Moving house · Home and routines
downsize
move to smaller home
To downsize means to move to a smaller home, usually because you need less space or lower costs.
This vs that
We're planning to downsize next year.
We're planning to move out next year.
Hear it in real life
Why are you selling such a big house?
We want to downsize and spend less on heating.
Now that the children have left home, we're thinking of downsizing.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
Downsize is the concise everyday term for moving to a smaller home.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: Our children have left, so we want to reduce our house.
Say: Our children have left, so we want to downsize.
You don’t “reduce” a house; moving somewhere smaller is “downsizing”.
Say it together
Whole chunks natives use with it.
downsize to ___
My grandparents downsized to a flat near the coast.
We're hoping to downsize to somewhere easier to maintain.
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about moving house.
settle into a new home
It took us a few weeks to settle into our new home.
pack up your things
I need to pack up my things before the removal van arrives.
Moving house words
Home and routines · Moving house: the words around “downsize”.
More connectionsEasy to mix up · More moving house words8
Easy to mix up
More moving house words
Your turn: say it out loud
We're thinking of downsizing.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
downsize
move to smaller home
“Now that the children have left home, we're thinking of downsizing.”
heytardy