7 Reasons Why You'll Be Happier in a Smaller Home

Article by Guest Blogger Sally Norton

Purchasing a home is a huge undertaking. There are many different factors you need to consider before reaching your verdict. One of the most important decisions you'll make has to do with the size of your future home. How big is your family? Do you work from home? How many things do you own? You need to ask yourself these and many more questions. If your answers indicate that you don't need as much space, you'll be happier in a smaller home. Here are some benefits you'll enjoy.

1. You'll save up
One of the biggest reasons you'll be happier in a smaller home is that it'll give you the space to save up. There are many transparent and hidden costs that you'll run into when buying a home. Purchasing a smaller one will reduce them significantly.

Purchasing and maintaining a small home is much cheaper.

​These are the two most significant expenses that arise when you're moving to a new home:

• Purchase
• Of course, buying a house is one of the biggest dents you'll even make in your budget. Finding a good location and a quality home for a reasonable price is exceptionally challenging. Purchasing a smaller home will be significantly cheaper and easier to find.
• Maintenance
• Once you've purchased a home and settled down, there's a lot you need to do. Even if you've decided to buy an as-is home and don't have to do much when it comes to renovating, you'll still need to maintain it. Maintenance expenses, such as pest lawn care, gutter cleaning, appliance maintenance, plumbing, etc., are all cheaper if you live in a smaller space.
  
  

2. Smaller home = less work
Another great perk of living in a smaller home is that you won't have to work as much. Especially if you live alone, this can make all the difference in your routine. Imagine not having to spend hours cleaning, decluttering, and organizing a vast space. Although having less room to work with does have its inevitable downsides, you'll love how little time you'll have to put into it. You'll finally have the time to take up that cooking class you've always wanted or to sit back with a good book and a glass of wine after a long day.

3. Eco-friendly
Apart from the fact that you'll be happier in a smaller home, it'll be great for the environment as well. Leaving a better planet behind for future generations is something we should consider in all areas of life. A smaller home means a lower environmental impact. You won't spend as much electricity and energy as you would otherwise. Especially if you're purchasing a newer home, it'll likely be more energy-efficient and reduce your carbon footprint significantly.

4. Minimalism makes people happy
Whether you're already a minimalist and like to keep your space clutter-free and organized or not, you'll love this change. Letting go of material possessions won't only be great for saving time and money, but it'll also give you mental freedom. Not being tied up to so many knickknacks makes our minds declutter as well. Make sure to approach this sensibly. Contrary to what you might believe, if you're used to owning a lot of impractical and decorative items, it won't be so easy to part with them. Go into it slowly and see what you're comfortable with.

Decorating your space practically and efficiently will make all the difference for your mindset.

​Here are some great pieces of advice for first-time minimalists:

• Declutter mindfully

          Keep the things that bring you joy, no matter how impractical they might be.

• Follow your rules

          Instead of following a guide, make your own rules of minimalism that you're comfortable with.                You'll be much more likely to follow through.

• Avoid making new purchases for a while

Moving into a new home often entails new purchases. Try to abstain from those until you decide what you need.

Rent out a storage unit
You've always lived in bigger spaces and don't want to part with your belongings right away? That's perfectly fine. This, however, shouldn't prevent you from moving into a smaller home. There's a simple solution. According to beltwaymovers.com, renting out a storage unit is the perfect way to keep your prized possessions safe until you decide what you'll do with them. You can always keep them stored and locked away indefinitely if you so choose. The expenses will still be nothing compared to all the costs living in a big home entails.

5. Tight-knit family
If there's a heartwarming reason you'll be happier in a smaller home, it's the way it'll reflect on your relationships. Living in a big home often comes with having separate rooms where you can isolate yourself and get to your daily tasks in peace. Although this sounds like a great thing, it can also make us lose the sense of a tight-knit family. That isn't an option in a small home. For better or worse, you'll be forced to spend a lot of time in common areas where you'll get to talk and get to know your family members better than you would otherwise. Even though some problems will surface, you'll be far better off at the end of the day, and you'll come out of the experience closer than ever.

6. Moving is easier
Relocating to a big home can take a massive toll on your schedule, budget, and energy. Moving into a smaller home means moving fewer items and settling in much sooner. You'll likely be able to move everything in a day. Of course, relocating to a small home isn't an entirely problem-free process. Hiring a moving company to help is essential since you lack the experience to know what can go wrong. They'll answer all your questions and transport your belongings efficiently and stress-free.

Hiring movers will make relocating to your small home even easier.

​7. Easier to sell
Even though you'll be happier in a smaller home, the time might come for you to move on and settle down in a different place. You'll likely need to sell your home first. The final perk of being a small homeowner is selling it effortlessly. Since many people see the benefits of purchasing a smaller space, you'll have no shortage of prospective buyers knocking on your door. Take your pick.

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​Sally Norton is a freelance copywriter based out of Miami, with a flare for writing optimized articles. Her experience is focused on moving, travel, real estate and overall guides to help people with some challenging projects and endeavors. In her spare time, Sally enjoys yoga and walks with her dogs - Mane & Rex.