Small Space Scribes on January 3, 2020 0 Comments A New Year brings new opportunities — a clean slate to do something you’ve never done before or start a new habit. We’re all faced with messages and advertisements that tell us we’re missing out on something, that we need “that one thing” to be happy, that if we just keep accumulating, we’ll find the fulfillment we’re looking for. But what if this year your New Year’s resolution was to have less, not more? And not just decluttering and taking a truck full to Goodwill, but actually being intentional about living a more minimalist lifestyle? If this resonates with you, then consider downsizing your life by starting with where you live. Determine Your Why Before you list your house for sale or give your landlord notice, make sure you know the why behind wanting to downsize your life. Do you want to get out of debt? Have less to maintain? The freedom to travel? Write down the way you’re feeling and why you’re making this life change, and stash it away in a safe place so that if and when you start to feel frustrated or discouraged, wondering what the heck you were thinking, you’ll remember why you chose this new lifestyle. Pro Tip: Make sure your partner and other family members are also on board! Decide on the Type of Housing You have options when deciding where you want to live, and it can feel overwhelming. Many people also worry that living small means not having access to the same conveniences a house offers. But rest assured there are tiny house washer and dryers, tiny home kitchen appliances, and special RV fridges and RV stoves, just to name a few. So, to help your decision-making be more manageable, here are the highlights of three different types of housing to consider. Living in a smaller apartment If you want to give downsizing a try but aren’t convinced it’s going to be for you, then living in a smaller apartment is a good trial run. It gives you the experience of what a smaller space feels like, but isn’t as big a commitment as building a tiny home or purchasing an RV. You’ll still save money, not have to worry about maintenance, and will be required to purge some of your belongings. Pro Tip: Make sure you actually get rid of things and don’t just put them in storage — that’s not doing yourself any favors! Tiny home living You’ve probably seen the shows or at least heard the hype about tiny homes. The two major benefits of tiny home living are finances and freedom. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to build a tiny home. If you have the time and ability, you can even design and build it yourself, but there are also tiny home builders out there who will do it for you at a fraction of the price of traditional homes — and you’ll never have to worry about buying or selling a home again! You’ll also be able to declutter and live tidier without sacrificing everyday conveniences. For example, you can have a tiny home washer and dryer and tiny home kitchen appliances like dishwashers and ovens. Because you can take your tiny house with you wherever you go, you have the freedom to travel and explore the world or accept a new job opportunity if it comes up. Bottom line: You can still have everything you need and live well in a small space. RV Living RV living isn’t just for retirees anymore. Everyone from newlyweds to large families are finding ways to live the RV lifestyle. Compact RV appliances offer all the comforts of a standard home, with a simpler, less expensive and more flexible way to live. If you like the idea of changing your view whenever you want to, but still want a place that feels like home, then living in an RV may be for you. If your New Year’s resolution is to make a big change by downsizing your life and where you live, you may find that you won’t miss any conveniences you currently have, and that less really is more.
