5 Unexpected Benefits of Downsizing During Retirement

There are many benefits to downsizing your home, some of which you not have considered.

Many people when they’re younger dream of owning a huge home complete with all the bells and whistle. However, as time goes on, it’s not uncommon to start yearning for a more modest life. A life that may include owning a smaller home that better suits your needs and changing lifestyle.

Deciding to downsize has a number of benefits such as lower housing costs and less housekeeping. There are however, some hidden benefits of owning a smaller home.

Below are 5 unexpected advantages of downsizing your home in retirement.

1. You become more organised

If you’re going to downsize then you’ll inevitably have to eliminate some clutter. Retirees that live in big houses normally only use a few rooms like their bedroom, living room and kitchen.

But what about the other areas of their home?

Well, other rooms typically wind up collecting clutter. The unused rooms start to take up too much time to maintain, and so they start to become unorganised and over time filled with items that are no longer used.

By downsizing, you won’t have the extra space to store your unused possessions, so you’ll have no choice but to decide what’s really important to you and what you’re willing to leave behind.

2. Life becomes less stressful

After becoming more organised, you’ll realise how much more comfortable your new home is. You’ll no longer have the stress of not being able to find things or have items in the way of others making some of your possesions inaccessible.

3. Your home may become more accessible

As people grow older, climbing stairs often becomes a hassle or even quite a challenging task. This is especially problematic if they live in a two story home. Their stairs can actually start to act as a barrier that prevents them from enjoying the full use of their home.

Stairs can also lead to falls and other injuries, meaning the home you moved into 20 years ago may no longer be suitable to live in.

Mobility issues can be addressed by downsizing into a home that offers greater accessibility. This means you’ll be able to live in your house for longer and can grow older at home instead of moving into aged care.

4. You may not have to drive so much

If you live in the suburbs, it’s easy to feel isolated with most things requiring a drive to get to. On the other hand, moving into a retirement village for instance could bring you closer to things like shops, restaurants and cafes, as well as people in your age bracket in a similar phase in life.

By being so close to everything, you probably won’t have to drive so often, with many retirement villages offering plenty of things to do that are walking distance with ample public transport available too.

5. You have more time for yourself

By downsizing to a home with smaller spaces and fewer rooms, you’ll have fewer things to clean and maintain. This means you’ll have plenty more time to spend doing what you love – hobbies, spending time with family, travel, or just plain relaxing.

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