Square footage has a lot to do with a family’s home purchase. There is plenty to consider, but perhaps the most important is the size of the house and how comfortable each family member will be in their personal space. Well, that is how things used to be. Now, more are choosing to get smaller homes and are downsizing for the sake of minimalism.
This is a decision that is more than just about homeownership. It encompasses several alarming and pressing matters worldwide, including waste.
Smaller Spaces Mean Less Distraction
Picture this: You buy bedroom furniture online and decide to change your curtains to make the room look more cosy and comfortable. You do not want clutter to be the highlight of the room, as you are working on it to give the feeling of Zen. This is why you choose colours that tie the design elements together. Even if you do not have a thousand clothes in your closet, the fact that they are organised makes you treasure them even more.
Now, imagine a different situation where you have a smaller bed, but a disproportionately big chair, mismatched curtains, and dirty clothes everywhere. When you enter the room, instead of the Zen feeling, you deal with stress. It is even worse if you wake up to that mess, which starts your day off in a chaotic zone.
Smaller Spaces Mean Smaller Maintenance
It is easy to see how a big house can lead to big expenses. You have the house itself covered by a room surrounded with gutters and needing lawn maintenance. Utilities can rack up your expenses, too. For each room, itemise possessions that will require maintenance. A bed may be broken, appliances and the central heating may break down, plumbing might be a pain after a couple of years, and burglars might just come in and take everything you have worked hard to get. With a smaller house, the need for central heating or air conditioning is lessened because of the smaller space. The strain on plumbing and electricity can be significantly less, as well.
Smaller Spaces Mean Less Need for Stuff
When the issue of food waste reached its height, many considered it a senseless problem. There, you have people starving in other parts of the world while first-world countries are throwing away food before their expiry date. Part of the reason this happens is that with bigger spaces come a bigger need to fill up that space. Studies show that people get uncomfortable when they see empty closets and cabinets in the house, and so they buy stuff to fill up those spaces. Now, if you had a smaller space to fill, you will be spending less on unnecessary purchases just to make you think you have enough.
The resurgence of downsizing has been attributed to empty nesters and those practising a minimalist lifestyle. However, there are many other reasons you would want to get a smaller house. Think of it more as a way to tidy up your life rather than feeling limited by the physical space around you.
