I absolutely think u r doing the right thing I live in a lovely barn conversion that we bought in 2000 with 7 acres my hubby was a brickie and we designed converted it
We rally stretched ourselves and it was hard but we loved it (still do)
We loved living here but have had a massive mortgage and no money for the last 20 years …then my hubby and my soul mate of 32 years died last year of a brain tumour at 54 years old , 8weeks from diagnosis .
I know now it’s too late and that we should have downsized years ago and had money to make memories … I have to downsize now but wish we had done so years ago when Dave was here and that we had travelled the world etc much as I love my barn it’s bricks and mortar and it’s memories and contentment that matter
Gosh I am so sorry about your husband. Your barn conversion sounds amazing and I am sure you have lots of wonderful memories of your life there. Sending love xxxxx
Oh I loved this, and not only because it felt like looking back at own own housing ladder as our numbers 2, 3 and 4 were identical to yours! We were lucky in that ours were in Teddington in South West London and climbing this specific ladder meant that our number 5 is a granite farmhouse in Jersey. And it's out dream house which we'll never leave. We are 9/10ths of the way through an extension though (have you been watching Extraordinary Extensions with Tinie Tempah on Channel 4? it's absolutely terrific!) which will give us total ground floor step free access to a bedroom suite, study and living room which means we are future proofing it. Not because we are old (we are both very early 50's) but because it means we can let the children (16/17/18 - I know....) have the upstairs of our current house to themselves. It's not big enough for many guests and my family prefer to stay in a hotel down the road anyway. I got over this snub years ago and now see it for a brilliant gift to me. A lot of our friends are now thinking about their next move and downsizing is definitely the word of the decade for us - and it's mostly due to garden size. Who wants to be dusting empty rooms? No thanks! Our garden is really manageable with a small amount of pottering potential for me so this was also a reason to move here in the first place.
Anyway, enough of my rambling - I do love your Stack and am really looking forward to seeing what you do next!
You are in my ideal situation ha! We converted the garage to a one bedroomed airbnb so our family and friends stay there which is perfect in my book! I am very ready for the small garden and less dusting.
Great read - thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and in awe of your tenacity, hard work and dreams, all whilst raising a family. I am definitely not a brave woman when it comes to house ownership. Now in my 60th year I have only had one house (during my 2 marriages) and can honestly say I still love it. We have wonderful neighbours (who are friends), and conveniently situated for what we enjoy in life. Downside is I have a daughter and Grandson in Sheffield (3.5 hours away) and, I would, eventually like to live by the sea but maybe just a pipe dream for now xx
We’re at a similar point and get asked what will we do when the kids come home. We plan to rent a nearby airbnb for them for big get togethers. There’s always a way. Enjoy your weekend x
Thanks so much for reading! That’s a brilliant idea. I do find the concept of keeping and maintaining a big house for two people difficult to get my head around!
I really enjoyed reading your post about your property ladder climb. I’ve never left the first rung… still living in a small (1940’s) house that we bought in the ‘80’s & It seems very dull in comparison. it’s in a great neighbourhood & we’ve done a few (albeit not enough-> you’re next, pokey kitchen!) improvements over the years. And it’s increased in value by close to 400% since then, so there’s that. We raised 2 kids here, with one daughter still here while she ponders grad school & career path decisions, But it still seems to meet all our needs. Once I stop working, we can travel. See you in Spain!
I loved this. I think the millennial equivalent would be photographs of the dozen or so rentals ;-)
I think you are sensible - if downsizing is your desire - to do it proactively and from a position of strength. It gets harder. My parents are now alone in a big (3500sq ft) house and they use about four rooms on a regular basis except for when they have the grandkids to stay. So do it well before they arrive.
That’s just what we’ve done 👌🏻 I used to get infuriated by the amount of space around us that wasn’t used - the cost was huge and wasteful and now we have sold and moved it feels invigorating! Our plan is to find a Victorian terrace that needs work and I cannot wait 👏🏻 thanks so much for reading.
Really enjoyed that Lisa! We’ve just done exactly that - sold our 4 bed townhouse and moved into a tiny cottage in the Chilterns that we refurbed. Christmas was a squeeze but when everyone’s gone again and it’s just us two it’s blissful!! Hope you find your dream home xx
Loved reading this today. Thank you for sharing your story and looking forward to your next adventure, I’m sure it won’t be long before someone buys your fabulous home and you can find your next challenge. Good luck 🤞 🥰 xx
Gosh, exhausted just skimming through this Lisa! We have had a similar journey but a bit ahead of you: our kids are 26 and 23 and we have done the downsize https://www.alisongibb.co.uk/blog/a-change-is-as-good-as-a-rest I love my new wee home and I am loving the transformation we are undertaking and our kids are FINE!! But I still have pangs and have had a few unexpected challenges. I badly need to update my story and will do thanks to your prompt. The Spain dream is a big question mark for me - do we want the responsibility of a big house and garden abroad? Of course, but I am honestly so happy in our wee village here I would have terrible FOMO in a house in Spain!
Oh I will have a look at your post. And I am definitely here for Spain - I wouldn't mind about the FOMO when the sun is shining! Thanks so much for reading x
I remember painting a bathroom lime green in one of my first houses, I loved it😂 but now wonder how we sold the house with such a awful colour palette 🤷🏻♀️💚
What a beautiful read! Thank you so much for sharing so honestly. I am now on your property six, with my husband and five year old son, after selling your property four, haha. It's really resonated with me and made me feel really hopeful for the future. (I worry all the time that we haven't been sensible enough!) Thank you again , and good luck with house number 7. You're a big inspiration to me, and I can't wait to see what's next!
Ah thank you so much for reading! Sometimes I feel that we didn't always do the right thing but now I am in my 50's it has all come together okay. We've never been sensible but being brave is more fun :)
Great read! Totally resonated with Year 2000 ... I painted our downstairs toilet lime green in our newly converted barn conversion. We bought our first dog (Lhasa Apso 😍) Mortgaged to the hilt and living the countryside dream albeit 5 minutes from the main route from North Wales to Chester and Liverpool ☺️
Lime green must have been the colour of the year ha! Mortgages have never scared me, even though often they were barely affordable as I've loved all the houses and have been happy to sacrifice other stuff! That's probably why I enjoy dinner parties and cooking so much hahah xx
I absolutely think u r doing the right thing I live in a lovely barn conversion that we bought in 2000 with 7 acres my hubby was a brickie and we designed converted it
We rally stretched ourselves and it was hard but we loved it (still do)
We loved living here but have had a massive mortgage and no money for the last 20 years …then my hubby and my soul mate of 32 years died last year of a brain tumour at 54 years old , 8weeks from diagnosis .
I know now it’s too late and that we should have downsized years ago and had money to make memories … I have to downsize now but wish we had done so years ago when Dave was here and that we had travelled the world etc much as I love my barn it’s bricks and mortar and it’s memories and contentment that matter
Wishing u all the best xx
Gosh I am so sorry about your husband. Your barn conversion sounds amazing and I am sure you have lots of wonderful memories of your life there. Sending love xxxxx
Oh I loved this, and not only because it felt like looking back at own own housing ladder as our numbers 2, 3 and 4 were identical to yours! We were lucky in that ours were in Teddington in South West London and climbing this specific ladder meant that our number 5 is a granite farmhouse in Jersey. And it's out dream house which we'll never leave. We are 9/10ths of the way through an extension though (have you been watching Extraordinary Extensions with Tinie Tempah on Channel 4? it's absolutely terrific!) which will give us total ground floor step free access to a bedroom suite, study and living room which means we are future proofing it. Not because we are old (we are both very early 50's) but because it means we can let the children (16/17/18 - I know....) have the upstairs of our current house to themselves. It's not big enough for many guests and my family prefer to stay in a hotel down the road anyway. I got over this snub years ago and now see it for a brilliant gift to me. A lot of our friends are now thinking about their next move and downsizing is definitely the word of the decade for us - and it's mostly due to garden size. Who wants to be dusting empty rooms? No thanks! Our garden is really manageable with a small amount of pottering potential for me so this was also a reason to move here in the first place.
Anyway, enough of my rambling - I do love your Stack and am really looking forward to seeing what you do next!
You are in my ideal situation ha! We converted the garage to a one bedroomed airbnb so our family and friends stay there which is perfect in my book! I am very ready for the small garden and less dusting.
Great read - thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and in awe of your tenacity, hard work and dreams, all whilst raising a family. I am definitely not a brave woman when it comes to house ownership. Now in my 60th year I have only had one house (during my 2 marriages) and can honestly say I still love it. We have wonderful neighbours (who are friends), and conveniently situated for what we enjoy in life. Downside is I have a daughter and Grandson in Sheffield (3.5 hours away) and, I would, eventually like to live by the sea but maybe just a pipe dream for now xx
I would be like you by choice - dragged around by my husband!
Your house situation sounds perfect to me! And I love your seaside dream too.
Love this, thanks for writing.
We’re at a similar point and get asked what will we do when the kids come home. We plan to rent a nearby airbnb for them for big get togethers. There’s always a way. Enjoy your weekend x
Thanks so much for reading! That’s a brilliant idea. I do find the concept of keeping and maintaining a big house for two people difficult to get my head around!
I really enjoyed reading your post about your property ladder climb. I’ve never left the first rung… still living in a small (1940’s) house that we bought in the ‘80’s & It seems very dull in comparison. it’s in a great neighbourhood & we’ve done a few (albeit not enough-> you’re next, pokey kitchen!) improvements over the years. And it’s increased in value by close to 400% since then, so there’s that. We raised 2 kids here, with one daughter still here while she ponders grad school & career path decisions, But it still seems to meet all our needs. Once I stop working, we can travel. See you in Spain!
It sounds perfect to me! And yes, Spain and sunshine beckons I feel! xx
I loved this. I think the millennial equivalent would be photographs of the dozen or so rentals ;-)
I think you are sensible - if downsizing is your desire - to do it proactively and from a position of strength. It gets harder. My parents are now alone in a big (3500sq ft) house and they use about four rooms on a regular basis except for when they have the grandkids to stay. So do it well before they arrive.
That’s just what we’ve done 👌🏻 I used to get infuriated by the amount of space around us that wasn’t used - the cost was huge and wasteful and now we have sold and moved it feels invigorating! Our plan is to find a Victorian terrace that needs work and I cannot wait 👏🏻 thanks so much for reading.
Really enjoyed that Lisa! We’ve just done exactly that - sold our 4 bed townhouse and moved into a tiny cottage in the Chilterns that we refurbed. Christmas was a squeeze but when everyone’s gone again and it’s just us two it’s blissful!! Hope you find your dream home xx
That sounds amazing! I am def on the look to downsize. We have sold now and moved into a rental but it’s not small! I have WAY too much stuff
Love the way you write! Made me laugh so much 🤣
Thank you so much for reading! xx
Loved reading this today. Thank you for sharing your story and looking forward to your next adventure, I’m sure it won’t be long before someone buys your fabulous home and you can find your next challenge. Good luck 🤞 🥰 xx
Thanks so much, I hope so too and thanks so much for reading xx
Such an interesting and enjoyable read Lisa.
Thank you so much and thanks for reading xx
Fantastic reading, thanks so much for sharing xx
Thank you for reading!
Quite a journey and a great read Lisa. Cannot wait to see where you end up. We are delighted with our move and mortgage free is so liberating xxx
Yes I've been watching your new home on Facebook and it looks so exciting Sarah! So glad it is all going well xx
Gosh, exhausted just skimming through this Lisa! We have had a similar journey but a bit ahead of you: our kids are 26 and 23 and we have done the downsize https://www.alisongibb.co.uk/blog/a-change-is-as-good-as-a-rest I love my new wee home and I am loving the transformation we are undertaking and our kids are FINE!! But I still have pangs and have had a few unexpected challenges. I badly need to update my story and will do thanks to your prompt. The Spain dream is a big question mark for me - do we want the responsibility of a big house and garden abroad? Of course, but I am honestly so happy in our wee village here I would have terrible FOMO in a house in Spain!
Oh I will have a look at your post. And I am definitely here for Spain - I wouldn't mind about the FOMO when the sun is shining! Thanks so much for reading x
I remember painting a bathroom lime green in one of my first houses, I loved it😂 but now wonder how we sold the house with such a awful colour palette 🤷🏻♀️💚
I think that about mine all the time, ha!
I painted a bathroom a lurid egg yolk yellow and the kitchen bright red. Hideous paint choices but was obviously the thing at that time 😄
They absolutely were! 🤣
What a beautiful read! Thank you so much for sharing so honestly. I am now on your property six, with my husband and five year old son, after selling your property four, haha. It's really resonated with me and made me feel really hopeful for the future. (I worry all the time that we haven't been sensible enough!) Thank you again , and good luck with house number 7. You're a big inspiration to me, and I can't wait to see what's next!
Ah thank you so much for reading! Sometimes I feel that we didn't always do the right thing but now I am in my 50's it has all come together okay. We've never been sensible but being brave is more fun :)
Great read! Totally resonated with Year 2000 ... I painted our downstairs toilet lime green in our newly converted barn conversion. We bought our first dog (Lhasa Apso 😍) Mortgaged to the hilt and living the countryside dream albeit 5 minutes from the main route from North Wales to Chester and Liverpool ☺️
Lime green must have been the colour of the year ha! Mortgages have never scared me, even though often they were barely affordable as I've loved all the houses and have been happy to sacrifice other stuff! That's probably why I enjoy dinner parties and cooking so much hahah xx
Love entertaining at home, especially laying the table!!!