Anyone have a hard time adjusting to downsizing to a smaller place? (moving, vacation)
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I know many folks downsize when they retire and I know I will have to so I've been looking around. One problem is every thing small I see I hate.
So currently I'm in a 3700 sq foot town home. The reality is it is not a house to grow old in. 4 floors, a bunch of stairs and I've got osteoarthritis with 1 knee replacement under my belt.
I decided to start looking around and have a realtor helping me but everything I've seen seems tiny and claustrophobic inducing.
lol, I haven't even tackled getting rid of 1/2 my crap.
anyhoo, has anyone had problems adjusting to a smaller house/condo/apartment? Did you eventually come to love it?
I'm single and in the same situation as you. 2400 square feet 3 story Townhome, 3 BRs, 2F/2H baths. Osteoarthritis and other issues that will eventually get worse. I know I will need to move within the next few years. This year my goal is to start selling off some of my possessions. I won't mind a smaller place. I could be happy in a 1 BR apt. I only use my bedroom, eat in kitchen, and a bathroom right now. Where ever I live it must have its own washer/dryer as I refuse to use public facilities.
I know many folks downsize when they retire and I know I will have to so I've been looking around. One problem is every thing small I see I hate.
So currently I'm in a 3700 sq foot town home. The reality is it is not a house to grow old in. 4 floors, a bunch of stairs and I've got osteoarthritis with 1 knee replacement under my belt.
I decided to start looking around and have a realtor helping me but everything I've seen seems tiny and claustrophobic inducing.
lol, I haven't even tackled getting rid of 1/2 my crap.
anyhoo, has anyone had problems adjusting to a smaller house/condo/apartment? Did you eventually come to love it?
I don't think giving up the space is a problem. Less to clean and maintain is certainly a positive.
It's going through all the stuff. Right now I'm working on combining 4 peoples stuff down into 1 persons stuff, and its not easy. I'm going through the people I love's momento's as well as my own and its just hard to let go.
I went to clean out the garage last Fall. It was the domain of my husband and his father. I stood there at the entrance for a while, looking at all the tools and stuff, then shut the door again and went back in the house.
If you can get past the trip down memory lane, and make rules, like, 'if I haven't touched it in a year I need to get rid of it', you will be fine.
The entire thing of aging and downsizing is depressing. I've been trying to EBAY some things recently, for starters. But then I say to myself "Well, you aren't moving YET, so why not keep all your stuff - you have the room for it! And maybe, you won't move anyway." Agh! Decisions, Decisions.
And you won't believe this one: Last week, a couple actually stopped by (I didn't let them in the house obviously), advising that they saw the 'make me move' price of $650,000 for my place and they want to buy it. Of course, I don't trust anyone so I told them when they come back with a bank certified letter or such, proving they have the cash, we'll get together with my lawyer to do it.
Meanwhile..... I think I WILL have a dreadful time going from 3910 sq ft and a guest cottage I use for hobbies, down to a smaller home. It was difficult enough to do without my in-house dance studio after I remodeled. Yes, I have been spoiled!
And another thing about new or old homes: None of them have the features that I love and have in my current home. So then I get to thinking maybe I should just buy a lot somewhere and build a smaller, custom home.
I swear! It's easier to just stay here and DIE in this house so I don't have to deal with any of it.
I decided to start looking around and have a realtor helping me but everything I've seen seems tiny and claustrophobic inducing.
Maybe you're just looking at the wrong sort of properties? You don't need less square footage so much as you need a single story home, or a two-story with a first floor master suite. And one with a more open floor plan, which means fewer but larger rooms.
Talk to your realtor and see if he/she can come up with properties like those in your price range.
And another thing about new or old homes: None of them have the features that I love and have in my current home. So then I get to thinking maybe I should just buy a lot somewhere and build a smaller, custom home.
That can be an excellent option, if you can afford it. Not only do you get the house plan you like and the finishes you prefer, you can insure the house is handicap-accessible in case you need those features down the road.
I don't think giving up the space is a problem. Less to clean and maintain is certainly a positive.
It's going through all the stuff.
This is the universal problem. I had it all worked out until my girlfriend arrived on the scene. I'd already done the first level purge to fit into a 992 square foot house. I had to do a second purge of all of my stuff and we're still overflowing in the garage.
I also got to cheat when I downsized because I own a vacation home with 520 square feet of 4 foot basement. I'm chipping away at that now. I've owned it since 1993 so it's accumulated a huge amount of debris that will never see daylight again.
I don't think giving up the space is a problem. Less to clean and maintain is certainly a positive.
It's going through all the stuff. Right now I'm working on combining 4 peoples stuff down into 1 persons stuff, and its not easy. I'm going through the people I love's momento's as well as my own and its just hard to let go.
I went to clean out the garage last Fall. It was the domain of my husband and his father. I stood there at the entrance for a while, looking at all the tools and stuff, then shut the door again and went back in the house.
If you can get past the trip down memory lane, and make rules, like, 'if I haven't touched it in a year I need to get rid of it', you will be fine.
Many of the mementos can be kept in digital form - letters, artwork, even ribbons, trophies, movie stubs. It's not quite the same but you only look at these things once in a blue moon...and maybe even only when you're forced to move(!).
Amazing Americans and their "bigger the better" living, unless one is raising MANY children. I was born and raised in smaller apts, lived in smaller houses and love my 700 sq ft apt....I could even live with less, but love my place. And I've been getting of "STUFF" for years.
When we gone, we are gone. All the stuff is somewhere.
I love reading threads like these. I'm doing my downsizing at age 50. Won't have to worry about it later. I also don't have a lot of stuff. Nice small house under 2k sf.
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