I toured a Texas tiny-home village for retirees. The real sell wasn't the houses.

Tech Insider : Business, Style
A home stands next to a sign that reads
Liberty Tiny Village is a small 55+ community in North Texas.

Alcynna Lloyd/Business Insider

I thought downsizing would be hard for our family of 4. It ended up changing our lives for the better.

Tech Insider : Business
Family posing for photo
The author's family moved from Texas to Colorado and downsized their home.

Courtesy of Vivaciously Chelsea

When my family of 4 moved to a small town, we downsized. We now spend more time together and less money.

Tech Insider : Business
Family looking out the window at snow.
The author's family (not pictured) spends more time together after their move.

AleksandarNakic/Getty Images

The cities where downsizing will save you the most and least

Tech Insider : Business, Style, Travel
A condo building in Houston, Texas
StorageCafe analyzed dozens of big US cities to see how much downsizing would pay off.

Getty Images

A family of 4 downsized to a 1-bedroom home so they could live rent-free. Storage hacks help them make the most of the space.

Tech Insider : Business
A side-by-side of a family walking through a field and a kitchen with white cabinets and a butcher block island.
The Johnson family downsized to save money for their future.

Mckayle Buckley Kallschmidt/Ashley Johnson

I'm 61 with 16 grandkids. Instead of downsizing, we bought a bigger vacation home to finally make family trips work.

Tech Insider : Business, Style
Doug Beachy (center) and his large family of four kids and 16 grandchildren.
Doug Beachy (center) and his large family.

Courtesy of Doug Beachy

Instead of downsizing, I moved into a bigger home at 74. My grandkids love the extra space, and family visits are finally fun.

Tech Insider : Business
A selfie of Laurence Gerowitz and his wife Dottie Lipski.
Laurence Gerowitz and his wife Dottie Lipski.

Courtesy of Laurence Gerowitz

I'm single and an empty nester, so I decided to downsize. I made some compromises on my new apartment to save money.

Tech Insider : Business, Style, Travel
The author wearing sunglasses and sitting on a boat.
The author recently downsized to a smaller apartment.

Courtesy of Kelly Magyarics

My boyfriend and I decided not to buy a house and instead rent small studios. Minimalist living works for us.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Catherine Work and her boyfriend at dinner table
The author and her boyfriend prefer a minimalist lifestyle.

Courtesy of Catherine Work

Two Gen X empty-nest couples are 'rightsizing' in a development focused on community

Tech Insider : Business
Stephanie Falk (left) and Judy Cooperman.
Stephanie Falk (left) and Judy Cooperman.

Courtesy of Stephanie Falk and Judy Cooperman

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