Is it time for your household to be downsizing?
About twenty years ago, we were having a pool party with friends and family when I happened to glance up and see smoke pouring out of my attic vent. We immediately called the fire department, of course, but while we were waiting my friend says to me “Let’s go in and get your valuables.” This sounded scary to me but she looked at me and said again “What do you have that’s valuable?” I said I don’t really have anything valuable enough to risk my life. Then she said “What about your family photos?”. I immediately rushed in to save my family photos.
This seems like a silly story to tell whilst talking about downsizing but it was an aha moment for me. Most of the things in my home meant very little to me.
Which brings me to the subject at hand: If you are procrastinating downsizing, it may be time to take a look around your own house to see what really matters to you and how many of the rooms in your house you are really using. Professional organizers tell you to make three lists: must have, must go and maybe. Cull through the maybe list until you feel comfortable with it.
Smaller homes are becoming more and more popular with the baby boomers and the millennials (echo boomers). These two groups seem to be much more interested in community, walkability and proximity to work. The less maintenance the better, the less to clean the better. I am quoted in an article in the April issue of St Louis Magazine about downsizing: “The interest in home downsizing – or perhaps more accurately, “rightsizing” – is as strong as ever, says Barbara Heise, a veteran sales assosiate with RE/MAX Results in Kirkwood…” (I was also interviewed by the Post Dispatch recently.)
The home shown below is a one-story, 1150 square foot home which is ideal for a downsizer.
Decluttering is the first step in the move to downsize/rightsize. The next step is deciding how much square footage will work for you. Do you want a single family or will a condominium community work better for you?
St Louis has many areas with the traditional brick bungalows that work so well for many. The are compact and easy to maintain. Many of the older bungalows in south St Louis, University City, Brentwood, Richmond Heights and Maplewood have a lot of character and charm. And, I have seen some of these that have been revamped for maximum use of space that make me jealous I wasn’t so clever.
To search for some homes that might fit the bill put a zip code and price range in this search and see what you might find in smaller homes.
Other resources for finding the right space: Sarah Susanka, Christopher Alexander
Contact me if you would like buyer representation for downsizing or “rightsizing”.
