There are many reasons a person might want to downsize from a larger home to a smaller one. From finding career opportunities in a more convenient location to a desire to try a more minimalist and less ostentatious lifestyle, any choice here is valid. Aside from the appreciable reward of lower air conditioning bills, a smaller home also reintroduces an opportunity to equip your home with tech.
As much as we love technology, it does have an unfortunate habit of scaling significantly with home footprint. The smaller your house, the more affordable it is to install everything you need and live life on the cutting edge. So, what tech here is worth seriously considering to get ahead for a more forward-thinking future?
First Things First
Before looking at the new tech, you’re going to have to determine what you’re going to leave from your old home. This can mean selling old devices, choosing what you’ll really need, and creating a solid plan. It can also require wiping the storage drives and performing a factory reset. Guides on websites like PCMAG can help here if you’re unfamiliar with the process.
You’ll also want to be completely sure of the budget you’re afforded through selling your old home, which can be a time-consuming and frustrating process through the traditional method. There are alternatives here from services like We Buy Any Home that can bypass this issue. Through a simple three-step process, this service can provide a free cash offer within minutes, to have funds to you in seven days to help you move onto the tech part. Once you know how much money you have to work with, the next parts are much easier.
The Best Tech
The first tech we’d suggest keeping in mind is smart home technology for better convenience and saving money through automation. Smart tech which connects to a local network can be accomplished through practically anything electronic, but what you’ll consider worth connecting is a more personal question.
Automated door locks, lights, washing machines, and air conditioning are a great start. These can add up to significant financial savings, and even help keep your home safe by making you appear at home when you’re not. Be sure to invest in open-source systems if possible, as the smart home market has a history of services going under and taking functionality with it, as The Verge reports.
The next step can be investing in more robust network wiring that avoids relying on Wi-Fi. Installing hardware cable connection points guarantees faster and more reliable internet connectivity. Plugging in walls also means you won’t have to run cables through rooms and under doors, which isn’t a great look.
Finally, you’ll also want to take into account the power strain you’ll put on certain outlets, and update home power systems accordingly. This is already a big problem in PC gaming with power-hungry tech like modern graphics cards, and it’s only likely to become a larger issue in the future.
Source: Pixabay
With all of this in mind, you’ll know where to start in supporting your new home with the right tech to support you. Remember to research what you need ahead of time, don’t go with the first choice, and you’ll be happier with the result for years to come.