Caroline Manzo house

Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo is getting ready to put her mansion on the market (get this) because she isn't thrilled with its size. I know, I know. The place is massive, so why does she feel the need to move into something larger? Turns out she doesn't -- and is actually ready to downsize and move into a smaller pad now that her kids are grown.

Really? A Real Housewife who wants to dial her lifestyle down a notch instead of upgrading to something more grandiose? Kind of hard to believe, isn't it?

But after hearing her sentiments on the matter, I can't help but think that Caroline is a lot more "real" than people give her credit for. She told Us Weekly:

[Albert] works so hard and so long and I look around and think, "What do I need this for?" I don't need it. We're coming to that point in time where Lauren will probably leaving me soon and it's going to be the two of us again.

I never would've guessed that someone like Caroline would want to pack up and downside, but she's definitely making the right move. Heck, my son is only 6 years old, and my husband and I have already had conversations about moving into something much smaller once he goes off to college. I always dreamed of buying bigger and bigger homes with the passing years, but the older I get, the less house I feel I need. I'd rather be out enjoying life and traveling than worrying about keeping the house in order, not to mention mowing the lawn, raking leaves, and shoveling snow. (Not that I actually do any of those things now.)

Caroline and her husband won't regret their decision, even though saying goodbye to a house full of memories isn't always easy. But at least with a smaller house to maintain, she'll have much more time to create new ones.

Have you thought about downsizing once your kids grow up?

 

Image via Bravo