Anyone downsized their life?

[Yoghurtget]

Have any of you significantly downsized your life? I am really struggling with the demands of working quite long hours and juggling family. (I have a partner who takes on more of the domestic work than me.) I work which allows me to pay the bills but also (and I know I am lucky in this) have a holiday, not budget on the grocery shop, take the kids on nice days out, have kids activities/ clubs . Has anyone reduced their work commitments and therefore reduced their expenditure on extras/ luxuries? Did your family mind? Was everyone happier? I can’t help but think and simpler less chaotic life would be better for all but I am aware I may just be being naive.

Yes, we did. We sold our large semi last year and bought a small terraced house. We have no mortgage now so can pick and choose when we work. For context, we have 4 adult children between us (they have all left home) and a teenager who is still at home (obviously!).

The pressue is off for working - we are both self employed and we can be around for our son who is autistic and home educated. As the house is smaller, the bills are also smaller and we find we shop for food about once a fortnight.

Our lives are much less busy and as we approach our late 50s, we really appreciate and are grateful we don't have the slog of a full time job.

I live in a small London flat and have no car. We downsized the pandemic and when one DC moved out to be more central and reduce our expenses. I like it.

*in the pandemic.

We never bothered to upsize our house and remain in the 3 bed semi we bought years ago. All of our friends upsized houses in their late thirties and early forties. So now they live with all the big bills their large houses entail and the kids have almost all left home or are about to. So we had a life of many fabulous holidays and not worrying about money ever. I remember being at work and someone saying who on earth can do a big shop at M&S, well I did quite often. One is trying to downsize but the market is crap for selling. Her house is beautiful, truly gorgeous it also means the majority of people will not be able to buy it. It also meant I could drop some hours at work, I dropped to 25 hours and it was great for everyone. I still kept my cleaner on as well.

I got made redundant, couldn't find a suitable job so I sold up the 3 bed home. I moved to another, cheaper [now very sought after] area and bought a 2 bed.

Teenage sons had to share a bedroom but they were ok about it and I fashioned a divider down the middle! One would often be out - sports training, at matches, with friends while the other at home having his own space...and visa versa so it worked out well. Since then [it was many years ago] neither have said anything about it and it was just accepted. I would have heard about it if it had been a big issue for them! Kids can be very understanding of situations if it's explained...and if there are a couple of compensations somewhere along the way. Which if you are better off there probably will be.

In downsizing I paid off the mortgage which was so empowering [wonderful] and I could live just fine doing a part time job which relieved a lot of stress. It was all worth it for a number of reasons.

I did the place up from top to bottom and in the process my sons absorbed a lot of information and learned how to decorate/refurbish etc....one went on to own his own kitchen business...

Thanks for all your experiences I am glad to hear it can be done