Over the past 40 years, the average size of an American home has grown by nearly 1,000 square feet. True, it’s nice to have all this extra space to stretch out. But living in a huge space can have some significant drawbacks. And we don’t just mean the cost of your utility bill when you stretch out for the Star Wars thematic holiday light show. But, seriously, is buying a bigger house in Florida really a good decision?
We think that more square meters will make us happier, but this is 100% incorrect. While overgrown lounges and dressing rooms are certainly good, they can undermine your family’s happiness. Before you hire movers in Florida and relocate, think about the type of house that you need. Maybe you will be much happier in a smaller house that still fits your needs.
Here is why buying a bigger house in Florida is not such a good idea
Reason #1: Furnishing
When you have more rooms, you feel the need to furnish them. The furniture your interstate movers Florida brought from your previous house may no longer be adequate in the new house. Furniture tends to be expensive. For most people, having a basement means a whole room that needs new furnishing. Or they rather update what’s on the main floor and move the old stuff to the basement. Buying new can easily cost several thousand dollars or more.
Reason #2: There is more to clean
It’s just common sense, really. The more square feet you have, the more area you will clean every week. And this is not only a great inconvenience but also an expensive pleasure. A landlord with a 2,000-square-foot home can do with the purchase of cleaning products once a month or so. But if you have a seven-bedroom dwelling, you will need to replenish the stock at least once every couple of weeks. Of course, people with large houses can hire maids, but this is another expense that can be added to the list.
Reason #3: More space after buying a bigger house in Florida can mean less time with your children
In large houses, there are many children’s areas: media rooms where they can play all kinds of games, game rooms where you can leave toys unattended so that no one steps over them to get to the bathroom. You cannot dispute the pleasure and convenience of any of them. But there is something that can be said to keep your children closer. The simple truth is: if each family member has his own personal space, it will deprive your family of chances of communication.
The more communication opportunities your family has, the more they will have. In a big house, the only moments of communication will happen in the corridors or around the kitchen island.
Also, in a big house, you may not know what your children are watching on TV, googling on their laptops or posting on Snapchat. It’s not about being a parent from hell, but about finding learning moments from real life, and not about making your children figure out everything in a separate wing of your residence. Think about that before investing in a real estate property in Florida.
Reason #4: It can ruin your relationship with your partner
When your house has a huge number of square meters, it is possible that you and your partner will not see each other so often. But even more worrying may be how much you pay to accommodate this extra space between you.
One of the most stressful issues couples face is finances. Of course, the place where the couples are the most extended is in their house. Why would anybody settle for two bathrooms when they can have five?
Reason # 5: Your commute probably sucks
Larger houses are usually located in the suburbs, which often leads to long trips to work. Regardless of whether you spend two hours on the train or a little less than an hour in the turnpike, there is a chance that this experience negatively affects your mood.
Passengers have higher levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Travel over 10 miles and you are likely to have high blood pressure. You are also at an increased risk of obesity, possibly because you have less time to sleep, cook, eat well, and exercise. Studies also correlate long trips to work with loneliness, not to mention an increased rate of divorce.
Reason # 6: Neighbors? Who are the neighbors?
Today, one-third of Americans say they don’t know their neighbors. And that is especially true when buying a bigger house in Florida. So much about lending a cup of sugar. The fact is that extended square meters keep families in their own house and in the backyard, instead of chatting on the sidewalk with people who live nearby, creating a sense of community. When you live in a larger house, you are more in your own space and are much less likely to turn to others.
People who know their neighbors and trust them have better health, including a lower risk of stroke. Social support from your community can also serve as a buffer for disasters. That’s why it is really important to keep in touch after a long-distance move.
Reason # 7: You can never feel at home
People with giant, soulless homes are deeply unhappy. They are trying to build a dream, not a house that really fits into their lives. Result? You do not feel at home in your own house or even in your own skin.
Of course, there is no “right” size home. Who knows, maybe buying a bigger house in Florida is just what you need. Big and small, after all, are relative concepts. To find the house that suits you best, consider the house in which each room is used daily. You want to live in a house that matches your real life, not your imaginary life.
