Frugal Living: Downsizing a Home

Victoria Lim, October 26, 2017

A rising number of people today is moving from a big house to a tiny one. It is a fast-growing trend around the globe. The reasons behind this are various, but it all comes down to more frugal living. And how’s that? Take a look at just how moving to a tiny house will help your financial situation.

Why tiny houses?

Moving to a much smaller space doesn’t have to be a bad thing at all. The great thing about tiny houses is that, no matter how small they are (usually between 100 and 400 square feet), they are always very functional and provide you with everything you need for a comfortable life. Another great thing about them is that they are environmentally friendly, as they don’t spend a lot of energy. This advantage automatically brings us to the third great thing about tiny houses – the less energy they spend, the less money it costs to live in them.

Knowing pros and cons

At the end of the day, every decision that we make has its upsides and downs. Regarding the purchase of a tiny house, the obvious advantage is what it will do for your monthly expenses. Small houses need far less energy than big ones and it will be visible in your bills at the end of every month. The next advantage is that tiny houses can be built almost wherever. You will have the possibility to move to woods if you like and there have all the freedom and privacy that you have longed for. Also, whenever you start tidying up the whole house, you’ll notice how faster you’re able to do that know and that you need to use fewer chemicals than before.

Of course, not everything will be perfect in a small house. Most of tend to pile up things and clothes, which you won’t be able to do if you have limited space. You’ll just have to make some tough decisions on which things you’ll keep. Another problem is where to put your friends and family if they want to spend a night at your place. Tiny houses are simply not meant to be for larger groups of people.

Buying/selling

If you decide to move to a tiny house, the first thing to do is to be smart about selling your previous, big house. You need to keep your eyes on the real estate market to decide when it’s the best time to sell it. Prices differ throughout the year depending on the market state. It’s important to sell the old house first before you start looking for the new one. It would be wise to consult with a professional regarding the whole process. There are choices to be made, regarding the location of the house, its nearest facilities etc. Prepare for a bargain if you want to finish the whole process with some extra money in your wallet.

Dealing with extra stuff

One of the perks of living in a tiny house is that you don’t get to waste your money on unnecessary decorations and pieces of furniture. You simply don’t have enough room for that. This will teach you about the wonderful simplicity of life, which makes a lot of things easier. Of course, when moving from a bigger house, some hard decisions will have to be made. Things that have emotional significance to you can’t be just thrown away or sold, of course. If you can’t find a place for all of them in your new place, using social networks can be of great help. For example, visiting Instagram and looking up hashtags such as #supercheapstorage or #easymoving can give you some idea what to do with all your stuff. Some sentimental stuff can be stored for you until you decide what to do with them. And the things that go with you can be moved by professionals.

Choice of furniture

This is another aspect where you get to save some money. Tiny houses are very compact and functional, which means that they can’t have but also don’t need a lot of furniture. Most of your furniture will have to be multi-practical and foldable. Maybe you will need more time to find that kind of furniture, but when you’re done buying them, you’ll end up with saving quite an amount of money, as you won’t buy a lot of pieces of furniture.

All in all

If you have decided to live frugally, moving to a tiny home will have a big and positive impact on your financial situation. The only thing is that you feel comfortable with it. Just make sure you take the time to consider every advantage, as well as disadvantage.

About the Author

Victoria Lim

Victoria is a lifestyle writer and a true home improvement and DIY fanatic in constant pursuit of trying something new. She’s in love with life, love, and self-love. Her fields of expertise include home decor, interior and exterior design, landscaping and walking a dog for miles and miles. Psychology is also a topic she likes to explore along with some nice cup of green tea, where she’s sometimes making a difficult decisions about which tea would be perfect for her next cup. You could say she’s an avid tea-drinker.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictoriasScrawl