When we decided to downsize, a garage apartment plan we had built years ago at the NC coast fit the bill. Our goals of less living space to maintain, smaller footprint to build and flexibility for future life changes were met. Since we had spent time in the previous built plan, we knew what we would want to change and upgrade.
We still live in the country, still have animals, but not so many and not so much grass to cut, outbuildings to maintain and beds to weed.