Why you should downsize when you retire
Congratulations… you are retired, or about to be, and you have a lot to think about. Life is full of decisions. As one ages, one also becomes more and more filled with things accumulated throughout a person’s life. Sometimes these things come with memories attached and other times they’re just junk. As baby boomers and those approaching or eclipsing middle age grapple with empty nests or seek retirement, it’s time to figure out what to do with all the added clutter. Do you need most of it? Maybe it’s time to consider downsizing.
One or two people living in a nearly empty four or five bedroom house is not practical. Aside from all the unused space, homeowners are spending a fortune maintaining homes that are designed for full-size families. It just doesn’t make sense to heat and cool massive houses that are full of rooms that aren’t even used and mowing huge lawns that no one wants to catch.
To want to retire is to want to relax after a lifetime of work… and why not? You have earned it. There is an open book of opportunity for newly retired boomers. For a long time, retirees have been afforded the luxury of travel. Retired life can also be an opportunity to land a part-time job on a passion that could previously only be a hobby. Retirement is also an opportunity to move to a dream place, once made an impossible destination due to work and family obligations.
Enjoying a healthy retirement can be seen as a crack in another life after a lifetime of caring for others. Those in their 50s and 60s may even see retirement as an excellent opportunity to pack up the cart and explore new territory. The stigma of retirees moving into stereotypical retirement communities like Florida or Arizona is from a bygone era. Consider moving to a smaller community, such as a college town where housing can be extremely affordable, while also offering a haven for culture, art, and easy living. This type of move is especially advantageous if the reality of a drop in savings and investments after retirement is getting in the way of buying an expensive new home.
Another option is to move to the big city. This move can be a vital reward for older couples, or singles, who have spent the last few decades in a big house, raising a family and living the rat race of day-to-day life. Everyone is entitled to a happy and fulfilling life, and in retirement now might be the right time for you to take care of yourself.
Middle-aged couples flock to the biggest cities across the country, from San Francisco to Chicago, from Seattle to Philadelphia, from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. The advantages of living in the city are almost endless… Great restaurants, an abundance of culture, beautiful parks, and the convenience of being able to comfortably walk or take public transportation anywhere are just a few of the reasons many retirees already they have moved to major cities. Downsizing a major city may even mean renting out the old, too-big-for-just-the-two-of-you house to a new family.
With the right eyes, retirement can be seen as true freedom. The best way to enjoy this newfound freedom is to downsize your living situation in retirement. Go do the things you want to do and see the things you want to see. Try something new and have fun.