Return to london

[Londonlady84]

Hello!

We are a family of 5 with three children aged 5, 3 and 7 months. We left London during the height of lockdown to be nearer family in the Midlands and are now seriously considering returning.

We miss the buzz and excitement of London, the family help we'd hoped for never really transpired and my husband is away 3 days per week working in London.

We would be trading in a beautiful 2,200 sq ft Victorian house for around 1,000 sq ft flat in a nice part of zone for more than twice the mortgage we pay now 😂 Has anyone lived comfortably in this amount space with 3 DC?

Has anyone else moved back to London with children after moving out and massively downsized? Are you glad you made the move?

Thanks!

1,000sq feet for a family of 5 is manageable in London - people do it - but it is not a big space. but with the rest of the resources & activities you get on your doorstep, it can still be a great move.

have you factored in other costs - cars / nursery / etc? some go up (nursery) but others might go down (no car, less commuting)

@parietal thank you for your response. I’m glad to hear you think it’s do-able. I definitely think the opportunities outside the home will make up for the lack of space inside.

Financially, it will be a much greater burden, but I’m hoping it will enrich our lives in other ways.

Where do you currently live?

Will you be able to upsize up a house with teens or happy to stay in a flat?

OP I don't want to hijack your thread but if you have any tips on small space living, I'd be interested.

I'm horrified at the thought of so many people in that space. I have appx 600 sq foot and really struggle. (Also work in here, have done for years).

Hope it all works out for you.

I'm not in your position exactly OP as I never moved out but just to say - I absolutely love living in London with DC.

We have a 1000 sq ft house next to a park and love it. The schools here are excellent and the amenities are too. Our commutes are very short so we maximise time withe the DC.

The community is excellent. I think most people don't have a big garden so we see all of DC friends in the park and at the local pool / splash park etc and feel very much part of things.

I completely understand why people go for a big house over London but I much prefer living some where world class in a smaller house.

@Maireas we are in Staffordshire.

@hatchyu unfortunately, unless we win the lottery, I cannot imagine we’d ever be able to afford a house in that area of London. I’m not sure if three teenagers in a such a small space will be more challenging than three tiny ones. Hopefully, by then, we’d at least be able to afford a little more space laterally, but who knows.

@EmmaH2022 eek! Do you live alone or with others in that space? Are you in London?

@partypineapple you’ve hit the nail on the head..somewhere world class. People were so shocked that we moved out of London as we love the city. I feel alive when I’m there, so it’s probably come as no surprise that we’ve decided to move back 😂

It's a shame that you decided to move, but you thought it was for the best.
You'll just need to get a bit Japanese with living in a small space. I have a friend that raised two children in a two bedroomed flat in Highgate. She loved the area, they managed. She reckons that's why they're a close family now!

OP yes it's just me

I'm in London. I'm not shocked when anyone moves out! 😂

@Londonlady84 Personally I loved a flat with my young dc, it's very practical. Noe my dc are older though they want their own space more.

I don't think you'll be alone in wanting to come back. So many left during the pandemic only to realise the grass wasn't greener.

I suppose you need to think about location. Where were you before? What's your budget? Would you consider somewhere like Bromley where you get London, but more space for your money?

In terms of space management I'm strict on clutter. No shoes or coats or bags in hall (we have a shoe cupboard) and everything put away at end of the day. We don't have masses of stuff and quite minimal in terms of clothes and shoes (we only have what we need).

@Twizbe We were in Zone 2 NW London, so pretty central and very pricey.
Sadly, due to family being up north, we can’t consider south London.
Further, my OH wants to be as central as possible. I think our unsuccessful move has made him reticent to consider anywhere else on the outskirts of London or otherwise.

@partypineapple We defo need to get on board with minimalism. My OH is quite a hoarder and shopping addict 😭

Perhaps this needs to be the deal with OH then.

If he wants zone 2 it's bye bye to holding on to stuff.

If he wants some more stuff he might have to consider zone 3 boarders.

Borders even

I think in covid times we all looked for happiness in the home because we had to do that, it’s understandable now that we’re allowed out more that environment and location are more of a factor. And equally all the easy ways to meet people in a new place have been stopped by covid so it hasn’t really allowed the full picture of moving somewhere new to emerge either.
And looking at the news covid is still with us, so maybe a radical downsize now is premature?

I just posted something similar before I saw this post. We're in the same position, I can't wait to get back. Im losing my mind in the countryside lol. Just worried about getting my 7 year old into a school really. How will you go about that for your 5 year old?

Hope you get back soon! Xx

Hi @ColdHardFloor I’m so sorry, I’ve just seen this. Have you made any decisions on your move?

We quickly made the decision and were back in London by the beginning of September. We’re stuck in our old 2 bed flat as our house in the midlands isn’t selling in this market, but I’m trying to remain hopeful.

We called the schools we wanted and managed to find a vacant spot in an excellent and coveted primary school. The first half term was tricky with tears at drop off, but my son is now happily settled. You may be surprised as to how regularly spaces can come up. London can be so transient that children leave schools all the time.

I love being back and it’s given me a newfound appreciation for London and the area we live in. x

So glad it is working out for you. Just to say, if you do end up looking for somewhere bigger, South London is still do-able with family up north so don't discount it. I live in SW London and my parents are in North Yorkshire. It doesn't really make that much difference once you have a fairly long journey anyway.