Moving Home with Ease – A Case Study

Recently I explored how it may be possible to move home with ease. Our family moved quite a few times previously in our lives so we had built up a few useful strategies for the task. Our friends, Michael and Larissa have lived on their family farm while bringing up their children. Having now emptied the nest, they recently made the decision to move into town. The relocation was within their known community so work and social connections were already established. I asked them several questions both prior to and shortly after this important transition.

Prior to the move: –

 ‘Yes, this is a BIGGER transition than I have given credit to….. I feel so assured this new chapter in our lives and marriage will be rich and full’. (Larissa)

1. When did you make the decision to move home?

We knew once our son Drew proposed to his love Danielle that a move for us was imminent (December 2018). Although Michael had been keeping an eye out on the housing market in Griffith for some years before then.

2.How long have you been living in the home you are moving from?

We moved out here to our farm in June 1994 (I was pregnant with our first child, Drew). Michael grew up here, had a brief time away at Yanco Agricultural College in 1985 -1986 and when we were first married (1992) we lived in Griffith until June 1994.

3. Do you have favourite memories of your time there as a family?

So many memories …. Our front road has been flooded a few times making trips into town very interesting. Watching Michael develop our farming system to the profitable enterprise it is today has been an amazing experience. Many family bon fires, Simone’s 18^th out at our shearing shed, a Youth camp for church out here, boarding four back packers here in our home over harvest times has led to us having somewhere to stay in four different countries. And many family Christmases and Easters.

4. How long have you been organizing the physical move into your new home in town?

We purchased our new home in town in early June. There was a 90-day settlement, so we did nothing really except dream for the first 60 days and seriously began to sort through cupboards etc. in the last month.

5. What strategies are you using to sort, pack and ready yourself for the move?

A methodical cull of certain areas at a time has helped me progress. Laundry, linen cupboards, pantry, office, spare bedroom. First a clear out of what we can give away that we really did not need anymore, then a final pack leaving only what we need for this last week.

6. How do you emotionally feel about the move? (Stress level, feeling organised, about leaving your current home, about your future home.)

We are excited, feeling quite organised really although the last few days we are feeling the pressure to tick a final few boxes on our ‘To Do’ list. – carpet cleaning, electricity, internet. Ask me the day the truck arrives….. ha-ha, might be a different story.

7. What was the most useful tip in my blog – How to Move Home with Ease?

In your blog I loved the suggestion of an Essentials Box or boxes to make the first night in our new home easier. I also like the idea of taking a walk through our old home saying our goodbyes in a ritualistic way so we can take memories with us. Then when we are in our new home, to say ‘hello’ to each room and infuse positive energy. This will certainly ease any emotional angst or grief that may pop up for us.

Post move questions: –

‘We are settling into our new home well. Slowly making it ours and into a home’. (Larissa)

1. How did the physical move go? Was anything unexpected? Was it more or less difficult than you expected? Yes, the cats settled way faster than me! Physically, the move went well! In 4hrs we had moved 90% of our life from the farm into our new home.  We were both exhausted by 11pm when we called it a day.

2. Did you feel you could say goodbye to your previous home, and welcome your new one?

My emotions surprised me and were unexpected. I have wanted a house in town for so, so long…. and was so excited to finally have that dream come true, but halfway to town on Tuesday, following the Removalist truck I cried.

It felt sad leaving our home of 26 years where we brought our children up, nurtured and created a flourishing marriage and business. We had made a building and garden our home.

3. How does it feel now you are in your new home?

I am not sure I can or have said goodbye to our farm home yet… Seeing all of our son and his wife’s things in it is strange, our essence is gone but the building still LOOKS like ours. I feel now like we are living in an Air BNB, a holiday house at the moment … it’s the strangest feeling.

4. Did it help having the idea of an essential’s box/s for the initial first few days?

I SHOULD have taken more care to have an ESSENTIALS box like you suggested…. as I was missing a few everyday items until day 5!!  The final pack up of last-minute things was too rushed to mark it all appropriately.

5. Do you have any thoughts or further suggestions to share?

As an extra… there is more to moving from an ‘out of town’ farm life into a town environment than just moving house from somewhere in town to somewhere else in town. Putting away all my pantry/baking/food items left me so very stressed and overwhelmed!  It felt so sinful and extravagant having so many extra BULK items.  

Michael explained ‘its ok, you’ve come from having the shops 30mins away – from trying to be as ‘self-sufficient’ as possible in every way… ‘

I needed loads of help in this area to – physically find a home for all my food/baking stuffs, and emotionally, to stop my negative self-talk!!

I will come out of this as a changed woman (for the better) but need to be kind to myself for a while. It’s certainly been a time in our lives we will never forget!