The American dream is to live in a large suburban home with a white-painted picket fence. But getting to that stage in your life requires a lot of time, stress and effort. In fact, it is so demanding that most people never actually get there. Acquiring that level of material wealth often requires working long weeks and avoiding doing some of the things that you really want to do in your life.
In this post, we take a look at some of the reasons why many families are choosing two bedroom apartments instead of detached homes.
People Were Okay In Smaller Homes In The Past
The size of the average home has increased by around 57 percent since 1970. Back then, average square footage was around 1,750. Now it is more like 2,700.
In the past, though, the majority of people were satisfied with their homes. They didn’t need more room. In fact, a large number of people today say that they would be more than happy to move into smaller accommodation, should the opportunity arise.
It Simplifies Your Life
Looking after a large property takes a lot of work. That’s not to say it isn’t fun, but you have to be prepared to put in the hours and foot the bills.
The same is not true when you move to a smaller property – particularly if you rent. Any maintenance that you have to do is minimal and the landlord will take care of most repairs for you. You also spend less time at the weekend taking care of the garden or vacuuming the halls because there is far less work to do. Cleaning and tidying might take an hour on a Saturday morning instead of the whole day.
It Lets You Travel More
If you give up on the idea of living in a large property, it opens up the possibility to travel more. You have more money left over at the end of the month to spend on discretionary items, such as vacations overseas.
What’s more, if you live in a more modest property, you feel more confident going away. It is much less likely to become a target for burglars, giving you peace of mind.
It Reduces Your Environmental Impact
Researchers say that we would need about seven Earths to provide everyone on the planet with the same lifestyle as Americans. Clearly, we don’t have that, so many people are downsizing as a way to reduce their environmental impact. Living in a smaller home requires fewer resources to construct, heat and maintain.
You Can Sell Things That Won’t Fit
When you move into a new home, you also have an opportunity to sell all of the possessions that won’t fit in your new abode. So, for instance, you can sell things like pianos, family heirlooms and furniture, potentially making you enough money to offset the cost of the move.
In summary, bigger isn’t always better. There are many advantages of living in more modest accommodation you need to consider.