What is Downsizing?
Throughout your life you’ve moved up and up and up. Moving from one home to another to make your home fit your family and your lifestyle. Perhaps for the last 10-15 years you’ve lived in your beautiful family home, seen out many birthdays, children’s birthday parties, brought home baby grandchildren, a couple of family weddings, many barbecues, seen your 2.4 children graduate from university, hosted large family Christmases and your children have their own families now, even though it feels like only yesterday they were tiny.
With the realisation that the home is too big for just you, you may have come across perhaps downsizing.
What does the word mean?
Firstly, downsizing means ‘to reduce in size’, and with this, it can feel like less, if you google downsizing you’ll get many a negative word: Synonyms of downsize. Abate, de-escalate, decrease, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce. Words Related to downsize. Compress, condense, constrict, contract.
I stopped by a new client’s house last week. She loved her home. She talked happily about the work they’d done, the amazing garden, the wonderful neighbours and she was quite sad to be thinking of leaving. The head overrules the heart and the feeling of loss can be triggered.
Reducing your home in scale isn’t negative.
I’m just not a fan of these associations, to me, downsizing is the link to freedom, relaxation and wellbeing. 5 days in Venice, a long weekend with the grandchildren at the zoo. More free time to start something you’ve always wanted to do, like pottery, painting, crafting. More time in the company of friends, more weekend breaks and the feel of less financial burden. Downsizing should improve your life, and your lifestyle.
Downsizing your home means different things to different people, but essentially, is ‘moving for a gain’.
That might be, ease of living, more financial freedom, a better lifestyle, less gardening, more family time or even the ability to finally retire.
There’s nothing more compelling than listening to a treasured client gushing about the life they’ll have when they move. Or when they’ve seen a house they love and they’ve already imagined the travelling they can do and the Saturday afternoons. It makes me smile. I know that this move could be the one that makes their new life possible.
Are you mentally ready for a move?
A couple of things you can do to mentally prepare for moving, is to get a beautifully bound writing book, take time to write about the memories you’ve had in each room, the memories you’ve made as a family. Writing really helps some of our clients. Think about the memories you can make in your new home. Write about all the things you’ll have when you move.
What will you do with your extra time, how will your week change? How will your life change? What will it feel like? Who will be part of it?
Sounds like you’re thinking of taking a new path. If you are thinking about this, perhaps even playing with the possibility, it’s a great time for a tea and a sit down.
We’d be happy to come and have a simple consultation to give you all the information you’ll need to help you make the right decision for you right now. Call me on 01524 230722
I’ll look forward to talking to you soon
Warmly
P.S: Did you know that every single estate agency office in the UK has been secret shopped. That’s 25,000 of them! And we’ve landed in the top 5% of estate agencies because we are awesome!
P.P.S: If now is the time for you to downsize, have a read through our other blogs to help you make your decision easier:
How long will it take for my home to sell?
How do we value a unique & Premium Home?
Should I negotiate on my Estate Agents Fee?
