Baby Boomers: Should You Downsize?

My husband, Scott, and I went from a 3,000 square foot house to a 400 square foot casita almost two years ago.

We have never been happy.

Have any of you boomers downsized or planning to in the near future?

You’re not alone.

Recently, there has been a cultural shift with more people interested in living minimally and choosing to live with less. And it’s not just us boomers who may have an empty nest.

Part of the trend may be due to author Marie Kondo’s popular book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: The Japanese Art of Tidying and Organizing,” which encourages minimalism by urging readers to get rid of things that they do not bring them joy. .

Then there was the whole “tiny house” movement. More and more people started choosing experiences, adventures and seeing the world over a big house with a huge mortgage.

Although minimalism isn’t exactly the same concept as the hippie movement of the ’60s, boomers may relate. Do you remember when many young people thought that society had been corrupted by capitalism and the materialistic culture it created? Although it was a more radical time, many realized that while chasing “success”, people lost sight of the most meaningful experiences life had to offer.

Of course, this is a personal and important decision that is not for everyone. But why should you consider downsizing?

Why downsize?

The pandemic caused many boomers to reconsider their priorities.

After being separated from family during the pandemic, some wanted to get closer to their children and grandchildren. If your children live where the cost of living is higher, a smaller house may make the move possible. If your children have large estates, tiny houses may be an option.

Some boomers lost their jobs or saw their retirement dreams fade as the pandemic progressed and were forced to look for other options. That may have included the sale of his large family home and downsizing to cut expenses.

In fact, money is a primary motivating factor when deciding to downsize, according to a survey in the article, “The Upside to Downsizing.” When asked why they would want to buy a smaller home, 59% of baby boomers said saving money was the main reason for doing so.

Others, like me, choose smaller digs as a lifestyle choice. Sure, Scott and I wanted to save more money for retirement, but we also wanted to live a simpler life so we could have more time for meaningful activities and pursue our goals and dreams.

The survey showed that wanting less responsibility and more freedom definitely played a role in decision making. A third of boomers (38%), perhaps the empty nesters, said their previous home was simply too big. Another 36% said their largest home was too much work to clean and maintain. The survey revealed that 22% wanted to reduce stress and 16% liked the idea of ​​reducing clutter.

That was certainly the case with my husband and myself. After my son was awarded full custody of his children, we volunteered to move into our two-bedroom cottage and rent the main house for him and the children. We had been considering downsizing for a while.

As we turned 60, we wanted to make the decade count while we were still healthy enough to do so. At that time, he was tired of the responsibility of cleaning a big house. Fascinated by living a minimalist lifestyle, we watched endless episodes of “Tiny House” shows on HGTV. It soon became clear that we wanted to spend more time on meaningful activities and new adventures. In other words, a big house no longer met our needs.

Although, I have to admit, there was a bit of trepidation going from a 3,000-square-foot house to a 400-square-foot casita. Would we really enjoy it? The answer is a resounding yes! We have no regrets at all and savor our newfound freedom.

My son’s house rent payment covers most of the mortgage and we split the cost of utilities. Also, because we have less space to store possessions, we consume less. These changes have allowed us to save money and realize some of our dreams now and inch closer to other goals.

Since we downsized, we were able to achieve my life’s dream of traveling to Africa. We just bought a travel trailer and now we’re having fun camping and we’re one step closer to realizing Scott’s dream of traveling the US together after he retires.

Without the responsibility of caring for a large house and yard, we feel that our time is better spent on spiritual activities and volunteer work. Not to mention, I now have more time to work on my latest writing project: a book on writing in retirement that is currently in the editing process.

Perhaps author Sheri Koones put things in the proper perspective. She encouraged using the term “sizing” instead of the word “reduction,” which can feel like you’re being deprived. Right sizing focuses on what’s “right” for you now, what’s really important to you, and finding a way to incorporate those priorities into your life. The right size allows you to create the lifestyle you want with more money to enjoy it.

For example, maybe you want to move to a warmer climate. A smaller home can allow more time and money for outdoor activities like golf, tennis, or biking. Perhaps you want to live in an exciting and bustling city within walking distance of restaurants, bars, theaters and shops and choose to live in a smaller condo or apartment.

The right size can open doors.

The downside of downsizing

Of course, with all that said, there are some downsides to downsizing.

In the survey, respondents cited less space and privacy as the most difficult adjustment to downsizing. Interestingly, nearly twice as many Millennials and Gen Xers complained of privacy issues as Baby Boomers.

Half of those surveyed admitted that getting rid of possessions was a big challenge.

Moving, no matter the circumstances, is stressful and can be expensive.

If you like to garden, you will probably have less space to do it. And if you love entertaining guests, a smaller home may get in the way.

My tips for downsizing

As someone who has been there and done that, here are some tips for those of you who want to downsize like me:

* First of all, this is a great decision. Do not rush. Consider all of your options when it comes to downsizing with your lifestyle goals in mind. Want a smaller one level home that allows room for visiting friends, family and those precious grandchildren? Are you outgoing and want to live in a 55+ community that offers a variety of recreational activities? Or are you adventurous and want the freedom of a home on wheels like an RV, trailer or tiny house, or maybe even a houseboat? Is it more important that you live in the city or do you need a garden?

* Not sure what you want? You may want to rent an apartment or small house before making a purchase decision.

* If you’re downsizing, it’s important to consider how small you want to be. Even an extra 50 square feet makes a big difference in a small house. After purchasing our camping trailer, I realized that these 200 square foot “tiny houses” or living full time in an RV are not for me. I prefer a base under my feet. We are lucky to have a separate room for our bedroom which allows us some personal space. Also, somewhat unusual for small houses, our fairly large bathroom actually has a double sink. Trust me, that makes a big difference! Think carefully about what is essential to you.

* When it’s time to let go of your treasures, work on one room at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Remember, photo albums that take on space tones can be digitized. If you have collections, try to pick a few items that are most meaningful to you and sell the rest, or maybe a family member wants some of them. In my case, my son agreed to keep my prized collection of old books in the main house. If you have an emotional attachment to certain items, you may want to consider storage options.

* You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s true. Light colors and keeping clutter to a minimum make smaller spaces seem larger.

* Make your outdoor space count. To help solve the problem of lack of space to entertain guests, we fixed up the patio where we have room for two large tables. We also use that space often for ourselves, outdoor dining, and additional living space.

* I soon discovered that storage is everything when you live in a small house. Be sure to use plenty of hidden storage space and multipurpose furniture.