Downsizing

Lesley, I lived in Wales for 40 years, a few years in north and 35 years in the vale of glamorgan. I loved wales so much but sometimes you just have to look ahead and bite that bullet. Once you make that important decision and start to give some things away, the house seems to loosen its grip and you start to look forward and not back.

We bought our retirement home 8 yrs ago everyone thought we were mad leaving our big 3 bed semi for a 1950s pokey 2 bed split level bungalow with large gardens.It was at a time when few propertys selling.It was near our ACs and new young families, ideal we thought to help with Gc x4. Very small rooms but lovely family dining room.We do love the outlook and country feel it has, but over 8yrs our health and enthusiasm has wavered and the gardens we thought made easy are too much for us and we think there are issues with property which will make it hard to sell and expensive to maintain.Everyone seems to be constantly updating their decor,which we did 8yrs ago but now realise it will be impossible to redo and keep up into old age.We have no neighbours and can go weeks without speaking anyone.My worry is when we are 1 and GCs no longer need us, as they rightly will the house will be so dated and unsellable.We do love it NOW but i feel long term it was a bad move and worry constantly about being on my own in an old property that cannot sell or maintain.

I have twice downsized. When I was 63 yrs old I sold the large, Edwardian five bedroom family house and moved to a 3 bedroom 1930 terraced house a mile away. Was still working then and had two of my AC living nearby. One of the first thing I had to do with the new house, was have the loft done to accommodate another daughter who lived a good way away and kept having babies!!!
Turned that loft into a good sized room to accommodate, two full size singled beds, etc. Eventually, that became a good storage age.
whilst I worked, I completely sorted this house making it (what I thought would be) retirement ready. Had en-suite to my large main bedroom, updated small downstairs toilet, had Amtico flooring in through lounge, etc. etc. Probably , over the the first eight years spent in the region of 60 -70,000 pounds, with building work, maintenance work, and decorating and furnishing.
I retired just before my 70th birthday, and relaxed happily into my lovely house. One of those children near to me had to move far away with his job. But I was able to help out with other daughters little girl (she was a single parent), throughout nursery and primary school years.
Unfortunately, there has been a deterioration in my health and some accidents and falls have given me some mobility issues. The stairs in the house loomed like Everest particularly at night.
Thought of a stair lift - but was not really the answer.
Anyway, due to other external issues, I finally managed to make the final downsize a couple of months ago.
Moved into a good sized 2-bedroom flat far away from where I had lived previously, but close to that daughter who had kept on having babies (she had four in total). They are all now all growing up.
I am loving this , wonderful living all on on level. Housework is a doddle - so little to be done. Got rid of masses of stuff before I moved - (I spent four years sorting out and getting rid). For the past couple of years any new furniture I have purchased has been with the thought in mind of going into a flat.
I looked at retirement properties, but found them all much too small, and expensive. I do have a spare bedroom, but am not keen on having people to stay. If any of my children wish to visit they can stay at one of the many hotels nearby (I am in sea-side town). Can manage to have six comfortably and eight at a squash round my new extendable dining table. But I am now not in the place where I want to do much entertaining.
When I said to one of my children recently, that I should have moved to a flat years ago, they told me that I was not in the right place for that until the last couple of year.
Must say, the stress of selling and buying at the age of 78 yrs was enormous, my story is told in detail on the other thread regarding the stress of house moving.
But I am so very glad I did this now. I still feel that I am on holiday and absolutely loving it. Must say, the flat does have good sized rooms and hallway, so at no time do I get the feeling of wanting to push out walls.
So very pleased that I have now done this and can relax and enjoy whatever years I have left in comfort.

I would say it is also important to keep downsizing `stuff`. I have been doing that again this week. It`s always like a weight off when stuff goes or is rotated ie stuff goes out when other stuff comes in but I do try to weigh the balance in favour of downsize

I’m in a right state about moving, we have lived in our lovely 4 bed detached since it was built 21 years ago, it’s near my eldest daughter and her three now grown up kids, who we helped with a lot since they were born.
Now that we have retired we have decided to downsize and move 2 hrs away close to my youngest daughter and her little ones so that we can help out and it’s a nicer part of the country.
The problem is we are almost ready to exchange contracts on our house but I keep having doubts about the house we are buying, it’s a more expensive area so you don’t get so much for your money, but I would be closer to my daughter and little grandkids.

Lesley60 it's normal to have doubts. I did before I moved. I was worrying about if I hated the area and people around me. Would I like living in my my 2 bed bungalow. Would I find a good GP. How is was it to get about on the buses. Plus a million and one silly little things. But I love it here. The area is lovely, friendly neighbours, easy to get the buses, got a good GP and the pharmacy I use deliveries my tablets. Love my bungalow . I haven't slept so well for years. I moved here in August to be nearer my family. I moved over a 100 miles to be here. I haven't found any negatives . My health hasn't been great since I moved but that's me and not moving. The health care I have received has been excellent better than my old health authority. I get to see my family weekly and my grandsons love coming here. I have joined a craft group, sit fit class and U3A. Made new friends.

I moved on my own as I am a widow and 61.

Think about all the things you have to look forward to. Spending time with family, making new friends, making your new house into a home. Life is to short for what if's.

Yes teddymac it is a big decision but if you feel that you have weighed up all the pros and cons then go for it. We relocated and were looking for a similar sized 3 bedroom house and ended up with a 4 bedroom because we fell in love with the house. It is one of the best decisions we have ever made, we love it here. I am sure that things will work out for you and you will be very happy.

Lesley60 - it is so normal to feel so very ambivalent about making such a large move. Any change is difficult, even more so as we get older - and moving is such a BIG decision. However, if you look at the House Moving Stress thread, and scroll through the stories on there, you will see that we have all had these doubts - and all, once moved, have been so very happy that they did so.
During this horrible process (selling/buying) I actually wrote somewhere, that I was in such a state as every time the sale, etc seemed to be going well - I became more and more scared of moving, and every time a problem arose and it seemed as if I might have to stay put - I became desperate to move,. We are contrary creatures!!
I am sure you have given much thought on this move and change of area - just go with it and I am certain that in no time at all you will be saying how happy you are.

Thank you all for your kind replies