Finding the right time to downsize your home

You might have mixed emotions about leaving the family home, where so many memories have been made, but making good choices about your next home will leave you free to create lots of new memories.

At Platinum Homes we’re here to help guide you through this process.

Downsizing doesn’t have to mean a smaller house on a smaller section. It might mean a bigger house with less garden, or a smaller house with a larger garden. It’s all about having choices as you plan your new home for the next stage of your life.

This is your opportunity to decide what’s important to you in a home – and build it so it perfectly matches your needs. You no longer need to worry about having enough bedrooms to fit everyone, a garden big enough for swings, treehouses and cricket games; or being close enough to good schools.

You can design a home that meets your needs and yours alone. There are lots of options and choices to consider when you decide to build a new home – but one thing you can be certain of is that you’ll end up with a modern, easy care home that will be warm and welcoming.

Start with the big questions – how many bedrooms do you want? Are you expecting family or friends to come and stay and how long will their visits be? Will they bring children with them? You might want to consider a master suite that’s separate from the rest of the house, so you can have peace and privacy. If you have family coming for extended visits, you might even want to think about a separate living area for guests and children.

You may want to include a room for sewing, a library or a home office. Or perhaps a separate TV lounge or home movie theatre.

The choices are all yours.

It’s an opportunity to start with a clean slate and build a home that reflects your lifestyle and interests. If you’re regular entertainers, this is a good time to think about how your kitchen relates to the rest of your house, whether you prefer dining in a formal area, or whether your cooking, dining and relaxing areas will all flow seamlessly.

You can also plan indoor-outdoor flow, perhaps including an outdoor cooking area with space for a barbecue, pizza oven or even an outdoor kitchen. A well placed deck could become a casual outdoor lounge, with comfortable furniture and an outdoor sound system – maybe even a spa pool.

If the children have gone but left behind lots of their treasures, then now is the time to try and reunite some of those treasures with their owners! Otherwise storage may become an important consideration – meaning you’ll need lots of cupboards or a large garage. A large garage may also be needed if you‘re planning space for a workshop.

The beauty of downsizing is that you’re creating a home just for you. It’s your opportunity to get exactly what you want – a home that matches your lifestyle today and the lifestyle you’re planning for your future.

It’s also an opportunity to consider a new location.

If you’re still working, you may want to stay within easy commuting distance of work. But if you’re not working, or are focused on life after retirement, now is the time to think about where you’d really like to live. You may be drawn to the beach lifestyle, or want to consider living in a smaller town or on the outskirts of a city. Maybe even shifting to a new town or city.

It’s important to future proof your new home. This includes making sure you have easy access to shops, cafés and restaurants, doctor and pharmacy, public transport and any other services that are important to you.

How’s your health – any emerging niggles? While all Platinum Homes are designed with flow in mind, there will never be a better time to consider step-free access and a layout that’s easy to navigate for an older person with limited mobility. If you’re planning a two storey home, you might want to consider the option of having a bedroom and ensuite downstairs.

Think of this as your ultimate home – the one you’ve been preparing for all these years. It may be the home you spend more time in than any other, so your decisions need to be made carefully. We’re here to help you through this process.