Maybe It’s Time to Downsize…

I’ve been thinking a lot about downsizing lately.

Recently, I listed two condo/townhomes, and next week I’ll be listing another one. Years ago, we often called these types of houses “twin homes,” and they were a popular choice for a very specific stage of life.

Empty nesters.

The kids had gone off to college, started their careers, or found a place of their own. Suddenly, the big family home that had once been filled with bedrooms, backpacks, sports equipment, school projects and teenagers coming and going felt like more house than they needed.

So they downsized.

But today’s condo and townhomes are a little different than the twin homes I remember from years ago. They’re often surprisingly spacious. Some have two- or even three-stall attached garages. Four bedrooms. Three bathrooms. Main-floor laundry. Full basements with large Rec $ooms. Plenty of storage. They may still have less square footage than the traditional single-family home their owners are leaving, but they certainly aren’t “small.”

And as I’ve been preparing to list another one, I realized something: That’s us.

All three of our kids are in their twenties now. Two have adult jobs, and our youngest is an upperclassman in college. The house that once needed to accommodate three kids, their friends, their stuff and all the activities that came with raising a family is now, most of the time, just the two of us.

So naturally, I started questioning whether it’s time for us to do what so many of our clients have done. Should we downsize?Should we move into a condo or townhome? Should we trade some square footage for less maintenance and fewer things to take care of? And then reality sets in.

We have lived in our home for more than 20 years. Twenty years.

Just thinking about moving feels daunting. And then there’s the other daunting task: deciding what to do with all the stuff we’ve accumulated over two decades. Although, honestly, maybe that part wouldn’t be quite as terrible as I imagine. I’ve spent the last few years cleaning out cupboards, organizing closets and simplifying. I’ve gotten rid of things we no longer need, and I’d like to think we’re pretty good at not hanging onto things simply because we’ve always had them.

Our home has held more than 20 years of our family’s life. It has held kids growing up, celebrations, ordinary Tuesdays, probably more stuff than we ever thought we would accumulate — and countless memories.

Someday, we may decide that a smaller home is exactly what we want.

And maybe the real question is not should we downsize, but what would we want our next chapter to look like?

For some people, moving into a condo or townhome is exactly what they’re looking for once the kids are grown. Less space to maintain. Fewer stairs. A manageable yard. An attached garage. More time to travel, spend time with family, pursue hobbies or simply enjoy life without as much housework and maintenance.

And today’s condo and townhomes offer so much more than they did years ago. They can give you the feeling of downsizing without necessarily feeling like you’ve given up the space you still enjoy.

For me, I’m not sure we’re ready to make that move quite yet. The thought of packing up 20-plus years of memories is still a little daunting! But that doesn’t mean I don’t understand why so many people make the choice. In fact, listing these homes has made me appreciate just how much the definition of “downsizing” has changed. It doesn’t necessarily mean going from a big house to a tiny house. It can simply mean choosing a home that better fits the life you’re living now.

Maybe that’s the beauty of this stage of life. The kids grow up. Life changes. And eventually, our homes can change with us.

Sometimes the hardest part isn’t deciding whether to move. It’s realizing that you have more choices than you thought you did.