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Original poster

House move anxiety…

43 replies

Bigpinkbubblebath · 13/05/2025 18:25

Wasn’t sure whether to post this here or in health so apologies if it’s the wrong place!

We’re inching closer to getting a date for the exchange of contracts and my god, I’ve hit peak anxiety levels. I feel like an absolute moron as I’ve been the driver of this house move and now I’m starting to crumble. It’s affecting my sleep and subsequently, affecting my health. I’m constantly picking up infections at the moment!

I will make this laughable by adding that we are literally moving around the corner to a bigger house… 🙈

I am questioning myself constantly. Especially about how our children will adapt to the new place and whether the extra £400 a month mortgage payment will be justified. Also so anxious to leave the memories behind! Our current house was our first home. It’s where we’ve married and had our two girls. Argggh I can’t cope 😭

I guess I’m asking is this reasonable/normal? Is this something everyone feels or is this a sign we’re making a major mistake?

OP posts:
Ferretbitme · 13/05/2025 23:22

Totally normal. I did a similar move 3 months ago and felt exactly the same. Now we have moved I haven’t given the old house a second thought, despite walking past it most days

cleo333 · 13/05/2025 23:35

I’m doing the same right now really wobbling so close to a move

Wincher · 13/05/2025 23:46

I could have written this post! Also inching closer to an exchange date, buyers driving us mad, sellers incredibly impatient, only moving half a mile away but anxious about leaving our street and the house my youngest was born in. I hope it’s the right decision, it gives us a big detached house with space for us all but the kids like what they know… Argh.

rosyvalentine · 13/05/2025 23:57

Yep. Normal. It's a stressful and horrible time. You'll be ok after a few weeks in the new house.

cleo333 · 14/05/2025 06:15

Thanks so much right now I could back out of it all . I’ve lived in my house for 29 yrs as a single mum and so scared to move now yet I’ve driven it too

wisteriadrive · 14/05/2025 06:51

I expect I’ll be the same in a few weeks ! We’re moving to a bigger detached house, also have two girls who we had here, married here etc, and to make it more sentimental this was my nans house !

housethatbuiltme · 14/05/2025 10:51

I get it.

We have lived here 14 years and its not ours just a rental (lovely house but shit landlord and not enough bedrooms). We need bigger and are buying a house literally right across the street (when it comes to moving we are just going to carry most of it across the road).

I'm sad though as this has been our HOME for my kids life time and most of my adult life. Being so close we will also see others move it which will be weird to see them living in 'our' house (as ridiculous as that is).

My kids are really excited to move (and get bedrooms etc...) but when we moved (twice) in my childhood they where the two most stressful and jarring moments of my life and I HATED it (although the first time I came to love the house and made great memories there)... Maybe I'm just weird though as other people don't seem to mind moving at all.

cleo333 · 14/05/2025 21:15

It’s really reassuring me to hear others stories . We are due to exchange this Friday and I’m so stressed and panicking . Sorry others feel a bit like this but please keep talking

givemeanother · 14/05/2025 21:20

I did this move two years ago. I was so anxious and sad about leaving the house I'd raised my children in...and to be honest I found the first 3 months pretty hard after the move. Nothing felt like home! But now, I don't think about it at all, and when I see old photos of our house I think how crazy we'd have gone with the kids as teenagers there if we stayed.

Good luck and I hope you are settled very soon!

Original poster
Bigpinkbubblebath · 14/05/2025 23:10

Oh wow, thank you all for sharing. It’s such a relief to know it’s not just me losing my marbles!

We’re doing another viewing tomorrow so I’m hoping it will refresh why we’re going for this in the first place. Also taking our eldest daughter with us to gently ease her in to the idea. We’ve talked about the move a lot but I don’t think she quite yet understands what it all means.

OP posts:
flyinghen · 15/05/2025 09:09

I’m feeling the same way, due to exchange today or tomorrow although moving to new build so not leaving just yet. I’m anxious we are making the right choice even though I know for sure we are. The extra mortgage is probably the source of my anxiety but I know it’ll be fine. We are relocating too so it’s very nerve wracking!! We’ve renovated our house up and brought our two babies back here. Will be emotional on moving day!

MN2025 · 15/05/2025 16:23

Bigpinkbubblebath · 13/05/2025 18:25

Wasn’t sure whether to post this here or in health so apologies if it’s the wrong place!

We’re inching closer to getting a date for the exchange of contracts and my god, I’ve hit peak anxiety levels. I feel like an absolute moron as I’ve been the driver of this house move and now I’m starting to crumble. It’s affecting my sleep and subsequently, affecting my health. I’m constantly picking up infections at the moment!

I will make this laughable by adding that we are literally moving around the corner to a bigger house… 🙈

I am questioning myself constantly. Especially about how our children will adapt to the new place and whether the extra £400 a month mortgage payment will be justified. Also so anxious to leave the memories behind! Our current house was our first home. It’s where we’ve married and had our two girls. Argggh I can’t cope 😭

I guess I’m asking is this reasonable/normal? Is this something everyone feels or is this a sign we’re making a major mistake?

It’s normal to have anxiety OP - we sold and moved out of the home we have owned and lived in since 1991 in January so we had over 33 years of memories. It was our first house took

It was sad to say goodbye to a home that had so many memories but it does get to a time to move on and create new memories in a new house. We have become ‘friendly’ with the new owners of our old house and they invited us to a BBQ they had a few weeks ago - it was surreal going back in but it was lovely to see the renovations that they had done - new kitchen, bathroom and new flooring and a lick of paint throughout! Maybe you could build a rapport with your buyer? Leave a bottle of champagne in the fridge (especially if they are FTB) with a new home card and your details if they need to know anything about the property. That said, it may be a good idea to completely detach.

I think once you’re in your home, the anxiety will disappear.

Stumpy54321 · 15/05/2025 18:26

Completely understand your feelings. I was the same. First house lived in for 20 years brought up kids, paid the mortgage off, but knew we had to move. House was getting too small with 2 growing kids also the area was becoming horrible.
we sold very quickly and actually had a exchange date just 9 weeks from putting house on market. So all happened very quickly. The night before I was so unwell driven by anxiety. Couldn’t eat was worried how I would manage the day feeling unwell. But the day of the move I started to feel better mid morning and actually never looked back even though we started again with a 15 year mortgage but we did the right thing. That was 11 years ago so now just 4 years left on mortgage kids have left home and now we are back on the market looking to downsize.
good luck with the move I’m sure you will be fine.

cleo333 · 15/05/2025 19:06

I’ve signed all the legal papers today and that’s actually such a relief as it has really added to my anxiety this week . I think also moving out of my home has needed me to lean on and trust my partner more than I ever have as I’m leaving my home and we are buyer together . We exchange tomorrow and I actually feel a bit better now it’s all legal sorted .

CherryBlossom321 · 15/05/2025 19:28

I moved in March - in the weeks beforehand, I was an anxious wreck. I was waking in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, even though I’d worked out the financial element a million times, I kept panicking that I’d made a mistake and we couldn’t afford it (our increase was also £400!). It’s the best thing we’ve done in such a long time. We’ve made two mortgage payments and it’s been perfectly fine. The extra space is wonderful. It’s very likely you’ll be the same.

SapporoBaby · 16/05/2025 03:28

Definitely normal. My husband was a mess and I was really sad about our first home.

Now we’re in the bigger one I couldn’t give a shit about the old one. It’s our new home and the extra space is heavenly.

Original poster
Bigpinkbubblebath · 20/05/2025 15:00

So whilst we haven’t been given a date, we’ve just been told the third week in June seems to be what we’re aiming for.

Just before my 30th birthday! Not sure if I’ll be a wreck crying over moving out or loving life in our new place.

What an emotional rollercoaster it is.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bigpinkbubblebath · 20/05/2025 15:01

@SapporoBaby Was there anything you did that helped you to settle in quickly? Or did it just come naturally?

OP posts:
Ecrire · 20/05/2025 15:03

Inches away from exchanging contracts on our much much planned forever home move just in same town closer to the schools and kids friends and my god I cannot concentrate on anything at all.

Original poster
Bigpinkbubblebath · 20/05/2025 15:03

CherryBlossom321 · 15/05/2025 19:28

I moved in March - in the weeks beforehand, I was an anxious wreck. I was waking in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, even though I’d worked out the financial element a million times, I kept panicking that I’d made a mistake and we couldn’t afford it (our increase was also £400!). It’s the best thing we’ve done in such a long time. We’ve made two mortgage payments and it’s been perfectly fine. The extra space is wonderful. It’s very likely you’ll be the same.

My goodness, this sounds like me!

I’m really pleased you’ve settled in nicely. It’s good to hear there is light at the end of the tunnel.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bigpinkbubblebath · 20/05/2025 15:07

@Ecrire It’s so tough isn’t it! Nobody in my family or friendship group warned me about the emotional side of moving house. It’s always been very matter of fact, you move and that’s it. My own parents have moved house 13 times and I’ve no idea how they’ve put themselves through it over the years.

Is there anything specific you’re worrying about?

OP posts:
BigDahliaFan · 20/05/2025 15:22

It's also quite normal to have a bit of buyer's remorse when you first move. Try and have the beds made up as soon as possible! It's normal to be anxious.

I walked past my old house the other day, also just around the corner, and after 5 years I just feel a lot of fondness for it and the good memories. The new house is home.

Thistooshallpsss · 20/05/2025 15:55

We left after 31 years and as we had a two day move it was early evening as we walked around the empty house saying goodbye to each room before driving away to stay with family overnight. We got in the car looked back, put on the sad Eastenders leaving music drove round the corner to find the road blocked by a scaffolding lorry, so had to turn round and drive past the house all over again ! We were downsizing and as we left the city I was grateful we had chosen to leave rather than be forced out by ill health. One door closes etc .

cleo333 · 20/05/2025 22:35

So good to read all your stories . I’m exchanging tomorrow hopefully and moving Friday . Who would have thought packing up a house would be such hard work , I’m shattered and sleeping like a lamb as a result ( not slept well for years ) . There’s no going back now and I’m trying to be brave but sure it will feel emotional as my house has so many good ( and v bad) memories . I’m more scared that I’ll get overwhelmed with the work as we are buying a doer upper x

WimbyAce · 20/05/2025 22:56

This was me 2 months ago even though we had been trying to move for 4 years! It's v normal to be anxious. We had been in our house 14 years, so many memories, had the children there. I was hugely stressed by the point of exchange (also had stamp duty deadline to add to it!) Word of warning I got sick day after completion. I def thought I would cry but a tear was never shed and I have not once looked back. We all settled into the new house very quickly and couldn't be happier.
Edit to say we also have a large increase in mortgage but it is more than worth it, the space is amazing!