We talk a lot about right-sizing and downsizing. Downsizing is when you lose or part with your possessions. You give them away, sell, donate or toss them. Rightsizing is when you choose to live according to today’s lifestyle. You use and enjoy the space you have and you live big in a smaller space. Yes, you’ll be saying goodbye to some of your possessions when you move into a smaller home, but you’ll be welcoming a new way of living where every room in your home is used and everything within it has a purpose. Which rooms or spaces in your home aren’t being used to their fullest potential? In which rooms do you spend most of your time? Answering these questions can help you determine how you may want to rightsize into a smaller home in the future.

Have you ever watched one of those tv shows that highlight the minimalist lifestyle and wished you could be free to live that way? The people living in a tiny house are content with what they have. If you look closely you’ll see they don’t just have what they need, but their homes also hold decor that fits their personalities and a few items that suit their interests and hobbies. They’ve managed to adjust to a home where every space and item within it is purposeful. What can we learn from these homes that are right-sized? Some furniture serves double-duty, for example an ottoman or bench offers storage space within it. Their smaller rooms are often flexible and serve them in multiple ways, for example the living space may transform with a fold-out table into a classroom, office space or dining area. They utilize vertical space wisely with tall, narrow bookcases, wall-mounted shelving or storage cabinets. How could similar choices benefit you when you move into a smaller home?

What have you learned from watching people on tiny house shows? Aside from being content with what they have and the space in which they reside, you can see that they embrace life beyond their homes. Many of them enjoy life out-of-doors and consider their yards as an extension of their homes. When you’re looking to right-size into a smaller apartment or cottage, you’ll also want to look beyond your doors. If your new community offers a library, fitness room, gardens, walking paths, game rooms, woodshop, lounges, business spaces or meeting rooms, you may find it easier to adjust to a smaller living space. You can live big by using these additional areas and joining in the fellowship of the community. You can let go of your under-utilized home gym equipment or office furniture. You can donate your stacks of unread books or unused board games to the community or a donation center. How can you live big, beyond the walls of your smaller home?

It may go unnoticed when watching shows on HGTV, but it would seem that the homeowners, designers and decorators have one thing in common. They have each done their homework when faced with a housing project and researched the homeowner’s personality, interests, budgets, needs and desires. Lists have been compiled, pros and cons identified, and everything has been assessed and prioritized. They may face limitations and obstacles, but ideally in the end, the homeowner has a home that fits them in every way. If you’re right-sizing, you also need to do your homework. How well do you know yourself? It’s always a good idea to sit down and do a self-assessment before making important decisions. Really take the time to think through how you want to live in your new home. How will the life you want to lead make a difference in what you will keep or use? Who are you today and what do you like?

Over time your color choices, style selections and interests have changed. Are you living in your past or have you embraced new aesthetics? Maybe a new color or furniture style suits you better at this time in your life. As you cycle through life you may find that your hobbies and interests have been altered. What craft supplies, tools, sports equipment or games do you no longer use? As your family grows and changes, new traditions may have been grafted in or replaced old ones. Maybe you loved cooking for a large family, but now that it’s only you and a spouse in the home and you eat out more often. Will you continue to plan and host family gatherings or has that duty been undertaken by someone else? Your social calendar may look a lot different today than it did when the kids were younger. Have you moved away from throwing dinner parties and opt now to meet at a restaurant with friends? You may have unused cookware, dishes, glassware, platters, utensils and canning supplies that you can pass on to others who would use them. Evaluate how your life has changed and how that alters what you will want to keep and use. You may find that much of what you’re holding onto is no longer necessary and can be a better resource for others.

Check back next month for more tips to help you think through how to right-size for a smaller home that suits your personality, spatial preferences, hobbies, family and seasonal needs.