Haven
When we moved into our old house, it was a sideways move. We went from a new three bedroom, three storey house with three bathrooms, a decent sized kitchen and dining area, no drive, on-street parking and a tiny patio to a three bedroom bungalow with one bathroom, a drive and a good sized garden. As the removal men walked into our little bungalow, you could see their hearts sank a little at the size of it. Why did we want to live somewhere smaller? But it was a quality of life move. We moved for the garden, the drive, the location and the school.
My husband and I had the smallest bedroom, my daughter’s bedroom now. As I woke up in the middle of that first night and looked over to where my ensuite bathroom should be and saw only a wall of boxes, I thought: ‘What have we done?’.
Less than a year later, we’d built our haven. A loft conversion. Mummy and Daddy’s spacious bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. Our bedroom is the best part of our house. It’s big with a full height ceiling, skylights and lots of light (because it hasn’t got a door, the stairs come straight up from the dining room).
It’s not as tidy as it was eight years ago, but it’s not bad. It’s certainly tidier than the rest of the house. It is relaxing and I love it.
Along with the lovely garden and trees it is the thing I will miss most about our house.
So will we have a haven at our new house?
Not really. Our new bedroom is one of the worst parts of the new house.
I love the upstairs of the new house, but our bedroom will be downstairs. After eight years of sleeping on a different floor to the kids, I can’t believe we’ll STILL be sleeping on a different floor to them! I wondered whether we should take the biggest bedroom upstairs instead, but I have this real thing about ensuite bathrooms. They are a haven too. It was a tough call, but I think we’ve made the right decision.
When I look at my not-so-good bedroom, I will need to remember the bigger picture. I might have lost my lovely, spacious haven, but I will have found enough bedrooms to go round, a bigger kitchen and I won’t have to go out to the garage to use the freezer any more!
And when the removal men walk into the new house, their hearts aren’t going to sink. Because it’s an amazing house.
I wrote this post before our move took off and ran away with us, before I realised that we weren’t moving straight from one haven to the next. So it might seem a bit out of date, but the love of my old bedroom is just the same.
It sounds your new house has lots of potential and you’ll do exactly the same kind of transformation you did in your old. Hope you’re settled into your temp home and you get a new date soon x
Not going into the garage for the freezer has to be a huge win – remember it always when times are tough!! Hopefully you’ll be in there soon x
You’ll soon make it a lovely home I’m sure.
I am super sure that you new house will be magic too my lovely xxxxxx
thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments x
There’s something to be said about making something fresh and new. We missed our old house for ages when we moved. But then you make your new house a home. And you’ll have a great bedroom again, if not better 🙂
It takes time to settle in and make it yours, but you will and it’s lovely being able to put your own stamp on things I think.
It’s lovely that you have such good memories of your old house, but you’ll soon make new ones! One thing our huge move has taught me is that YOU make the home, not the house xx
I’ve been catching up on the house move news. Are you still in limbo? Or have you got a final moving date? Fingers crossed x.
It’s hard leaving an old house which has become ‘home’ but sounds like you’ll eventually be settled in the new house and make it better than ever.
It will all work out, is usually does. We are stuck in a 2 bed with all 3 kids sharing at the moment, I am praying that one day it will also work out for us too x
I am sure it will all work out xxx
Ah, what a lovely post! I need to write more posts like this – not flashy or exciting, just meaningful, and tells part of the story of a family. That’s what a parent blog should be xx
Thanks very much for your lovely comments, everyone. We’re still in limbo in our rented house, which is actually very nice! We will most likely be moving early January.
It will take time, but we will transform our new house.
You’re very right, Reading Residence, not going outside to the freezer will be a bit win!
I hope it works out for you soon, Kizzy. I wanted to get away from having two kids sharing a bedroom (which they’ve done for over eight years). Having three share must be really hard.
Really appreciate your comment, Actually Mummy. I realise this is what my blog has evolved into – little snippets of family life. It’s become a sort of autobiography, but without a logical start or end! x
Aww I bet you’ve had a busy emotion week, I bet its lots of excitement moving 🙂 hope you have a relaxing weekend 🙂
This is a lovely post. Youve got me thinking about the magicmoments we’ve shared in our 11yrs in our house. Its such a shame you cant move those memories with you isnt it.
linking up with #magicmoments
Thanks very much, ladies! I really hope I can hold on to my memories, Dawn! The blog will help, as will all of the photos I’ve taken.