Once upon a time we sold our house and moved into a nearby apartment complex. It was interesting adjusting to living in 1/5th the amount of space. There were some significant differences in how much free time we had available.
- Maintenance is handled by placing a phone call. It doesn’t require any time on my part to try to fix something or to locate and hire a repair person.
- Snow removal is done by the apartment managers. I don’t have to get up early to shovel.
- Less house to clean. It is a lot faster to clean 500 sq ft. than 2,500.
- Less paperwork. While it didn’t take up too much time, there is definitely more paperwork involving a house.
Of course, I still miss our house (especially the home theater with the 12ft. screen and reclining seats), but the apartment sure is a good place to get work done and is perfect for our needs as we prepare for our next move in February.
Another advantage of a smaller space, is that it forces you to prioritize your stuff. Only so much will fit, so we’ve had to make some decisions about what to keep, what goes into storage and what gets sold or given away. For the most part, the process has been good. Stuff tends to create distractions. By narrowing possessions down to the tools I need for work, I’m much more focused and productive.
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