Downsizing for Island Life

Downsizing for Island Life

Martin Howard February 18, 2011 View all blog articles

One of the issues many people face when they transition to Guam is moving into a smaller living space. Unless you're coming from a large metropolitan area where space is at a premium, it may take some adjustment on your part. The fact is, that many of the homes on Guam are quite a bit smaller on average than that found in the mainland. While builders have recognized that fact and have started putting up more "western style" homes, they also come with premium price tags. Given the extremely high cost of rent on the island, downsizing may be the best option. And it doesn't have to be the end of the world.

Living in a condo or an apartment can have advantages. You don't have to deal with yard work and landscaping. Utilities are cheaper as a smaller space requires less for cooling, and, in many cases, trash and water are included in the cost of the rent.

One of the things you might want to do before you move to Guam is to get rid of what you don't need. All of us have those boxes of clothes from 3 years ago that we're sure we'll be able to squeeze into again someday. You don't really need your old cassette tapes either do you? Even if your company is paying for the move, lightening the load before you pack out is something to consider. You want to be able to pick the place you live based on what you like about it, not on on how much stuff you have to put in it. You could easily end up paying more rent, or, living in an area you don't care for or making another sacrifice you may be paying more rent than you want to accommodate all your stuff.