Downsizing: How to enjoy your new, simpler life (and avoid the pitfalls)
The biggest complaint we hear from people who have downsized and moved closer to the city is, 'we wish we'd done it sooner!' As it turns out, many of the factors people are concerned about when planning to downsize, like lacking space and missing friends in the suburbs don't eventuate. Or, they're very much outweighed by the benefits of living a simpler life close to family, parks, cafes and all those good things. That said, taking time to think about how to make your new lifestyle work will help you avoid some of the pitfalls of downsizing.
Downsizing and sorting through a lifetimes worth of possessions can be stressful, but it’s a great opportunity to take stock of what you really cherish and start afresh surrounded by things you truly love.
Consider what you love
If you've always been a keen baker, downsizing doesn't mean having to settle for a cramped impractical kitchen because you'll be eating out and enjoying all your new local restaurants. Same goes if you love to entertain or you're a hobbyist. Think about what you love to do and plan your new home around those activities. So, if you love cooking up a storm, don't be afraid to sacrifice that second bathroom in order to find space for a kitchen fit for a chef. If your ideal week consists of back-to-back dinner parties with friends and family, ditch that extra bedroom and focus on creating a fabulous indoor-outdoor space big enough for everyone. Or if you're a hobbyist, why not make a multi-functional guest room that can serve double duty. It can be your sewing HQ for the majority of the time, complete with built-in robes for all your supplies, while a Murphy bed can drop down from the wall at a moment's notice when guests are in town. An architect can help you shape your home so that it suits you perfectly and prioritises space based on what you love. This move is about you and creating the best possible lifestyle for yourself, don't be afraid to design a home that will work for you.
Take a stocktake of your possessions
Now, I'm no Marie Kondo, but downsizing by definition means living with less, so you'll need to carefully consider what you take with you to your new home. That said, your home should be a place where you're surrounded by objects you love and books, paintings and furniture pieces that evoke fond memories should not be sacrificed just because you're downsizing. Instead, taking a stocktake and cataloguing all the things you'll bring with you is an opportunity to create space for them in your new home. By noting down the dimensions of your prized possessions, an architect can ensure that everything has its place and that you proudly display all of the things you love. A built-in bookshelf can be custom designed to display your favourite artwork, books and treasures complete with downlighting and drawers or cupboards to highlight what you want and tuck away those things that don't need to be on display. There's no limit to what we can achieve with all the information at the outset. Heck, we can even reinforce the floor for that baby grand you cannot wave goodbye too. Downsizing shouldn't mean austerity for your possessions, it should be more like curating what's most special to you.
Don’t focus only on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms when choosing a downsizer, instead, think about access to light, proximity to services or even a view of the treetops. These intangibles can make an ordinary home look and feel extraordinary.
Look for intangibles
When you're looking for a home to downsize to and renovate to make your own, worry less about the tangibles, those things listed on every real estate listing like the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and parking spaces and think more about the intangible assets of the property. Start, for instance, by thinking about its access to natural light. A north-facing courtyard will help your home feel more spacious and bright as well as helping it stay warmer in winter. Honestly, nothing lifts the spirit like a sun-drenched room on a chilly morning. Does it have a view? Or would you be able to access a view with a roof deck or second-storey addition? It doesn't need to be a harbour view, any view of open space will help your home feel larger and boost your sense of wellbeing. Plus, if your home overlooks a park, waterway or even church grounds, it's unlikely to ever be built out. They say location, location, location and that's true to a point, but being just a short walk from the action, but on a quieter side street might be more valuable to you than being in the thick of the action. Think about what a good location means to you. Remember that renovating can help you access many of these intangible assets. Even if your home doesn't have them at the moment, a great design will help you realise the assets of your site to capitalise on your intangible assets.
By focusing on the lifestyle you want, not sacrificing the things you love and creating a home that maximises its assets you'll never feel like your downsize has left you with less. In fact, it'll be the opposite, your ideal lifestyle will feel effortless and you'll feel happier and more alive every day.