The days of showing off your wealth by building a great big McMansion for your family of three are definitely gone. While being a seller in the market today is tough, it seems that more and more people are selling their too-big-to-handle homes and downsizing to a home that makes a little more sense for their family. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average home shrunk by 300 square feet last year. The focus for these people is to make smart use of space instead of just adding more. Downsizing, or "rightsizing" as many are calling it, creates major savings on heating and cooling bills and many families say that it allows for more family face-time as well (I suppose because those teens no longer have their own wing to skulk off to in lieu of the family dinner).
If you're thinking of losing the wasted space and downsizing, here are some things to consider that will help you make the most of your space...
-An open floor plan with flexible space is much more functional than having a separate room for every activity. Think: great room instead of separate family room, living room, den areas.
-Even the smallest space can be made to feel larger by adding windows. Bonus: a fantastic view.
-High ceilings create the feeling of spaciousness in any room.
-Make your outdoor space an extension of your indoor space. Creating an outdoor living room is like adding square footage to your home - even if you only get to use it a few months out of the year!
-No matter how small your home is, make sure you have usable storage space. We all have stuff and it has to go somewhere...
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