The Psychology of Downsizing Your Home: Challenges and Mental Health Benefits

Downsizing is an emotional decision. Although it has various merits, even the most rational person can experience negative feelings toward it. Whatever your motivation for moving may be, learn to overcome the emotional impacts of downsizing and focus on its mental health benefits to go through it more easily.

Emotional Impacts of Downsizing

Moving to a smaller house is more than a sales process or a logistical headache. It’s an ordeal, no matter how you feel about your home. You may not experience these five emotions simultaneously, but you can’t live through downsizing without encountering a few.

1.   Sadness

Feeling attached to a house that witnessed your family’s biggest moments is natural. Saying goodbye to it may seem like letting go of a part of you. Although it may be impossible to leave your home behind without a heavy heart, realizing that your memories stay with you wherever life takes you next can bring comfort.

2.   Guilt

Selling the house that holds your kids’ childhood memories doesn’t make you blameworthy — whether your adult children make you feel bad about it or not. While your home has sentimental value for your family, moving on is never a crime.

As an empty nester, your kids shouldn’t say have in your living situation — let alone dictate what you should and shouldn’t do. You’re not in the wrong to want to reside somewhere that makes more sense for your current needs.

3.   Fear

About one in five Americans have anxiety disorders. If you’re one of them, you may be hesitant to change addresses due to the unknowns that come with it. After being set in your ways, familiarizing yourself with a new community can be inconvenient.

Leaving your comfort zone inevitably causes discomfort. You never know how you’ll like or dislike your new neighborhood until you take the plunge. You can be apprehensive about downsizing, but you’ll learn to take the good with the bad — like when you moved into your house.

4.   Embarrassment

Trading a bigger house for a smaller one can be embarrassing for some who worry about what their friends and loved ones with large houses might say.

If you share this sentiment, time will help you get over it. Avoid putting too much weight on the opinions of others because they may be clueless about your situation. Stop comparing yourself to those you perceive as doing better than you — concentrate on the mental health benefits of downsizing for yourself and your family.

5.   Stress

Moving is one of the most exhausting activities anyone can do. Although going through your stuff can be burdensome, you can use sorting strategies to make it less overwhelming.

For example, identifying which items to keep, sell, give away, donate, or toss makes the maddening sorting process methodical. The one-year rule can help you determine which valuables are worth saving. Any possession you haven’t used in the past 12 months is generally something you can live without.

Mental Health Benefits of Downsizing

Downsizing may feel dreadful now, but it’s beneficial for your mental fitness for these five reasons when you get over the hump.

1.   Minimalist Home Life

If you move to a new house with less baggage — literally and figuratively — you’ll be happier. It can also make you safer because having too many items in storage increases your fire risk.

Sorting your belongings forces you to declutter your life. You can’t fit everything you own in a house with less space, so you must trim the fat. Downsizing presents an opportunity to keep only what you need and bring you joy — seize it.

Discarding unnecessary, broken and duplicate belongings differs from buying into the philosophy of minimalism, though. Still, this eye-opening experience can trigger a mindset shift and compel you to embrace the idea that less is more.

A minimalist lifestyle isn’t necessarily about owning the bare minimum. Instead, it’s about surrounding yourself with nothing but stuff that makes you genuinely happy.

Keeping your merch collection shouldn’t make you feel guilty as a die-hard sports fan. If you’re among the 62% of Americans who drink coffee daily, bringing your java paraphernalia — such as your espresso machine, a hand grinder and mug mittens — will be good for your soul.

2.   Fewer Financial Worries

Financial freedom is one of the most underrated mental health benefits of downsizing. It can translate to more savings. Large houses are more expensive to furnish, maintain and insure. By right-sizing your home, you can free up your budget and give yourself more disposable income to spend on experiences or enjoy more flexibility in managing your finances.

3.   More Energy

Switching to a smaller residence with no clutter makes cleaning less taxing. You can make it spotless in less time, helping conserve your bandwidth for things you’re more passionate about.

Have you been putting off a passion project because you’re too overwhelmed with housework? Downsizing makes chores less of a chore. You’d be surprised how many fulfilling things you can do when you lighten your home duties.

4.   Greater Independence

Feeling a stronger sense of self-reliance is among the positive emotional impacts of downsizing. A smaller house allows you to age in place without relying too much on others. For instance, moving to a bungalow makes navigating your home easier because stairs will encumber you as you age.

5.   Fresh Start

Every move ends a life chapter and begins a new one. Being able to start anew can be invigorating. Moving lets you pick a new environment where you can do things you currently can’t, create fun new memories and add more meaning to your life.

Downsizing Your House Means Upgrading Your Life

Although right-sizing your home isn’t without challenges, its positives outweigh the negatives. Allow yourself to feel down when your unpleasant, deep emotions surface, but don’t let them stop you from taking your life in the right direction.