I'd like to offer you a unique (and imaginary) opportunity

[Sootikinstew]

You have just come into a lot (think lottery jackpot win) of money. You want to start life entirely over from scratch and take nothing with you except family keepsakes and a few personal items each.

What do you take with you? Where do you go? What do you buy and where do you buy it from?

I have just been trying to do exactly this, furnishing my new (imaginary) life from scratch and finding it a wholey overwhelming task. There's so much you take for granted that's just 'there'

Would anyone with too much time on their hands (like moi) like to share how they would tackle the task?

[picklemewalnuts]

I'd tackle it with joy.

I'd take DH- we'll, allow him to come. I'd take my dog. My adult sons who live at home and at uni/from/home can choose where they go, or commute between the two if they want.

The new pad would have two annexe's for the lads. We'd have twin beds or separate rooms. In fact, we'd have three annexes. He can live in an annexe and spit on the basin to his hearts content!

I'd have a great kitchen, people would be welcome to join me for meals but I will be pleasing myself- no crap in the cupboards just good clean food.

Chickens, Veg patch, cats and dogs, and local living help for chores. Maybe rescue small farm animals.

I would take very very little. I've totally lost interest in things recently. I'd take clothes, my photos, my iPad. Kitchen gadgets and pans. I've got some tapestries/embroideries/wooden items family members have made, a baby quilt, some baby/child souvenirs.

I think that's it. I'd furnish as I went with things I see and like. Get one of those reclining granny chairs in a great fabric.

Yep. That's it. Can you think of anything I've forgotten?

How about you?

[CormoranStrike]

I’d by a home by the sea. Ideally red sandstone and detached.

I’d give my kids deposits for their homes.

From my current hime I would take DH, dear dogs, adult kids until they get their own places, my sewing machine and all craft stuff.

My bikes, and a tiny amount of my clothes. Would invest in new.

All photos.

[Sootikinstew]

This is the house layout I'm imagining (love a good floorplan) except in my imagination the house is more Georgian in style on the outside and has acres of land around it with a stables, a small holding for goats and chickens and an allotment.

We would take our instruments, a small amount of clothing to tide us over a week (I want all new) the kids toys and beds (to be replaced gradually, as they are young and need a bit more familiarity) but that's it.

I find it thrilling to think of just leaving everything else behind and starting again.

I got as far as barely furnishing bedrooms before I got overwhelmed though 😂

[Sootikinstew]

Forgot to add a link www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62874993.html

[Youngatheart00]

I love the idea of giving our existing possessions to charity and starting again with an interior designed home. All new furniture and kitchen stuff that actually matches!!!

Few sentimental things we’d keep, photos, keepsakes and a few ornaments. Books on my to read shelf. I reckon I’d keep less than 20% of my clothes if I had the budget to start from scratch. I’d love a really classy capsule wardrobe of really well made and stylish (read, expensive!) items.

I think we’d get a main home in the NE to be close to family and buy a London flat, on the Thames. Not sure re holiday homes as I love exploring new places.

Oh god, I hope that jackpot is me tonight now!!! 😁

[Sootikinstew]

@Youngatheart00 oh my god I had'nt even though about being able to have more than one property!

You wouldn't think you would struggle to spend money would you?

[Gingerkittykat]

I love the idea of getting rid of most of my stuff and starting anew. I would take photos and anything that came from my parents and grandparents, some clothes, my laptop, phone and my cat's things. I would also take my kindle and a few print books.

I've no idea where people with money shop, so don't know where I would buy things. I've zero interest in designer clothes or shoes but would like some luxury furniture.

It would be hard to start from scratch, there's so many small items you need like towels, a stepladder, a tin opener and an egg timer as well as the big items. Maybe I could hire a PA to do it all for me!

[MutteringDarkly]

I would keep...hmm, DD's memory box, my pillow and duvet... that might be it! DD would keep absolutely everything including all her books and ninety billion notebooks

Where would I go? Any large house that had a) an indoor pool so DD could swim every day and DM could resume hydrotherapy, and b) an annexe for DM with its own garden, and c) staff (housekeeper, cook, gardener and driver to do the school runs please). I'd like a glass roof on one room for star-gazing.---- And a sauna.

[Fartleking]

I would keep a few personal items such as keepsakes and gadgets, books, sports gear... and that's it. I'd have to convince DS and DH to be minimal in what they bring.

My ideal home would be in my neighbourhood but in the nice part. I'd choose one of those that hasn't had anything done since the 70s and gut it. I'd hire a proper architect and make it just how I want. Open plan kitchen diner with a ginormous American style fridge, utility room, living room with wood burning stove. 4 bedrooms, one for DS, one for me and DH, one for my work/studying/crafts, one for guests/DH work. Huge garden.
I'd go to John Lewis and get a personal shopper to help me with a new wardrobe that is flattering to my middle age spread.
Next would be a second home in the Highlands which would be on a Loch.
I'd get all new furniture, lots of it bespoke or handcrafted from independent artisans. Then I'd take my time buying real art from real artists to decorate the walls.

Aaaaaand back to reality and my cluttered little terrace. Thanks OP that was fun!

[Fartleking]

If I was to really start over I'd move to the West Coast of Canada. I'd buy a little island and go off grid.

[Dryadia]

I would have something like this built. Love this so much I built it in Sims 4. No idea where but I'd have to do a LOT of research/travelling to find the perfect place to build it. Would give money to family to do similar.

www.zillow.com/homedetails/6-Sea-Glass-Newport-Coast-CA-92657/63114287_zpid/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=hdpimage&utm_campaign=emo-homereport&mmlb=g,10

[alwayscrashinginthesamecar1]

I already left a lot of my possessions behind when ai emigrated, it was very liberating. Of course I’ve accumulated it all and more again! I moved to be near the beach, but if I had a lotto win I’d buy a house actually on the beach, maybe a private one. And I’d have a great granny flat for my mum to use. Apart from that I’m pretty content where I am.

[sueelleker]

@Sootikinstew I like the inside, but the outside looks like something a child would build from Lego.

[sueelleker]

@Dryadia Now that's my kind of house! I love the courtyard.

[PhilCornwall1]

I'd take my wife and boys, but I'd ditch my email address, phone number (bye everyone, was ok knowing you) and start again with that when we'd got to wherever.

A nice pad in the Dales away from it all.

[Manolin]

Firstly, the win will be massive, huge. £120m.

Move to Pays de la Loire.

Some £5m-6m on a turnkey vineyard and working farm. About 100 hectares. I would retain all staff, and start growing rare heritage vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. Eventually take on apprentices and have a mini college with an emphasis on soil management, habitat management and exchange visits to other continents. Working capital of another £5m.

A donation also of £20m into trust to promote rare breeds, similar to Cotswold Farm. Loans, which would ultimately be waived of £1m to around 30 families with no funds but who have a proven desire to get into small scale farming and potential to make it work.

£10m to Teenage Cancer Trust.
£10m to mental health charities.

[picklemewalnuts]

Phil, I feel a bit like that! Though I'm moving back to my home area, so will actually be closer to family and an old friend than before!

[PhilCornwall1]

@picklemewalnuts

Phil, I feel a bit like that! Though I'm moving back to my home area, so will actually be closer to family and an old friend than before!

We both want to move away from the home county. We both love Yorkshire, the place and the people. Both so much nicer than down here.

A home in the Dales may be a reality one day.

[Waxonwaxoff0]

If I won a huge amount of money (multi millions) I'd move to London. If it was a smaller amount I'd move to Liverpool. But I'd wait until DS finished school.

I wouldn't take anything big with me. Just a few keepsakes. I'd start completely afresh. I'm not very sentimental so there's not much I really want to hang onto.

[Pelleas]

It takes me a long time to work out how I want to furnish and decorate a house. I couldn't just buy a new house and furnish it straight away. So I'm afraid, despite the opportunity, I would take my existing cat-shredded furniture and replace it gradually - sorry!

[venusandmars]

I would take some paintings and some art objects that dh and I have acquired over the years. Things that were special to my (now adult) dc, and small mementos of my parents. Everything else would go, although all dh's crap would probably have to come - he would have his own ginormous junk room to keep it in.

My new place would have mountains to the east, sea to the west, a forest and stream to the south, a village (walkable to decent shops and restaurants) to the north. It would be on acres of land and would be maximum energy efficient and sustainable. Veg garden and polytunnels. Chickens ducks, a few healthy animals - pigs, sheep.

There would be small cottages on the land to house the people who would do housekeeping, gardening, maintenance. There would be a private sanctuary space looking out at the sea, for meditation and peace.

The accommodation in the house would mostly be on one level (anticipating a hereditary mobility issue in future),with guest rooms and bathrooms upstairs. Huge accessible shower/wet room with glass wall views to the private woodland. L-shaped living/dining/kitchen and a separate utility for all the mess. A library / snug.

Have I been planning this for long? Oh yes!!!

[Sideorderofchips]

I would buy a 4 bedroom house with land and stables attached

[Dryadia]

sueelleker I know, Love the private courtyard and with a proper stone wine cellar and drinking/dining room attached. I assume it is lovely &cool down there in the summer, below ground level :)

building it in Sims, made me realise that there wasn't a single thing I'd change about it.

Has everything you can ask for from the pool, sheltered outside sitting space to bedrooms suites well away from the master, ( which of course opens straight on to the pool. )Only prob, it is valued at $9.5 Million . I'm hoping that because it's in California overlooking the ocean. hahahaha.