Dreading the last day......

[LittleMissPeggySue]

We're due to complete on our house sale shortly, selling due to the fact that it's a joint property and we're now divorced. I've been here for nearly 19 years and it was in my family for a long time before that because we bought from a relative. I'm buying my own place, something I've never had before because I moved out of my parents house straight into this one with my boyfriend/husband. I'm really excited about the new house, needs a bit of decorating but it's more than I ever thought I could afford and I know how lucky I am to be able to buy on my own.

Here's the thing though, as much as I'm looking forward to putting the key in the new front door for the first time, I'm absolutely dreading locking this one for the last time. There's so many memories here and everything that's happened in the last 19 years of my life has happened while I've lived here. Plus my wonderful dad helped us with loads of building and decorating over the years, he died in 2020 and it's another connection to him gone. I KNOW that it's just a pile of bricks, I KNOW I can make the new place mine and I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. But I'm getting so anxious about the end here and how I'm going to feel. I've only ever moved out of my parents house so can someone please tell me that I'm not being daft and that this is completely natural? Also any ideas for how to cope on moving day and not break down in floods of tears when I drive away?

I think it’s completely normal in the circumstances, and you should allow yourself to feel your feelings.

It’s okay to grieve the old house and be excited for the new one at the same time.

When I moved I thought I'd feel like that but in reality I didn't.

It really was just a house without my family in it. The grotty rented hovel was "home" instantly.

Was very odd and not what I was expecting.

Seconding what @RandomMess is saying, when you’ve removed all of your things, it’s cold & empty and all that’s left is the marks on the walls where your pictures have been it won’t feel like it’s yours anymore.
All the best for your new home 🏡 Onwards and upwards!

I cried like a baby when I left our old house; I was so pleased to be moving to a lovely new home but 12 years of our lives took place in the old one. It surprised me that I was so emotional!

I felt the same this summer. When the house was empty I took my time before I left. It sounds daft but I said thankyou to every room for looking after me and my daughter and stroked the walls. I spent ages in the garden and cried. I loved that garden and took mine photos of everything in it. I then calmly locked up and me and my daughter drove 160 miles to our new home in peace and a bit of sadness. I’ve no regrets and glad I had the chance to say goodbye.

I completely understand. We are in the process of selling our house which we’ve lived in for 19 years. We’ve had our children here and many happy memories. I am looking forward to moving to our new home as we will have more space - smaller garden but much bigger bedrooms for our teens and extra bathrooms. The kids are looking forward to being closer to school and all their friends.
my parents live on the estate we live now - I was brought up on this estate and I think I’m going to feel very emotional when we leave.

like others have said once you get your family and belongings in the new place I’m sure it will feel like home in no time at all

Its OK to cry. Tears can be helpful and allow you to process your emotions. I suggest you find a moment to walk around the empty house saying goodbye (and thank you) and bawl your eyes out if you want to. Just make sure you have some tissues in the car.

You may cry when you walk away and several times over the first few days. It doesn’t matter! You will bond with your new house in time and love that one too.

When we left our old house I sobbed. We hadn’t lived in it particularly long -8 years, but we’d done a lot to it. When we viewed it to buy we’d only got as far as the hallway when I said to DH ‘I want this house’. When we moved out I said to DH that I’d never love another house as much as that one. We moved across the country and had bought a house that ticked the boxes, but I hated it. We lived in it for 4 years. We’ve just moved again. The house we are in now is better, but I’m never going to love it like the first one.

Not just me then, thank you for all your lovely messages!

Absolutely this^
I did similar.

Agh! Choked up reading this, op! My father is dead now. He hung all the curtains in my house, put up all the shelves, decorated the entire hall while I was on holiday, damproofed when I first moved in. Even cleared the outside drain when it got blocked.
when I leave, that’s the end of Dads help being all around me. I feel for you. Going to have to put a picture of Dad in pride of place in the new home!

I’m currently clearing out my parents home and am feeling the same. Dreading leaving for the final time. I live in the UK but family home is in Ireland and grew up here and have always had it to come home to. Dad passed away last year and thankfully we could take our time clearing out and putting it up for sale but this is the final time I’ll stay here. I’ll be very sad not to see some of the neighbours again too as I grew up with them.

A young couple with children have bought it which is lovely and the husband grew up around the corner so he’s very local which is nice.

But I know I will find it very hard when I leave.

I know exactly what you all mean. Had a similar experience with my parents home - and just thinking of leaving my place brings a lump to my throat

Natural to feel like that. It will be ok OP, just focus on making the new home yours. All the memories you take with you.

When I moved in here seven years ago I howled because I hated it so much.
Now I'm moving out in a couple of weeks time I shall cry again, with sadness at leaving it.

But it's in a better state than when I bought it, the new owners will make it even better and the good memories are written on my heart.

Ah I'm so sorry. My dad always moaned about the builders we used to do our extension and built a step down from the back door into the garden because he thought it was too big a drop. I sat on that step the day he died, trying to process my thoughts while one of my cats rolled around by my feet wanting attention (and probably to cheer me up). I'm going to miss my step if that makes sense.

I know exactly what my dad would say if he was here and he wouldn't want me being sad. I've already got pictures of him all round this house and will be putting lots up in the new house.