ErinE Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Please don't quote as I may delete later. What are your thoughts on downsizing your living quarters? Was it a good, bad, or indifferent experience? Did you downsize or move closer in to the city center? Did you have regrets? What did you like best? My husband and I are taking the next few months to look for new living space, and I'm hoping for some feedback that will help me adjust to whatever decision we make. My dh and I have moved back and forth between urban and very suburban living for most of our lives. For the past few years, we lived in the suburbs, bordering on rural living. Every morning, I woke up to cows mooing from a neighboring farm. We lived 30-60 minutes from anything and only in the past year have we had stores and other amenities build up. Our home was a typical suburban home, with extra space and a yard. Almost all the upkeep and maintenance fell to me. My husband worked a lot, and I didn't want to burden him with weekend chores. Now that we're moving, I want a change. I'm done dealing with the house. I'm tired of cleaning space we don't use, and I'm exhausted from maintaining the yard. Almost every year, I have to spread a dump load truck of mulch on the garden beds, and I used to mow the lawn every week until I asked for a service. I don't like living so far from everything. Most homes we're considering will be at minimum an hour from my husband's work. There will be very few amenities. My husband prefers the suburbs for the space. I can see why he feels that way, but I'm advocating for a smaller home or an apartment closer in because I like neither the location distance nor the home size. I would appreciate any advice or wisdom you can give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Tough one because every move is different. Right now we live in two places, one a small apartment on the beach, and the other about 10 miles away on a nature preserve. Both were huge downsizes for us. But since we moved from a colder location to an all year summer type location, we use the outdoors to its fullest. I don't feel the downsize too much. I am now taking care of the inside of the homes without help. That's the biggest change. But I don't miss dealing with the tax forms, unemployment forms, FICA forms, state unemployment forms, etc. of housekeepers. Sometimes I really miss the space, especially when someone has the tv too loud, is snoring, or whatever. Good luck with your move. I sure wouldn't move into an apartment if I could help it. They are all so noisy. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We're suburbia people. Our last home was on 3 acres, lots of trees, lots of work, and the house was about 2k sf. We moved to small town rural and 1100sf. For us it was a good move. Dh didn't have time for yardwork, and I have allergies. He wanted country, I wanted to be able to walk to a destination. I can see town square from my window. I can walk to the library and my eye doctor appointment next week. We only have a Walmart and a smaller grocery as the main stores, but lots of little things, and we're 30 minutes from "big city". The house was a non issue, with 3 people the 2k sf was too much work. I want to live, not clean kwim. Plus this house is charming and full of character, our previous house was a very bland ranch. Dh is happy that there isn't city traffic. I'm happy that I can see people during the day, walking, go to the library. I don't feel isolated. Our city lot is not big, but it's not much of an issue for us. I never thought I'd live in a small town, but I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezrabean2005 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We did and loved it. We moved from a 4 bedroom home (about 2k square feet and a corner lot) to an apartment that is 1,003 square feet and walking distance to the library, grocery store, park, and bus stop. We love it and will never go back. We are not "outdoor people", meaning we'd rather take the kids camping than mow a lawn. We'd rather play at the park rather than redo our kitchen. It was the best decision we've made so far. The kids have loved it (they now are nearby to many more outdoor experiences along with trails and place to play and a year-round indoor pool). There are woods nearby with a creek they love to explore. If you live with noisy neighbors, they eventually leave. A good property management company should have a policy for this and follow through. We made the decision about 3 years ago. One thing I'd recommend: find an apartment (if that's what you choose) with a washer / dryer. It makes it very nearly seamless in the transition time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 Tough one because every move is different. Right now we live in two places, one a small apartment on the beach, and the other about 10 miles away on a nature preserve. Both were huge downsizes for us. But since we moved from a colder location to an all year summer type location, we use the outdoors to its fullest. I don't feel the downsize too much. I am now taking care of the inside of the homes without help. That's the biggest change. But I don't miss dealing with the tax forms, unemployment forms, FICA forms, state unemployment forms, etc. of housekeepers. Sometimes I really miss the space, especially when someone has the tv too loud, is snoring, or whatever. Good luck with your move. I sure wouldn't move into an apartment if I could help it. They are all so noisy. :) We're actually living in an apartment right now and I'm amazed at how quiet it is. There is a lot of soundproofing in these walls. The more time we spend in the building, the more I don't want to move out to the 'burbs. Our kids do make a fair bit of noise, which drives us bonkers, but it's not like our house was any better. The big adjustment is I can't send them outside to play. I have to supervise any outdoor time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 I've downsized twice in a short time, and both quite drastically. The reasons have not been good: a foreclosure and severe health issues. The first time, I went from nearly 3500 square feet to 2100. This last time, I went from the 2100 to 1150! The neighborhood was a "downsize", also. From a practical living point of view, the process of picking and choosing the things to keep, and to toss/donate was liberating. However, keep in mind that I am not sentimental and lean towards minimalist. This last move, I tried only to move things I use or LOVE. Having to "think through" what is important, and how our family functions was a helpful process. I never want a big house again. I just want to be able to have one. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstenH Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 I'll offer the other side. I wouldn't want to do it. I like having the space to keep things separate. Our (very old) house isn't gigantic, but it's big enough and chopped up enough (lots of small rooms instead of an open floor plan) that everyone has their own room and we still have a dedicated school/TV room and an upstairs playroom for the toys. We have 4 acres of land, half yard and half wooded, which is just about perfect for us. It's a LONG commute for my DH, though, and as he gets older and the boys' educational needs increase, we've talked about moving back to the city. Neither of us likes the idea. We don't have the millions of dollars it would take to buy a similar setup closer in, so we would be drastically downsizing and probably still increasing our mortgage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Please don't quote as I may delete later. What are your thoughts on downsizing your living quarters? Was it a good, bad, or indifferent experience? Did you downsize or move closer in to the city center? Did you have regrets? What did you like best? My husband and I are taking the next few months to look for new living space, and I'm hoping for some feedback that will help me adjust to whatever decision we make. My dh and I have moved back and forth between urban and very suburban living for most of our lives. For the past few years, we lived in the suburbs, bordering on rural living. Every morning, I woke up to cows mooing from a neighboring farm. We lived 30-60 minutes from anything and only in the past year have we had stores and other amenities build up. Our home was a typical suburban home, with extra space and a yard. Almost all the upkeep and maintenance fell to me. My husband worked a lot, and I didn't want to burden him with weekend chores. Now that we're moving, I want a change. I'm done dealing with the house. I'm tired of cleaning space we don't use, and I'm exhausted from maintaining the yard. Almost every year, I have to spread a dump load truck of mulch on the garden beds, and I used to mow the lawn every week until I asked for a service. I don't like living so far from everything. Most homes we're considering will be at minimum an hour from my husband's work. There will be very few amenities. My husband prefers the suburbs for the space. I can see why he feels that way, but I'm advocating for a smaller home or an apartment closer in because I like neither the location distance nor the home size. I would appreciate any advice or wisdom you can give. I think you answered your own question. Not everyone enjoys maintaining a property or keeping up a large house. Smaller houses, provided you have smart storage and don't hoard, ARE easier to clean. Single story homes are easier to clean. What is it exactly that your husband likes about the suburbs? There ARE properties in the city adjacent to wooded parks if you want a view that someone else maintains. There are lovely town homes where you can sit on your deck, have your own little patch of yard, and not worry about maintaining very much yard. There are condos with great views where you won't have to do ANY outdoor work. There are neighborhoods in the city that feel suburban, but keep you close to the action the minute you leave your street. I grew up in the sticks, so I get the appeal of the solitude and quiet, but as a mother I'm GLAD I don't live there. A tank of gas lasts me three weeks and we go somewhere almost every day. I can walk to the grocery store. Two major cities are easy day trips. Suburban living makes MY job infinitely easier because I do not enjoy driving forever or knowing that running low on milk is going to keep me in the car for half an hour or more. I also do not enjoy yard work, so a smaller property is more than enough to keep me busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We downsized a couple years ago only house size with a bigger yard. My husband loves to do yard work, has a few different gardens, and now we are getting chickens. As far as the house downsize went...getting rid of things we didn't need felt really good...cleansing. We don't really "feel" the difference in the size of the house. There is still plenty of room for everyone to have their own "space." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garddwr Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 No experience myself, but a family I know recently downsized to about 1200 square feet after living in a house about 3 times that size and the are very happy with the change. There is only one teenager left at home, and I do think the number of people makes a big difference (until we moved last year we had 6 people in maybe 1000 square feet and it was cramped). My friends who downsized got rid of a huge amount of stuff--furniture, books, etc. They say it is so much easier now to run through the house and clean up when company is coming because there is so much less house to worry about. Personally, I would go for a shorter commute for you husband, but a yard of some kind is really important to me. I've had enough of apartment living! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We are moving in 2 weeks to a house that is 40% smaller than our current house. I am very excited about it for some of the reasons you've mentioned: closer in (only 3 miles to dh' office instead of 23!), and no home maintenance, yard care or pool care (the landlord pays for all that). As far as downsizing stuff - we never really filled up this house. But I have still gotten rid of a ton of books, and am also unloading some kitchen stuff. The only thing I'll miss are the birds & bunnies. But I'm sure if we put out the bird feeders, they will come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 The last time we moved, we decided to go smaller thinking it would make things easier. It was a stupid mistake. We are now in a small home with 2 adults, 1 young adult, and 2 teenagers. I must have been insane to think we wouldn't need more space in these years. Yes, we regret it and we're stuck here because of the housing situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 (edited) We actually went from smaller to bigger. Here are my thoughts. First, we made a home purchase largely based on cutting back DH's commute. I would not accept a hour long commute each way for my DH unless I were absolutely stuck with no other options. That's ten hours a week - a good length work day - dedicated just to travel. When I think of simplifying life, I think about what would really make life easier. Less commute for DH would be high on the list. I think for my family, with teens, more living space is a great asset. I really thought about buying a smaller house and we ended up going with a larger one (3,600 square feet) because we are all introverts. DH and I have a downstairs bedroom, the kids are all upstairs, everyone has space, everyone is happy. HOWEVER, I totally hear you on the yard work. So my thoughts would also be to consider the relative costs of smaller houses with more hired help for the lawn and less commute dollars on gas. An apartment close to his work. Maybe even large one. A townhouse with sort of shared yardwork arrangement. That's what my Mom has - she has a very tiny backyard she is responsible, and then there are lots of common areas that are managed by a landscaper. She does share the costs of that. She has a large home, but the homes are close together and it's easier for her this way. Edited March 30, 2012 by Danestress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We moved from a small home (1300 sf) with 8 acres (major upkeep on the land), to a larger home (1800 sf) on 3 wooded acres (still a lot of upkeep), to a very large home with less than a quarter of an acre. We miss the space and the privacy, but have so much more time to homeschool and clean the house. We said we would never live in a neighborhood like this, but we are pretty happy with the trade off. We are closer to the grocery store and to DH's work. He still regrets the many hours he spent commuting during the first 8 years of our marriage due to all of the time he missed with the kids. I know we gained a lot from living the way we did, but I can understand your wanting to be closer to his job. For me, closer is better, with some space for the kids to play safely, with the right size house (not too big) for your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianmomtofour Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We are in the process of doing this now. In fact, the house is being listed today! We are in a 3200 sq.ft. + finished basement home on a large pie lot, backing onto a busy road. We are building a home that will be 2200 sq.ft. + finished basement on a considerably smaller lot that backs onto a park. So the way I look at it, we are downsizing the house, but upgrading the lot. I got frustrated paying the associated costs for a large home when we don't even use a lot of the space. (eg. dining room. We hate entertaining!) I would not be moving to this location, however if it meant a longer commute for dh. His commute now is 30 mins. each way and that's long enough. What is your dh's commute time now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltop Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We downsized 5 years ago because we moved from a low cost of living area to a high cost of living area. We went from 3200 sq ft (plus an unfinished full basement) to a 1900 sq ft 2 story home. In many ways I like living in a smaller house. It forced us to purge a lot of unnecessary furniture/toys/clothing/equipment. I have so much less to clean, which I like. I miss having a larger home when we entertain. It was very easy to invite our entire small group or several large families over for dinner. Now I tend to wait for the summer months when we can eat outside to invite more than 1-2 families over for dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 The last time we moved, we decided to go smaller thinking it would make things easier. It was a stupid mistake. We are now in a small home with 2 adults, 1 young adult, and 2 teenagers. I must have been insane to think we wouldn't need more space in these years. Yes, we regret it and we're stuck here because of the housing situation. This is my concern as the kids are still relatively young and will probably need more space as they get older. My dh loves big yards and lots of room. He also doesn't like paying the expected prices for smaller homes close to town. I just hate maintaining it all. It's exhausting and I feel all my free time is spent cleaning and yard work. I'm hoping to convince him to move to a town closer in and I'm hoping having a shorter commute will outweigh the smaller home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 For us the commuting time is a bigger factor than the size of the house / yard. Recently we looked at buying dh's mum's house at the beach. She is moving into a retirement village & wanted us to buy her home. Dh & our dc really like the house & even though it is on a small section, it is right next door to a park & just a 5 minute walk from the beach. But we would have to sell our house we live in now. The size of the houses are very similar & m-i-l's house has 2 bathrooms, something our current house does not have. Moving would mean a 45+ minute drive to town & a much longer bus ride for ds#2 to school ( but it is zoned for the same school as our current house.) If our dc did not do any activities & the cost of petrol wasn't $2.20/litre, I would consider moving. Ds#2 has hockey practices at 6:30am two mornings a week & his hockey games can go until 10:30pm some weeks. Ds#1 has to be at work 7:00am. The additional commuting time makes moving very unattractive to me. I like that we only have 5-15 minutes drive to most of the places we need to go & our dc can ride their bikes or the local bus if necessary. Your dc are young, but if you plan to get involved in sports, scouts, etc. in the future a long commute makes things difficult & much more expensive. JMHO, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 I would consider downsizing but I never, ever want to go back to an apartment building with a shared entrance, parking garage, and laundry room. Living in a townhouse was fine because we had our own garage, entrance, and laundry hookup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Just our personal experiences.... We appreciate being closer to Dh's work. He seems more relaxed to me, instead of freaking out or being exhausted from his commute. We do still have a yard (very, very small) but it is more trouble to maintain than it is worth to us. I wouldn't mind not having a yard at all as long as I had a patio or deck. Downsizing really worked out well for me. Much less to clean! One floor living with the laundry area on the same floor as everything else! No lugging stuff up and downstairs. We did have to go through our belongings pretty ruthlessly, but I honestly haven't missed anything we got rid of. The kids at home now don't have as many clothes or toys as their older siblings did when we had a bigger place, but they don't feel deprived. It hasn't been my experience that teens and young adults need more space, ours have been very content with sharing this smaller space. In fact, one adult daughter asked to move back in with us while her Army husband is moving around. She brought their two year old son and two cats with her.....now we have eight people in a little over 1000 sq ft. With two bathrooms and enough seating in the living room (some beanbags on the floor for the younger kids) it is working very well. The smaller place we moved into seems like it was designed very well. I think the layout is much better than our larger place. That is a big factor, as I have come to realize. I don't have a separate dining room anymore, or a den, but the living room in my present place is actually a bit larger than the one in the old house and isn't broken up quite as awkwardly with doors and windows. We replaced our old furniture with some smaller pieces that fit better and it feels almost spacious. We've also gotten better with how we use our space and give more time and thought to what goes where. Especially in the bedrooms. Since we do have quite a few grandchildren that like to spend time with us, we have some flip chairs and folding pillows that unfold into little beds that we can use for sleepovers. We don't entertain much and when we do it is usually in the summer when we can be out in our small yard. We rarely entertain more than three or four other people at a time. This was how we lived prior to downsizing so it really wasn't an issue for us. I know I would be happy in an even smaller space, actually. I lived in some really well-designed apartments when I travelled more for work and I think I could really live in some of those nicer apartment complexes. The kind with a swimming pool and grounds that someone else maintains :D. There was one in Chico, Ca. that I still remember fondly........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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