Downsizing Replace: Virtually 5 Years Later

In November of 2020, we revealed a submit known as “What’s It Like To Downsize” after residing in our smaller house for six months. We lined a spread of experiences – like the nice issues about shifting to a smaller house (proudly owning much less stuff! saving cash!) and a few of its challenges, particularly within the preliminary levels of downsizing (paring down! determining storage!). We nonetheless agree with the whole lot in that submit, but it surely had solely been six months… and because it has now been over 4.5 years (!!!), we really feel like now we have a number of extra so as to add concerning the long-haul downsizing expertise. Let’s get into it.

I received’t recap our complete determination to downsize (you possibly can see the complete rationalization right here) however the highlights are:

• We used to reside in a 3,150 sq. ft. house in suburban Richmond, Virginia
• Now we reside in a 1,400 sq. ft. house a number of blocks from the Gulf of Mexico
• We now have 6 rooms (together with simply 1 rest room)
• Our present home’s lot is 1/tenth the dimensions of our final home’s lot
• We don’t have a storage, attic, or basement (however we do have a pool/scorching tub/firepit)
• We wished a home that’s “walkable” & can now stroll to retailers/eating places/the seaside
• Our household downsizing motto has been to “reside with much less & be exterior extra” (different motto: “spend much less time cleansing & extra time within the pool”)

After 4.5 years, we are able to nonetheless confidently say that downsizing was an amazing determination for us. We commit quite a bit much less time, cash, and vitality into homeownership (upkeep, renovation, furnishing, cleansing) than ever earlier than – which has freed us as much as deal with household, hobbies, nature, and a greater work-life steadiness. Financially it has additionally been useful (we made an entire chart about saving $$$, as a result of though our home is in a hotter location, it’s quite a bit simpler to warmth & cool). You may see that breakdown in our authentic downsizing recap.

We’ve additionally had our present house longer than our first home, our second home, our seaside home, or our duplex at this level (time is wild!). So our downsized way of life is hardly a “blip” and we actually would have modified issues by now if it wasn’t a superb match.

Forgetting You Downsized

Most days it’s simple to neglect that we ever lived with (or believed we wanted) more room. We’ve lived on this home lengthy sufficient to completely alter (each mentally and logistically) to having 1400 sq. toes. What as soon as felt like an “unconventional” or “totally different” way of life change feels regular and unremarkable. A lot in order that it’s a little bit troublesome to write down this submit. We’ve turn out to be a little bit blind to what’s fascinating or distinctive about it!

So why will we draw consideration to the “forgettableness” of downsizing? Nicely, for a few causes.

1. Transitions Are Non permanent

First, we hope this reassures anybody dealing with an analogous transition, whether or not by alternative or not. Downsizing can really feel difficult at occasions, however the challenges don’t final ceaselessly. As a result of identical to any transition in life – going to varsity, beginning a job, having a child – the adjustment interval is commonly the toughest half. So allow us to be an instance that, sooner or later, you’ll be on the opposite facet. You’ll alter.

That’s to not say the adjustment is at all times quick or simple. And totally different elements could also be troublesome for various individuals. We loved paring down our belongings, in order that half wasn’t too tough for us (dare I say, thrilling?). However after shifting into our smaller house, it took us 2-3 years to:

• determine furnishings preparations in a number of trickier areas
• absolutely implement adequate storage options (like including closets)

So there was an preliminary “sticking level” find one of the simplest ways to retailer sure issues (or a literal ready interval whereas we constructed the storage cupboards or closets that we wanted). However now that we’ve figured these issues out, the whole lot has a spot to reside, and it’s much more autopilot round right here. The truth is, if pressed to recall what we struggled with storing or what took the longest to determine, it’d take a 10-minute brainstorming session to truly keep in mind.

2. It Was The Proper Transfer For Us

Secondly (and extra personally), the “forgettableness” of our determination tells us we did the proper factor. Downsizing isn’t for everybody, so the truth that it has turn out to be so normalized for our household is immensely reassuring. We nonetheless have individuals over (our pool & proximity to the seaside is an actual draw). We spend much more time exterior as a household. We clear the home collectively each Sunday in about half-hour (all 4 of us have our fav jobs). Six rooms complete (and just one rest room) actually have a plethora of upsides.

That’s to not say we don’t generally really feel the constraints of a smaller house (right here is the place I’d argue that limitations aren’t at all times dangerous – like do we wish a home with sufficient house to retailer actually *something* now we have ever wished?).

To select an instance of a storage limitation, a number of years in the past Sherry wished a number of of these 6′ skeletons to hold from our second flooring deck every Halloween. She proposed storing them within the crawl house (which may have labored – though skeletons underneath the home may be a little bit creepy if somebody ever came across them throughout an inspection or one thing). After some thought, Sherry ended up getting 4 smaller skeletons that fold on the waist and might simply be saved in a basket inside. The children get a kick out of repositioning them each October (rain chain Miley-Cyrus-In-Wreckingball scenes have been created) so there is no such thing as a scarcity of pleasure, and it hasn’t ever actually felt like a “sacrifice.” You alter. You pivot. All is okay.

Truly, there’s a peace that comes with a resolute “nope, it received’t slot in our home” that helps us stroll away from plenty of issues with out a lot inner debate (and with cash remaining in our pocket). Additionally, plenty of individuals reside with out 6-foot skeletons… which is kinda the purpose. The longer we reside right here, the much less ceaselessly we let our house limitations distract from the positives of downsizing. It’s only a truth of life that we’re comfortable to reside with in trade for the opposite issues we’ve gained.

Being Reminded You Downsized

Like I mentioned earlier than, this subsequent part feels like a direct contradiction to the whole lot I simply mentioned. How can it’s simple to neglect we downsized… but additionally be recurrently reminded of that truth? This fascinating dichotomy simply appears to be part of downsizing, so I believed I’d try to put it into phrases for anybody who’s considering a downsizing journey.

Because the day-to-day of residing in a smaller house during the last 4.5 years has turn out to be so normalized to us, there are humorous little moments after we’re reminded that our determination isn’t everybody’s norm. A type of humorous reminders may be when one other individual asks us about downsizing and says they may by no means reside with out their visitor room & their double storage (we often chat about how downsizing positively isn’t for everybody – and every individual has various things they couldn’t reside with out).

Generally it’s simply this second of being in a bigger house whereas visiting a good friend and noticing they’ve 12 closets or a large laundry room. It’s not a foul sensation – it’s only a noticeable second of “oh yeah, some individuals have all this room! I’m wondering in the event that they suppose our home is bizarre, although we’re so used to it.”

To take this one step additional, comparability is a near-universal fact of homeownership, whether or not you’re evaluating your property to a home throughout the road or a house that’s featured on the web or in {a magazine}. This isn’t particular to downsizing AT ALL. I’m certain lots of you in bigger properties have envied somebody’s much more spacious home sooner or later. And you might even have felt a pang of craving for a smaller and extra easy house, however don’t really wish to reside in a single. It will probably simply be a little bit momentary feeling.

My principal level right here is that plenty of little needs or yearnings can exist directly in your thoughts, and people momentary pangs don’t imply you hate what you have already got or should change issues. Insert that quote concerning the grass at all times being greener. So when you’re occupied with downsizing, it will be good to take inventory of how these comparisons actually make you’re feeling over an extended time period (fleeting needs apart).

When you’re somebody who can say “that’s so cool for them, however I don’t suppose I’d wish to clear these 4 further rooms” – you may actually be prepared (and excited!) to downsize. But when seeing these grander properties stirs up some form of burning want (versus being a passing second of “woah, they’ve a theater room!”), possibly take a while to dive deeper and ponder if downsizing really feels best for you.

After we stroll into large open homes or showhomes, we’re very comfortable to take in all of the inspiration & admire each element after which fortunately return to our cozy little home. Touring these “larger and higher homes” is enjoyable for us, and it’s additionally an train that reaffirms our alternative each time.

Once more, for us, residing with much less = needing much less cash = working/cleansing/sustaining/organizing much less = extra time for household/buddies/hobbies/nature. There’s a massive “why” behind our alternative. So seeing somebody’s larger/nicer home usually turns into a superb second to savor the readability now we have round our targets. Is it stunning? Sure. Is it price spending extra time sustaining it and dealing longer hours to afford it? Not for us.

I’m particularly grateful for that readability given the big variety of properties round us. One distinctive factor about residing right here is the wide selection of home sizes (and, let’s say, fancy-factor?). The properties in all of our earlier neighborhoods had been comparatively the identical. Some may need a more moderen kitchen or rest room, a completed attic, or an addition on the again, however the variations often weren’t greater than a renovation away from the home subsequent door.

In our present space, nevertheless, the vary is really WILD. Yow will discover lavish & giant waterfront properties price eight figures only a brief stroll away. Day by day we see the whole lot from little cottages like ours to towering multi-family trip properties. Fortunately that wide selection doesn’t make us second-guess something about our determination to downsize. However I think about it will be tougher to deal with if we felt like our home actually was too small and we had been squeezed in there like sardines whereas these round us had all that room after which some.

All this to say, I’d not select a neighborhood like ours when you’re susceptible to house-size envy or when you fear you’ll second-guess your determination to downsize. Sherry and I really take pleasure in that our home “stands out” in our neighborhood as being certainly one of simply round two dozen “authentic cottages” that had been constructed earlier on when our streets had been sleepy and sluggish (it’s an amazing dialog starter!). However I believe a youthful me who was much less certain in my decisions may’ve most popular to mix in and sustain with the Joneses a little bit extra. I believe that may’ve made this course of harder. So… know thyself.

Would We Nonetheless Select Downsizing?

If it isn’t already manifestly apparent, YES!

Within the nearly half a decade since making this alternative, we’ve solely grown extra steadfast in our determination. We had been so centered on the logistical and monetary facets of downsizing in our earlier downsizing recap, I don’t suppose we had actually digested these psychological facets sufficient to clarify them. We had been additionally solely 6 months in, and really a lot loving our new house, new location, and new way of life – however it will not have been simple to see it from as large of a lens as we are able to as we speak.

And now, 4.5 years after downsizing, any type of honeymoon interval which will have occurred is over and we’re nonetheless very fortunately married to it. We’re amazed by how normalized it has turn out to be to us, and the way simple it’s to brush off any “temptations” round us. Sherry says that like getting tattoos, paring down and simplifying is addicting. Besides I suppose on the subject of the occasional jonesing for giant skeletons. However even that may end up okay…

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