It’s a big day when senior citizens finally make it to retirement. They’ve earned the right to put their feet up and not having to punch a time card every day anymore.
To make your retirement as comfortable as possible, it’s important to make the necessary changes. The first thing you should consider is downsizing your home, and here’s why.
Less Maintenance
Even though you may live in a big, beautiful home that you worked hard for, let’s face it, it’s a lot of work. The bigger your home is, the more you need to keep it up and run.
From maintaining your yard to vacuuming for a distance of what feels like 5 acres, opting for a smaller home will instantly cut your workload. Since your body needs more rest in your older years, this can be a huge benefit. Injuring yourself while cleaning your spacious home is the last thing you need. Whereas tidying up a small home or apartment is just the right size.
Increased Energy Efficiency
Anyone who has ever lived in a big house knows how much energy it sucks up. Even if you try to be more economical, your jaw still drops every time the energy bills come.
A smaller home means less need for electricity overall. Since a smaller home requires fewer lights, fewer appliances, and less climate control, your bills will be cut down significantly.
Price Reduction
If you’re still paying your mortgage for your home, opting for a rental instead may cut down your monthly payment.
If you have already paid off your home, a rental may be cheaper than the maintenance, repairs, and taxes. Making a side by side comparison will help you see the cost benefits.
Ease of Access
As much as we may hate to admit that it’s hard to move around as we get older, it’s a reality we have to face. Getting from place to place in a big house can lead to serious injury over 70.
Big houses often have long stairways, winding halls, and getting from point A to B can be a trek. Downsizing decreases the need to walk long distances and potentially hurt yourself.
Less Stress
When you’re younger things, stress you out from time to time. The stress comes and goes, and you don’t think twice about it. However, as you get older, you have less tolerance for stress. Not only does it take its toll on you mentally, but it can start to affect your health.
Owning a big home comes with a lot of responsibility. Getting rid of these responsibilities is a huge release off your shoulders.
