homes, housekeeping and chef-prepared dining is just a glimpse of amenities that you can find at Freedom Village.
A Bigger Lifestyle Awaits You
Ready to downsize to a senior living apartment? Come to Freedom Village at Brandywine and envision your new journey here with us. To schedule a visit, call us or contact us here today!
