5 Interior Design Apps to Plan Your Retirement Downsizing

While a large home might have served you well when raising a family, you might discover that you don’t want so much space in retirement. Downsizing not only makes managing household chores easier, but it can give you the financial breathing room you need to enjoy your retirement.

According to AARP housing expert Rodney Harrell, “most Americans age 50 and older actually want to age in place.” Moving into a property with cheaper costs can make this happen, but aging in place isn’t the only reason retirees choose to sell their homes and move into smaller properties. They choose to make a move for these reasons, too:

• Little-to-no maintenance
• Mobility and healthcare concerns
• Improve their cash flow
• Lifestyle changes and the desire to live simpler
• Fewer out-of-pocket housing costs such as property taxes

How to execute the perfect downsizing plan

Downsizing doesn’t mean moving into a tiny apartment or sacrificing style. You can create a gorgeous, well-appointed, and comfy home that fits your lifestyle. With today’s technology, it’s easy to plan the perfect layout or choose decor and furniture that works well with the scale of your new home.

Here are the five best home interior design apps to help you downsize—and they’re free!

1. Planner 5D

Planner 5D helps you design rooms with ease. It’s considered by many to be the free room design app with the most features to make sure no detail goes overlooked. The app takes into account nearly every architectural detail you can think of, including stairs, windows, doors, half-walls, and more!

The app uses 3D graphics and lets you upload your home’s floor plan to give you the most precise image of what you can expect your design to look like in real life. You can even use the app to design outdoor spaces. Need a little help getting inspired? Check out their inspiration gallery.

2. Ikea Home Planner Tools

Ikea is the undisputed champ of styling smaller spaces. Most of its pieces were designed with downsizing in mind, whether for retirees or city dwellers in cramped apartments. They’ve also created room designing software to make envisioning their furniture in your home easier.

The online home planner tools help you configure your floor plan. You can then choose the furniture and decor you want and find out how much it’ll cost using the online cost calculator.

Why you’ll love it: Pick the virtual planner for the room you want to style using room-specific tools. The online tool even lets you plan storage spaces.

3. The Home Renovator

Not all retirees move into apartments or turn-key homes. Some find perfectly imperfect properties that need a little work. If you fall into this category, check out the HomeZada. This app is the perfect planning tool to budget for all the materials required for your renovation project.

After entering your spaces’ measurement and reviewing the online tools and other requirements, the designing software sends you a detailed report that includes a budget and even how to install materials.

The best part of this app: The pricing information gives you leverage when negotiating with local contractors or dealers.

4. Roomstyler

RoomStylers’ interface is easy to use. You can use preloaded room layouts or upload your home’s floor plan. The 3D home planner tool lets you pick from over 12,000 interior items to place in your model.

What’s cool about the app: Anything you place inside your 3D model is available. See something you like? Click the “Available for Purchase” button, and it’s yours.

5. Foyr

Foyr’s home design software lets you choose various styles, from traditional to global fusion. Design your ideal room by playing around with finishes, textures, and different paint colors. The app even lets you coordinate paint colors from some of the top paint companies like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams.

The bottom line

Downsizing doesn’t have to mean leaving behind a styled home. If anything, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start, and home interior design apps can help you find and create the perfect “next chapter” home!

Distinctive Life Plan Communities, senior care communities, a family of affordable housing residences, age-in-place home care options: find out how Springpoint can become a springboard to a better senior living experience.