Choosing less space to live in doesn’t have to be a downer. In fact, there are many up sides to downsizing, perhaps the biggest of which is spending less time on the maintenance, care and cleaning of a larger home and property.

Whether you’re an empty nester surrounded by too much square footage or just a homeowner who’s had your fill of living large and now find you want a simpler, low-maintenance home, moving to a smaller dwelling has many advantages.

Probably the biggest benefit is having more time and money to pursue other interests such as travelling or giving your time and effort to a good cause or charity.

So let’s see if you’re ready to live a simpler life. Take this fun quiz.

1.       Home ownership

a.       Means everything to me. My home is my identity.

b.      Is important. I take pride in my house and property.

c.       Is a nuisance. I resent spending money on my house.

2.       When our last child flew the coop I thought

a.       Wonderful. More space for our stuff.

b.      Wow, that went fast. What do we do now?

c.       Just great, another room to clean!

 3.       In my spare time I enjoy

a.       Tending to my lawn and garden in summer and, in winter, redecorating and cleaning the nooks and crannies of our home.

b.      Tennis, good food and binge watching a great TV series on Netflix.

c.       Anything that takes me away from winter.

4.       When I was younger I envisioned my later life

a.       Surrounded by friends and family and a lifetime of treasures accumulated and artfully displayed in our beautiful home.

b.      Enjoying grandkids, travelling some and hanging out with good friends and loved ones.

c.       As a condo dweller.

5.        Moving to a smaller home would mean

a.       A step backwards.

b.      Some adjustment but think of the time and money we’d save!

c.       Near total freedom!

If you answered mostly As, your home is your castle and you’re probably best to stay put. Enjoy the reign.

If you answered mostly Bs, you may be ready to downsize. Think about what the next few years mean in terms of employment and other income such as pensions. Drive through neighbourhoods you’ve always loved to look for smaller homes or bungalows. As an alternative, you could also start to consider condos. Check out www.freemancondos.com.

If you picked mainly Cs, get that for For Sale sign on your front lawn ASAP. You have been ready to move to a smaller home for some time.  Happy purging.