Driven by the rising cost of living and the uncertainty of the current economic times, many homeowners have decided to move to a smaller dwelling in recent years.
An astute way to simplify life, the philosophy of less is more enables them to reduce their costs and focus on the things they truly care about. While some people switch to similar properties with fewer bedrooms or garden space, others have taken downsizing a step further by moving into a manufactured or mobile home. Often referred to as a ‘tiny home’, there are several benefits associated with making this move. For a start, you get all the perks of homeownership without having to do any of the traditional maintenance. They are also much cheaper to buy and manage and even come in some cool designs too. If this is something you are seriously considering in your present circumstance, here are eight tips for downsizing to a mobile home.
1. Decide where you will move to
Before you even think about leaving your current property and downsizing to a mobile home, you need to consider where to place it.
If you plan to stay within the local area, this can be done in either a caravan park or on private land.
However, if you plan to move further afield, you will have to fully research the locality and make sure you are close to the shops, services and recreational facilities you require throughout your day-to-day living.
2. Downsize, don’t downgrade
When moving into a mobile home, it is important to remember that downsizing should never be a downgrade.
It’s critical that you like where you live, and you feel comfortable in your new home.
So make sure you choose the right mobile home with a well-designed and durable layout. Pick one also with a beautiful look that makes you feel good when you step inside it.
3. Clarify your needs and wants
Downsizing to a mobile or tiny home is a big lifestyle commitment. So you need to be fully aware of what you are wanting to achieve by doing it.
Do you want to be mortgage free? Are you looking to move nearer to family or friends?
Do you want somewhere that is easier to clean and maintain?
Does the thought of living near a community of like-minded people appeal to you?
It is essential to clarify the reasons for your move and to make sure you and anyone else involved in it are fully on board with the proposition. That way, it is more likely to be a success for all concerned.
4. Do a trial run
You won’t know if you enjoy living in your new mobile home until you start to do so.
Therefore, to give you an idea if you will, it is worth holidaying for a couple of weeks in one, just to get a feel for it.
If you have never stayed in a tiny, manufactured or mobile home before, this will give you the chance to give it a test run.
If you instantly realise it’s not for you, that allows you to re-evaluate your plans before you financially commit to them. If you enjoyed it, then you can proceed with confidence in pursuit of your goal.
5. Selling your current home
If you need to sell your current home first before moving into a mobile home, you will have to find yourself a good real estate agent.
To enable you to do so, they should be able to sell your place quickly and for as good a price as possible. This will involve them performing activities like closing the sale and negotiating a contract.
You may also want to do some minor renovations or repairs to smarten it up before putting it on the market.
Depending on the age of your home, you may want to even do some of these repairs yourself. Although if you are not comfortable doing DIY, you will need to hire a professional builder to do the work for you.
6. Take inventory
When you are downsizing into a mobile home, you will only have limited space for your possessions. Therefore, it is important to get rid of stuff that you simply aren’t using anymore.
Take the time to sort everything into piles of items to keep, donate, throw out or sell. The latter of which can be advertised on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree.
Once you have done that, think about the essential items you will need in your new home and start to pack them away.
7. Keep the memories
You may be downsizing to a mobile home, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing away with all of your precious memories.
Whether these are pieces that have been handed down to you by your family or it is your child’s creations from when they were little, all of these items are important in heart value to you.
Be sure to find a space in your new mobile home that will allow you to keep them easily.
8. Hire Professionals
Moving is a very stressful and laborious task. So you will need to be organised.
To help you do this, it is worthwhile hiring a professional moving company. They will load your belongings onto their truck and transport them to your new home with the minimum hassle.
You can search through Muval to find cheap removalists.
When they arrive at your new mobile home, it is important to have pre-determined where all of your furniture will go.
That way, they can seamlessly place it in the correct spot and not waste time arranging and rearranging them whilst you try and make your mind up.
Pro-Tip!
Storage will be limited in your mobile home, so you might want to keep your seasonal items like winter clothes, Christmas decorations or blankets in storage facilities until you need them.
This will keep your mobile, manufactured or tiny home from being cluttered.
Final Thought
No matter how young or old you are, it is never too late to start afresh and simplify your life with a move to a smaller, mobile home.
Downsizing to a property like this is not a decision you should ever take lightly.
However, as it can have significant benefits to your lifestyle and bank balance, it has the potential to change your personal circumstances for the better.
