‘Become a minimalist, a simplifier and free your life of all toxic baggage’ b.x
JUNE 2019 – I’m changing again and how exciting and freeing but scary this is. It is said ‘that we shed our skin multiple times in our life’ but over this last three years the skin I’ve shed – well I think I’m raw. That being said ‘strap in peeps because here we go again we are moving’ for the 9th time and to my baby boomer parents who still live in their same home since I was born. I’m crazy!
Since moving out of home I’ve always wanted a small quaint home with flow of living well, with well placed storage and environmental ease. I suppose I’m thinking IKEA (they make it seems so viable). Since before the kids I have only lived in small homes or units; then as the kids came along the thought of requiring or assuming ‘bigger was better’ became prevalent. So it was a large house (dream home) architecturally designed of course and on acreage. This did not work out well as limited time and housework killers piled up – the one bonus was a lucrative sell off then to a medium size home. Then it was another reno of this medium home; then a big renovation of dream house beachside with the same building squad on previous builds. Then currently to a waterfront house again chasing something – but in reality what did I want?
Rewind — let’s just go back to the small beach shack idea because I believe this has always been my only real peaceful place and this is to find more time for living well and spending less. All to fulfil reasons that I want to have less of an environmental footprint and develop the skill of minimalism and simplicity where a few special things are important, as less is more. I think we will be happier and free to explore, as there is less to do including chores.
Here are some reasons why we hopefully will be better off. Even though everyone keeps telling me – ‘Oh the kids are getting bigger’ and ‘They need space’, Really? Because I think they need these things below:
12 reasons why you’ll actually be happier in a smaller house:
- Easier to maintain. Anyone who has owned a house knows the amount of time, energy, and effort to maintain it. All things being equal, a smaller home requires less of your time, energy, and effort to accomplish that task.
- Less time spent cleaning. And that should be reason enough…
- Less expensive. Smaller homes are less expensive to purchase and less expensive to keep (insurance, taxes, heating, cooling, electricity, etc.).
- Less debt and less risk. Dozens of on-line calculators will help you determine “how much house you can afford.” These formulas are based on net income, savings, current debt, and monthly mortgage payments. They are also based on the premise that we should spend “28% of our net income on our monthly mortgage payments.” But if we can be more financially stable and happier by only spending 15%… then why would we ever choose to spend 28?
- Mentally Freeing. As is the case with all of our possessions, the more we own, the more they own us. And the more stuff we own, they hold the more mental energy hostage. The same is absolutely true with our largest, most valuable asset. Buy small and free your mind.
- Less environmental impact. A smaller home requires fewer resources to build and fewer resources to maintain. And that benefits all of us.
- More time. Many of the benefits above (less cleaning, less maintaining, mental freedom) result in the freeing up of our schedule to pursue the things in life that really matter or be whatever you want that to be.
- Encourages family bonding. A smaller home results in more social interaction among the members of the family. And while this may be the reason that some people purchase bigger homes, I think just the opposite should be true.
- Forces you to remove baggage. Moving into smaller home forces you to intentionally pare down your belongings.
10.Less temptation to accumulate. If you don’t have any room in your house for that new impulse buy, you’ll be less tempted to buy it in the first place.
11.Less Decorating. While some people love the idea of choosing wall color, carpet color, furniture, window treatments, decorations, and light fixtures for dozens of rooms, I don’t.
12.Wider market to sell. By its very definition, a smaller, more affordable house is affordable to a larger percentage of the population than a more expensive, less affordable one.
Your home is a very personal decision that weighs in a large number of factors that can’t possibly be summed up. To be honest I don’t know because I’m about to jump in again and try it. I’ll never die wondering that’s for sure.
I just think we’ll be happier in a smaller house —rather than the other way around. So come with me as we journey toward small home move and renovation.
A few sneak peek images into the new little beach house and Yes!! WE ARE HAPPIER! Even after 6 weeks on the floor with boxes surrounding us and tradies at 6.30am though winter.
NEW blog – B. BEACH HOUSE RENOVATION – coming soon
Health and Happiness,
b.x