Five signs it's time to upsize your home

Our lives, like so much expanding foam, can quickly fill the homes we inhabit. 

You can rearrange and redesign, but relinquishing a cherished space for a new purpose can be a difficult pill to swallow.

Just as a growing foot isn’t always going to fit into the same sock, so too could you and yours be reaching a point when more space is necessary to maintain sanity.

If any of these five phenomena are happening in your home, it might be time to think about upgrading.

1. A baby cot is impinging on your man cave or femme den

If a new member of the household is due to arrive any day now, there might be some pressure on you to prioritise family over the other passions in your life.

But while family is important, so is hanging onto the last skerrick of your youth. The piles of guitars, electronics, games consoles, bicycles, drones, art supplies, books, skateboards, camera gear, weights and so on are all that remain of your former life. Unfortunately, the time to use those things is no longer with you.

If you upsize, you can hold onto your “me time” room in addition to the new nursery. So even if you don’t have time to use your grown-up toys, you will at least have somewhere to store them until you do.

But for the sake of your frail, ageing body, maybe rethink the skateboarding.

2. Your brand new fridge won’t fit in your tiny kitchen

Lately you’ve been finding yourself spending more time at farmers’ markets than at bars or restaurants.

Cooking at home is now your jam, and you don’t mind making the odd preserve either. It is your therapy and provides you and your family sustenance. An altogether noble pursuit.

However, the terrifying sight of your fermenting kombucha is giving your partner nightmares and your habit of buying in bulk has your pantry and fridge straining under the pressure.

You have finally decided to turf the old leaky fridge, a veteran of countless share houses. The delivery guy has managed to get the new fridge up the stairs, down the corridor, and up the other set of stairs into your kitchen and guess what? It doesn’t fit. Like, not even close.

Maybe it is a sign? After all, you’re saving all that extra money by eating at home, right? Time to channel that extra cash towards finding a place with the ultimate kitchen.

3. Your flat is full of struggling plants

Some plants have low light requirements, but your dingy damp bat cave of an apartment is more suitable for mushrooms and glow worms than a monstera or a devils ivy.

You could consider upsizing to a light and airy warehouse conversion apartment. You can always grow mushrooms under your dank kitchen sink if you miss them.

4. Mum is moving in

She looked after you when you were little, but now she is old and on her own. Your freewheeling sister promised never to put her in a nursing home, but sis is currently finding herself in Ubud, so it is time for you to step up and welcome mother dearest with open arms.

Space is the key to keeping everyone sane. Granny flat, anyone?

5. The canine has gone crazy

The skirting boards have all been gnawed. Every piece of paper in the house has been shredded. It’s time to admit to yourself that your dog is going stir-crazy in your tiny terrace.

The dog hair in every nook and cranny of the house has your partner starting to wax lyrical about the benefits of “outside dogs”, but you can’t stand the idea of your furry friend moping around your little courtyard.

Perhaps it is time to find a place with a little patch of grass for your little fuzzball.