Choosing your next home
Measure your life—not just your furniture.
Five everyday routines to test before choosing a smaller home.
A tape measure will tell you whether your sofa fits. It will not tell you whether your next home fits the way you live.
When you tour a smaller home, imagine a regular weekday. Walk through a few routines slowly. A beautiful room is lovely; a comfortable daily rhythm is what you get to enjoy after the moving boxes are gone.
Bring in the groceries
Start where you would park. How many steps, doors, and turns stand between you and the kitchen? Where will wet shoes, coats, and shopping bags go? Think about the same route in rain or snow, not just on the sunny afternoon of your showing.
Do a load of laundry
Find the washer, dryer, hamper space, and a place to fold. Picture carrying bedding or towels through the home. If reducing stairs is one reason for moving, check the entire routine rather than focusing only on the bedroom floor.
Have someone stay over
Think about how often you actually host overnight visitors and what would make them comfortable. A flexible room may work well. You may also decide that a permanent guest bedroom is essential. Either answer is useful when it comes from your life rather than a checklist written for someone else.
Put away the things you use
Look beyond the closet count. Where would you keep a vacuum, hobby supplies, holiday decorations, luggage, and the everyday items you reach for? Measure the furniture you want to keep, but also consider whether you still want to maintain and store everything you own.
The decluttering and preparation guide can help you make these decisions in smaller steps.
Enjoy your favorite part of the day
Maybe it is coffee by a window, tending a few plants, cooking with someone, or reading without a television nearby. Find a place for that moment. A home can meet the practical requirements and still need to feel like yours.
Compare homes using the same questions
After each visit, write down what worked and what did not. Keep your notes specific: “Laundry is next to the bedroom” is more helpful than “Nice layout.” Separate a change you could reasonably make from a feature you would be living with every day.
If you are considering a condo, ask about the documents and responsibilities as well as the floor plan. Read Linda’s Verani article on condominium ownership, then use the housing-options guide to compare alternatives.
A thoughtful search begins with your priorities. Talk with Linda about the routines and features you want your next home to support.