Our flat has sold, we're about to leave London and suddenly I've got the Fear. Positive stories needed!

[LadyBiscuit]

Is this plan sensible?

I am going to hand in my notice in a few weeks and hopefully freelance and have a better work/life balance living in a cheaper area of the country by the sea (buying house mortgage free). I am fairly sure I can get enough work to keep going - I have some promised - but obviously nothing is certain. But I have savings so we can live for a couple of years off those if needs be.

The schools are much better where we're going, I will be around for the school gate and assemblies which I can't be if I stay here and I think our quality of life will be better.

So why am I feeling all wobbly?? I need reassurance that this is a very good idea and we will live happily ever after please

As long as you won't miss your London friends and everything that London has to offer right on your doorstep, I am sure you will get along just fine .

Hey, it's totally understandable that you are anxious about the change even though it is something you have chosen to do for the best. All you can do is feel the fear and do it anyway and you will come out the other side better for it.

And remember, nothing needs to be forever. If you move and give it a decent chance and find it hasn't worked out as you thought, then you can always tweak things again until you find a set up that suits you and your family's needs.

Good Luck!

I had that panic before we moved, and we didn't really go that far. You feel like London is the centre of everything and you will never be able to go back because you are off the London property ladder.

I have never regretted moving though. Sounds like you are going to somewhere where your quality of life will be brilliant. Look forward to it!

Find the the thread which linked to a map of all the gangs in London. That ought to do it. I'll have a nosey...

We are moving from central London in the next few weeks and I can't wait! I still love lots of things about London but the things that I used to find slightly annoying (the dirt, the tourists, the traffic, the noise etc etc!) I now find completely intolerable.

I can't wait for fresh air and more space for the DCs, not to mention having a garage since at the mo' I have to park my car on the street and it just got "keyed" grrr..

here

thread here

it's normal to have a wobble surely? Write a list of all the reasons you had for deciding on this move.

bibbity -

I am really worried about the friends thing actually - I have lived in North London for 25 years and am scared I won't find any like-minded people where we are going. But there is a Waitrose so it can't be that bad

where are you going? C'mon we'll tell you how bad it really is

Thanet

Go on, point and laugh

It will be fine. And your quality of life will improve.
We moved out end of alst year - no regrets. What makes a big difference is not having to battle through London traffic to do anything and we're spending more time together as a family.

I live in a seaside town, and many of my friends have moved here from London. None of them regret it. They may occasionally miss the variety of shops and nightlife, but the improved quality of life more than makes up for it.

that'll be nice, very close to London still

You can walk along the coast all year, kids can do some water-based activities.

nice fresh air, as you say you'll have a house instead of a flat and the schools are better.

Whether the financial side works out in terms of getting work etc, you'd have to see. I think it's a great idea though. What about your dh/dp (if you're together)? What will he be doing in terms of work?

From the OP, I assumed you were moving to Orkney or similar.

Thanet - that's only about 45 mins by train to London isn't it?

I think you're making a sensible move. Make an effort to integrate into your new community and not pass your neighbours off as inbred bumpkins and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful new life.

I wouldn't move back to a city for anything now - the way of life where I live is fabulous, if a little out of reality! I life in a quintessentially English village with fetes, bunting, and even an Opera society. Our local state schools are Ofsted rated as 'excellent' and at least half the village's population are newcomers from London and the like, all with the attitude that life is so much nicer here!

Good luck.

When I moved (three years ago) I felt like I'd left a part of me behind and knew that I would never again meet friends like the ones I was leaving. Life on less money is not always as fun as life on more money would be but all the pluses out weigh all of that.

I love the lack of traffic, having everything I need close by, even if it's not everything under the sun and going back to visit London is really good fun!! I make appointments to catch up with old friends even if it's by phone so we know we will have time and a bottle of wine to hand even if we are not actually sharing it. And I've met lots of new friends, I know most of my neighbours and wouldn't swap back for anything!!

Moving to the Isle of Wight from London was the best thing we ever did.

I am a Londoner born and bred and was really worried that I would miss the bright lights and pace of life but I now have a much better life then I ever dreamed of.

Last weekend we popped back to London to see my family, and I hated it I was so very happy when we were on the ferry back and I could see Ryde getting closer and closer its home to me now and we have only been here since Feb.

The only downside is that we are semi rural at the top end of Ryde and the bus service
is dreadful, however its made me walk more and I have lost my wobbly tummy with the walking.

Theres so much to see and do here, we are ok for money as we got a good price for our London flat and got a little cottage for 1/2 of what we sold in London for, hubby is freelancing as well.

But the best thing is having people asking me if I am on holiday and I can say NO I LIVE HERE.

piprabbit - it's over an hour but it's really not that far. I know it's a bit hysterical of me but this is the only place I've ever lived in the UK (grew up abroad) so it feels a bit scary. But these stories are reassuring me muchly I particularly like the 'No I live here' IslandLady

Sorry to underestimate.

I'd move to Thanet if I could.

Am a bit jealous of you really.

Good luck with your move.

We did it five years ago and have not regretted it once. All the things we thought we would miss - we just didn't. We had planned on going to London twice a year for a week each time, but in fact we couldn't be bothered for the first three years and have only spent a total of ten days in London since we moved.

piprabbit - are you? That's nice (well not for you but most of my friends have London running through them like a stick of rock and think I'm bonkers to be moving out).

I don't have a dp Zzzenagain - I think that's why I'm feeling quite apprehensive. I knew very few people there and I slightly anxious that my DS is going to turn round when he's a teenager and yell 'you dragged me out of London to live in this dump'

But I guess they are always going to find a way of having a go at you.

Thanks for those links tethersend - they make me feel like I really am doing the right thing (we live in gang central at the moment)

I should say we moved abroad - but that was nothing like as relevant to me as the fact that it wasn't London.