Most homeowners spend around $7,000 to $10,000 on each big renovation project. Over half of them will have to increase their budget to take account of issues related to poor planning. In short, we are a nation of renovators, and we love to improve the house. As a result, it is easy to define which are the first rooms to be renovated inside a home. Homeowners focus their attention on the first rooms that show signs of use, being the bathroom and the kitchen. Kitchen renovation projects are often expensive because they require to buy new appliances. There is no way around the expense, unfortunately. However, when it comes to the bathroom, while most projects remain expensive, the costs could be easily cut down with some savvy DIY craft and a lot of smart recycling thinking. Here’s how:   

Learning To Renovate

When you are looking at renovating your bathroom, it’s important to set a budget for your time and your expenses before you start. To keep your renovation low cost, you will need to invest time and efforts in it. So, make sure that you start with the right DIY gear! If you bought an old house, it’s likely that your original bathroom floor has been covered with layers of plywood and linoleum. If you want to refloor the room, you will need to go through layers of old flooring. It’s a hard manual work, but this will increase the value of your home dramatically. Besides painting the walls, with a bathroom suitable paint that is designed to resist stains and moisture, the other main area of improvement is the tiled wall around the shower or the tub. It will give your bathroom a fresh and clean look. Finally, instead of changing your bathtub or shower, you can refresh them with a refinishing kit, to find the original shine.

[Installing tiles on a wall/Photo courtesy of HowToSpecialist.com]

Don’t Waste Anything

When you start diving into long renovation projects, you will rapidly find that you have a lot of items that can’t be reused in their original form. For example, if you start working on the plumbing system, you may find yourself with plenty of unusable scrap copper. Don’t just throw it away; if you can’t repurpose it, others can, and they will give you a fair copper per pound price. Additionally, other larger items, such as a bathroom cabinet can be repurposed into an elegant kitchen cupboard or a craft chest of drawers. Similarly, if you have an old chest of drawers, you can also repurpose it into a bathroom vanity, following the previous step-by-step tutorial.

Be Your Own Plumber

Finally, if you have ever hired a plumber, you are probably aware of the cost of a professional repair/renovation work. In most cases, with the right tools, you can tackle most bathroom projects by yourself, at a lower cost, and without much efforts. Additionally, plumbing essentials such as installing a sink or adding new water lines are a lot easier than you might think. As a rule of the thumb, you can do most of your plumbing work within an afternoon and at no cost at all if you have the appropriate tool.

If there’s one thing that the super rich love doing, it’s pimping their mega-mansions. It’s almost a rite of passage for them – something they feel they have to do in order to feel a part of their exclusive club. The good news is that a lot of what they end up doing can be replicated in our own homes, sometimes at a tiny fraction of the cost. Here are some of the ways that the rich and famous have pimped out their homes.

Install A Waterfall

Water features are an essential part of pimping up any home. But now a home in Tiburon, California has taken the concept a step further by including a 10-foot waterfall on the inside of the house. The home itself looks more like a temple and has been dubbed “The Nirvana House” which is in keeping with the state’s new age vibes. The future owner of the house will be able to turn the waterfall up or down, from peaceful stream to raging torrent, depending on his or her mood.

[Photo courtesy of Alistair McMillan/wikipedia.org]

The house itself is listed for sale at more than $11 million on a San Francisco brokerage site. That’s pretty steep for most folks, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t include your own waterfall feature in your front garden.

Bullet-Proof Windows

When you’ve got an expensive home, there’s a lot of stuff you need to protect, including the occupants. Bulletproof windows not only stop bullets, but they also prevent the windows being smashed in and thieves entering your home. Bullet-proof glass comes in different grades. The weakest grades will stop a bullet, but repeated assault with a blunt instrument can still smash them. Companies, however, have developed glass hybrids which reflect impact energy and transfer it back into the person hitting the window, preventing breakage.

[Photo courtesy of GregoryButler/pixabay.com]

Heavy-duty glass is, understandably, expensive. However, it’s not necessarily out of the range of many well-to-do homeowners looking for an extra little bit of protection. A house near Central Park in New York recently sold for more than $25 million, complete with a triple layer of bullet-proof glass.

Indoor-Outdoor Pools

[Photo courtesy of Dylan Tweney/flickr.com]

Those who live in temperate climes have a dilemma on their hands when it comes to swimming pools. Should they be built indoors or outdoors? Well, why not both. The owners of a mansion in Snowmass, Colorado have decided to build a swimming pool with half of it inside their home and the other half outside, surrounded by a patio area overlooking the mountains. The exterior painting is designed to complement the outdoor part of the pool, while the indoor section is plain masonry. Will your new pool be as uncompromising?

Home Theatre

Home theaters are all the rage among the rich and famous, especially among actors who can enjoy spending hours watching themselves on the big screen. It’s not unusual for the super-rich to spend upwards of $2.5 million on a home theater, just to watch a DVD that cost $8. The most famous example of a home theater inside a mega-mansion is the theater in the Ziegfeld mansion.

Next shutters are amazing, and will ensure that the interior of your home stands out as these shutters are top quality. You may have been considering window dressings for some time, but were unsure of the style to choose. Curtains and blinds are good, but they do not make a statement like shutters have the ability of doing in your home.

Shutters are a fantastic addition to every home, and you will soon discover that there is a vast array of possibilities with the shutters. This can cause a headache, and create confusion which you need to try and avoid. Shopping online is the best way to shop for shutters, and will ensure that you feel no pressure when making the decision.

There are many different companies offering shutters for your home, however, Next Shutters are considered to be some of the best on the market. They are made from high quality wood, and will ensure that your home is enhanced. The wood that is used will also guarantees that durability is never an issue, as these shutters are built to last.

[Photo courtesy of psaudio/pixabay.com]

Using wood for the shutters provides the ultimate opportunity for different finishes, depending on your style and budget. Real wood can be easily stained or painted, creating the perfect decor for your home. If you are unsure of the finish that you want, you can browse online, and search for the different styles.

Interior shutters have become incredibly trendy, and you will be surprised how versatile they can be in your home. Maintaining these shutters is not difficult, and you simply need to keep them clean, and treated when required. You will need to consider your home, and the budget that you have for the shutters, as top quality styles are not cheap.

As with everything paying more will provide top quality shutters that will last for many years, cheap shutters are likely to break, and need far more maintenance than quality materials. Spending more on the Next Shutters is the way forward, and shopping online is likely to save you time and money. There are often deals, offers and promotions to take advantage of online, which can help you to save money on the shutters.

There are many different manufacturers to choose online, but taking the time and effort to select the perfect one will ensure that you receive quality shutters and excellent customer service. Many suppliers will offer free delivery, and installation which is beneficial if you are unsure how to fit the shutters.

You will also be able to check the warranty that is available for the shutters and ask the supplier any questions that you may have regarding the installation. All shutters will look amazing when in place, and can be a far cheaper option when deciding to redecorate. You can choose shutters for visual affect, or to retain the heat in winter. Regardless of the purpose of the shutter, you will love the way that they look.

If you know all too well how unbearable it can be once summer hits you’ll already be looking at ways to keep your bills down and your air supply up! Depending on where you live, temperatures can quickly reach 90 Degrees Fahrenheit and it’s much harder to concentrate, sleep and eat when the sun’s at its zenith. One of the best ways to keep cool during the summer months is to stay hydrated. You should also always make sure you carry sunglasses, as even on cloudy days the sun can be powerful, and our eyes are incredibly sensitive.

It may also be worth keeping your curtains open at night, that way the cold air will alleviate the stuffiness in your house once the sun’s gone down. Try to get as much fresh air blowing through your home as possible by opening windows, doors, using fans to circulate and blasting the AC for a few hours so the filters to trap any dirt and debris that may be floating around. You may also have noticed a greater abundance of insects appearing, summer is often where you see the most wasps, bees, flies and beetles. Take precautions by putting up fly screens even if you don’t live in a rural area and check food is never allowed to sit out in the heat, not only will this spoil the flavor and texture but it could make you quite ill. While bees and wasps may look pretty buzzing around your flowerbeds, they have a nasty sting so always know where your tweezers, antiseptic insect bite cream and plasters are!

[Photo courtesy of nastya/pexels.com]

Take Cover

Parasols are great but if you want to make a real difference to the temperature in your home why not buy yourself an awning? The Department of Energy has stated awnings, or shaded covers can reduce heat by 30% simply because the sun rises and the linen cover takes the brunt of the heat while rays bounce off. While awnings aren’t as fashionable as they used to be; they do add a certain charm to your property as well as allowing you to sit outside comfortably. Before buying an awning always check to see if your property is suitable, maintain both the mechanism and fabric to stop cracks or holes appearing and never let children pull or raise awnings themselves as they could get their fingers trapped. Avoid any accidents by using an awning pole, a device similar to a loft pole which attaches to the hook on the underside and lets you pull down the striped sail from a safe distance.

Get Planting!

If you’re very lucky, you’ll live somewhere with lots of trees which isn’t just good for your health because trees take in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen, but they also act as a natural barrier and so quite often the temperature in the shade is at least ten degrees cooler than out in the open! However, lots of us believe that as long as there are trees somewhere nearby, we’ll automatically stay much cooler! Sadly, that’s not always the case as depending on where those trees are placed, that’ll decide how much shade you get. If you have no trees close to the house, it may be worth thinking about planting some young saplings now. Choose trees that grow quite quickly like poplars, maples, birches, and willows as well as those that are famed for their leafy, green appearance, so they’ll give you plenty of shade.

To save a significant amount of energy, or at least figure that’ll be noticeable on your next bill plant trees on the south and west-facing sides of your property. Everyone knows that south facing gardens tend to get the most sun, so by creating a tree line there you’ll reduce the heat dramatically. Remember, trees are a natural way to cool down your entire home as well as encouraging wildlife into the neighborhood. When planting always check the property boundaries before you start digging and as long as you don’t cross over onto your neighbor’s land you’re fine.

However, we do suggest being courteous as not only do you not want to start a turf war but it means if you block their beautiful view now they could do the same thing to you later on.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Have A Ceiling Fan

It may seem a bit old-fashioned, almost colonial, but high ceiling fans do a fantastic job of keeping the air moving while cooling down rooms you spend the most time in. In fact, the more people you put somewhere small the hotter the overall room temperature gets. This is because we each have our own perfect temperature! Some people feel much colder than others but in a big group heat becomes the dominant force and as it rises things then get fairly uncomfortable quite quickly as people begin to sweat.

Ceiling fans aren’t as ugly as they used to be and now come in a variety of shapes and sizes they’re also quieter than you’d expect. Remember, these fans are designed to keep you from melting so if you’re going out turn the fan off! If you really need your AC on, and let’s face it in mid-summer plenty of us see it as a lifesaver try to look for one that’s as silent as possible. There are also some great quiet ac units out there that won’t make you feel like you’re standing in the middle of an airfield instead of your living room every time you turn on the remote control!

[Photo courtesy of Tookapic/pexels.com]

White Out!

Do you recall your eighth-grade science lessons and how your teacher told you how snow reflects the heat instead of absorbing it due to it’s lighter color? The same principal applies to our roofs so if you want to lower the temperature below you should mix it up above! It’s often why you’ll find buildings and roofs painted white or yellow in hotter countries so that the encroaching heat doesn’t seep inside. Believe it or not, a report by Climate Change Research suggested that if all buildings and roads in the US were painted white the energy saved could run into millIons of dollars.

Comfort is one of the most underrated aspects to life. We don’t take enough time out of our hectic family or work schedules to settle down and enjoy the small things. We don’t often even look for comfort, do we?

The thing is – we shouldn’t have to. Some much of our lives are spent at a desk or at work and this means that our homes should be automatically comfy. It doesn’t just take a good couch or amazing bed sheets – it’s a state of mind for our homes. It’s not just about putting down a potted plant and saying job done.

[Photo courtesy of Wokandapix/pixabay.com]

It’s not amazingly easy to add comfort to your life, but it is a simple path. To start off, keep a tidy home with regimented cleaning sessions. This could be daily sweeping and polishing followed by a deeper weekly clean and dusting. The state of your house will reflect on your state of mind and dust, dirt and hair will build up to frustrate you. Keep the house clean in the first instance to feel at home in your home!

Windows and natural light is a good way to feel comfortable in the home. Adding double glazed windows to protect your bubble from external sounds like traffic and road works. Your home shouldn’t be easily infiltrated by external noise. Windows also serve an obvious purpose to let big light into your rooms which makes them seem a lot less dull. If there are issues, natural light could be one of the answers.

[Photo courtesy of Victor Grigas/wikipedia.org]

Natural light is great, but it’s only around for a portion of the day. This means that we have to provide our own methods of lighting for later sections of each day. Move away from fluorescent lighting and opt for bulbs with warm glows that work to soothe instead of cause headaches.

To be comfortable, you’ve also got to think about the temperature. Central heating is great for the winter, but fans and open windows work best in the summer if you can’t get your hands on air conditioning. Think about the floors as well. Hardwood floors are cozy, but they aren’t comfy – and when it gets cold they will bite at your naked feet! Get some nice rugs to ensure that there are patches of floor based warmth in your home.

Of course, you also need the right seating to be super comfortable and what better than an armchair to take away your blues? Of course there are plenty of other options like foam bags from SackDaddy.com! Simply go with the flow and grab the items that make you feel comfortable.

A final thought on comfort – add yourself to your home. It is yours, after all. Allow your style to reflect yourself through DIY projects and personalization. Put up photos, painting and pictures and allow your talents to shine through. Your home is your space, so let it be just that with a bit of a personal touch. Or you could just add a plant!

Just because you live in a shoe-box sized studio in East London, doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of the space that you do have.  There are a number of ways to make your small space seem larger, including sticking a million mirrors in there and knocking down partition walls. But no one wants to sleep in the same room as you take a shower and cook your Sunday roast, or live in your very own spooky House of Mirrors! So you might be surprised to hear that rugs – yes, as in small carpets, can be a great solution!

Fussy styles

Most of us think of rugs in homes with lots of clutter- lots of small rugs or a large rug taking up most of the floor space as opposed to clean, neutral floorboards.  But rugs actually enhance the space that you have, and they are not only beautiful but warming and welcoming too – everybody should have at least one in their home!

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Bedroom beauties

Rugs in the bedroom should be all about comfort and softness.  Of course, if you have a studio flat then your living space is also your sleeping space, but it’s easy to use rugs to define separate areas.  In the area near your bed, a rug which is soft underfoot is great, such as a sheepskin or flokati rug.  These are available in a wide range of colours, from crisp white and fluffy cream to vibrant mauve and hot pink.  Choose your rug to match your existing décor, whether that’s Japanese minimalist or vibrant pretty florals.  The moment you step out of bed in the morning onto this soft, beautiful rug you’ll know you are going to have a great day!

Living room lovelies

Your living room is where you’ll spend most of your time, and in a studio apartment you can use a rug to define this space – try to pick a large rug which extends almost to the edges of the room, or the edges of your living area, for maximum effect.  This will actually help your room to look larger and more spacious.  Opt for clean neutrals or bold brights, but try to keep the pile shallow if you’re scrambling for space.  Whilst deep pile leather shag rugs look amazing in large airy lofts, in a small studio they will simply make everything feel more cramped.  Shallow pile polypropylene rugs are not only ideal for small spaces; they are also hardwearing and stain resistant, perfect for clumsy friends who spill glasses of red wine on your floor…

No matter how small your space, a stunning rug can really help to define it, give it style and make it warm and welcoming. There is obviously always the question of budget, and like anything else, the price of rugs can vary hugely. Head to Ikea for a cheap and cheerful option, or get lost in a designer rugs shop for that really special purchase.  Follow the above tips and you will soon benefit from the beauty of rugs in your home.

At this time of year, we all feel that craving for green. The bare trees have been here too long, and the novelty of winter has worn off. The goods news is, spring is around the corner. The daffodils are out already, and soon the leaves will start growing! It’s around this time that we all head out to get the garden ready. In truth, though, your garden isn’t the only way to make the most of the outdoors. There are plenty of ways to bring the outside in. If you’ve been craving nature recently, this list has got you covered.

House Plants

Houseplants are probably the best thing you can do to bring the outside into your home. There are many benefits to houseplants. Not only do they make the place look beautiful, but they also keep the air in your home fresh! If you’ve never had houseplants before, take the time to do a little research. Decide which most appeal, then go out and get them! To get the most from your plants, make sure to buy some vases, too. While some houseplants come with vases, most come in plastic pots.

[Photo courtesy of Pexels/pixabay.com]

Flowers

If a houseplant is too much of a commitment for you, turn instead to flowers. Again, you’ll need to invest in some vases for these. The best thing about flowers is that they’re cheap and low maintenance. As long as you change the water every few days, they can live for at least a few weeks. These also add a beautiful splash of color to any home! If it’s green you’re after, don’t worry. There are bunches of flowers out there with plenty of greenery. All you have to do is look for them! There are some amazing flowers out there at the moment. It’s the perfect time of year for tulips and daffodils!

Wreaths

Why not get unique with your decor choice and experiment with wreaths? Yes, they’re traditionally for Christmas. Even so, they can be an impressive feature at any time of year. Take a look at a company like Worcester Wreath Company to see what’s on offer. You can’t get much greener than this, right? You could incorporate flowers into the wreath as well if you wanted to. That way, it can turn into a celebration of the coming spring!

[Photo courtesy of JÉSHOOTS/pexels.com]

Fruit Bowl

For some reason, the idea of a fruit bowl has become an outdated one. Even so, it’s time to bring it back! If you get creative, your fruit bowl could become an excellent feature. Look out for dishes that compliment your home. You don’t have to opt for the traditional options. Any bowl will do. Look out for one that catches your eye. Think, too, about the fruit you buy. If you’re using your fruit bowl as a feature, you could have a little fun with color coordinating your fruit! Make sure, too, that you don’t leave the fruit too long. A bowl of overripe fruit won’t have the same effect!

For as much as our generation loves to spend and impulse buy, we are also living in a very thrifty and frugal time. It’s the biggest juxtaposition of them all; even those who have the money to be able to get by easily in life are wanting to take the time to do things for themselves in order to save it.

This has led to an increase in DIY jobs and the learning of new trades in order for people to be able to get the job done quickly, efficiently and with little cost. But while some are taking the necessary steps towards getting qualified and knowledgeable, others are relying on online tutorials or information on forums to get the job done properly.

Here are the top three things that need to be left to the professionals to save incurring any further financial expenditure…

[Photo courtesy of gratisography/pexels.com]

White Goods

If one of your white goods is on the blink, do not attempt to fix it yourself. Whether your fridge, freezer, washing machine, dishwasher or tumble dryer is having a bad day, you do not need to make it any worse – either for the gadget or for yourself. Most of these appliances are hooked up to both electricity and water; a literally lethal combination if you don’t know what you’re doing. Search online for a reliable tradesman to come out, such as on City Appliance Repair, and make sure that you leave it all to them. Even if it looks like you haven’t done anything wrong, you could have accidentally voided the warranty by removing or touching something that you shouldn’t have. It’s a minefield.

[Photo courtesy of Tookapic/pexels.com]

Painting

Everybody loves to try and give redecorating a go at least once in their lives, but if you’re not the steadiest with a brush and are known for being a tad clumsy then step away from the paint! There are people out there who do this day in, day out, and will get the job done for you neatly and quickly. The last thing you want to be doing is paying out more for materials as you have to wipe up spilt paint, or spend longer on a project than you realistically have time for. Plus, if anything goes wrong, it’s not your fault – but if you hire a professional, the chances of this happening are very slim.

[Photo courtesy of ardeshir etemad/pexels.com]

Pest Control

This could end up getting majorly out of hand if you don’t know the ins and outs and what you are doing extremely well. Most people leave it up to the experts, but the few who don’t either get it one of two things – right or wrong. There are a list of preventative steps that you can take in order to keep things under control, and if these are adhered to then it’s bad luck should you reach a situation where you need to bring out and pay for pest control. If you have children this is also a reason for leaving it to a professional; poison, guns and traps are all things that should not be near a child.

As a parent you want to instil all the best possible values into your kids. The importance of sharing, the importance of gentleness and kindness, the importance of respecting your elders, the importance of cherishing and looking after the world around you. A love of the natural world is something that a lot of us would like to see in our children – a respect for our beautiful green planet and an interest in learning to take care of it. Luckily there are things you can do to encourage this love.

Go For Locally Sourced Food

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Locally sourced food is fresh and delicious and it’s also great for the environment because it hasn’t travelled over vast distances to reach you. Of course not all food can be sourced locally, like tropical fruits, but whenever possible, go for local options in the grocery store. You should also try to go for organic free range meat – this is a lot kinder to the animals and it’ll also be a lot more pure for your body as well. You should also remember that you need to stop buying bottled water. Sure it’s convenient but it’s bad for the environment in pretty much every way, from the huge transportation costs to the wasted plastic bottles, so you should purchase a water filter and use that instead.

Stop Wasting Water

[Photo courtesy of Breakingpic/pexels.com]

We’ve all done it: we stand by the sink brushing our teeth and staring idly into space as the faucet runs. We spend too long in the shower, we use too much water when we’re washing up dishes. It’s extremely easy to waste water in general! Make sure that you cut down on this – leave post-its around to remind yourself to get out of the shower in good time and keep the water off wherever possible.

Use Natural Cleaning Products

The importance of using natural cleaning products can’t be underestimated. The truth is that in this day and age there is simply no need to keep a lot of dangerous chemicals in your home – and that applies even more when you have kids. You don’t want to have to worry about your babies ingesting anything harmful so why not go for non toxic cleaning products made from natural substances? Look online to find the best natural cleaners from companies that sell non toxic products like Jessica Alba’s Honest ranges, to cleaning solutions that you can use in your own home – did you know that you can use vinegar to unblock sinks and baking soda to clean up stains? There are a lot of natural cleaning solutions out there – put down the bleach and get researching. You know those chemicals give you a headache anyway! You’ll also find that using natural detergents will be the best possible thing for sensitive baby skin.

Lower Your Energy Bills

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

The importance of lowering your energy bills is two fold. Firstly, we all know that it’s great for your wallet, meaning that you can treat yourself at the end of the month – but we also should remember that it’s also great for the environment. Fossil fuels are being used up at a pace that’s far more rapid than they’re being created and as such we need to start using sustainable sources of energy. If your house isn’t equipped with solar panels, watermills or wind turbines then your only real solution is to cut down on your energy use. Simply, you should make sure that you turn off lights when you leave the room and that you don’t leave your electronic equipment on standby. You should also make sure that you change your lightbulbs to LED ones, which last for much longer and use considerably less energy. Ensure that your house is properly insulated to keep the heat in, thus lowering your heating bills, and put rugs down on your wooden or tiled floors, to prevent still more heat from being lost. If you can feel a draught then why not make a draught excluder?

Turn Your Home Green

[Photo courtesy of Tima Miroshnichenko/pexels.com]

No, we don’t mean that you have to paint all your walls green – although admittedly it’s a very peaceful and natural colour that your whole family would enjoy, so you could probably consider it. Rather, you should try to be as green at home as you possibly can. When you’re redecorating, use non toxic paints and paste, and make sure that you use sustainable materials wherever possible – if you’re redecorating a baby’s room, for example, go for a felt mobile instead of a plastic one. It’ll be just as pretty and it’ll be a whole lot better for good old Planet Earth. Go for good quality furniture made from recyclable materials that will last you for a long time instead of the homeware equivalent of disposable fashion, and remember that there’s no better home decoration than plants. Not only do they look extremely pretty, but they also produce oxygen and improve your home’s atmosphere. They’ll provide your kids with an example of having something to learn to look after, and they’ll bring a little piece of nature inside. You could go for a small herb garden on your kitchen windowsill – it’ll look good, smell fragrant and gorgeous, and you’ll feel incredible when you can use homegrown herbs in your cooking.

Lead By Example

Probably the most important parenting tip of them all is to lead by example. You probably already know this all too well – if you’ve ever let a single curse word slip past your lips in front of your kids after stubbing your toe then you’re probably aware that they pick up on everything way too quickly sometimes! If your kids see you recycling and walking instead of driving and respecting the natural world then they’ll learn to do the same thing and you’ll end up with an environmentally conscious family that you’re incredibly proud of. Take your kids hiking with your dog, send them on treasure hunts in your back yard and teach them to be gentle with insects like snails and spiders (even if you’re scared of them!). That way they’ll grow up with a real appreciation of this beautiful world that we’re lucky enough to live in.

Bigger doesn’t always equate to better. When we’re starting out, there’s a temptation to strive for a bigger house, a bigger car, and lots of stuff. But if the trend to downsize is anything to go by, all of this doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. People are finding that living simpler lives, and getting more out of less, is the way to go.

What Do You Want?

You have a big house, a decent car, and all the latest technologies. But how do you feel when you go to bed at night and when you wake up first thing in the morning? Do you sleep well and get up raring to go, ready to greet the day? Or do you struggle to get to sleep, keep waking up, and feel sick when the alarm clock starts beeping? Many people identify with the latter. They work hard, striving for something they think they want but then when they achieve their goals, it doesn’t bring them happiness or fulfillment. There are many reasons for this, but one of them is likely to be that they strive for what they think they want, without addressing how they want to feel. This is one reason many people have so-called mid-life crises. They get to a point in their life and realize that this is not what they envisaged, and not how they expected to feel.

[Photo courtesy of Brett Sayles/pexels.com]

What Does Downsizing Mean?

We have all seen the articles where people have downsized their lives to such an extent that they are able to live in a tiny one-room house out in the wilderness. While this is fine, of course, it is an extreme example. For most people downsizing just means freeing their lives from unnecessary clutter, living a simpler existence, and feeling freer and happier. It doesn’t necessarily equate to a frugal life, though saving money is one of the benefits.

Downsizing means different things to different people. For some it might be selling their home through a listing agent and moving to a smaller place. For others, it may just mean filtering their belongings, creating more space, and updating their attitude to purchasing.

[Photo courtesy of Ekaterina Belinskaya/pexels.com]

What Are The Benefits Of Downsizing?

There are many benefits of downsizing. For example:

• Reducing unnecessary costs and having more disposable income
• Reducing the time spent cleaning and maintaining your home
• Refocusing your energy and attention on the things that count
• Feeling less encumbered and therefore less stressed
• Feeling freer to do things you enjoy doing

Concentrate On Experiences Rather Than Things

Many people find that spending their money on experiences, rather than things, is a happier and more purposeful way of living. So, rather than having the latest cell phone, tablet, TV, and Blu-Ray player, they invest in holidays, time out with family, hobbies, and interests.

The important point about downsizing is that it forces you to take stock of your life and readdress the things that are important. To downsize you go through a process of removing what is unnecessary and potentially harmful, and focus on what makes you happy.