Is it normal to get cold feet when you are moving?

[ouchitreallyhurts]

We are about a week from exchange, 3 from completion. Just been to see the 'new' house and feel all wobbly!
we are moving within the same county but its a new school for the children - which looks lovely and the head seems really good too.
I can't put my finger on it but I just feel a bit tearful for the first time! up till now, Its been excitement and looking forward to the extra space we need in what seems to be a very nice, rural village.
is it just me being daft?

Totally normal.

You may be gaining lots, but you are losing familiarity, history, the known....I've grieved every place I've left, though not regretted it.

At least I hope so, because I feel the same and we're in exactly the same time frame as you - hopefully exchange next week. Been here 11 years, and been through a lot, good and bad, and its all coming back to me...

No regrets, some tears, big mix!

Thanks Elibean

we've been here 6 years and 2 of my babies were born here in the living room - OH doesnt' understand that I feel quite sad about moving away from that too, but I think the way you have spoken about grieving has made a lot of sense with regard to everything I feel.

Two babies born....well, of course you're going to shed a tear! I've been married from here, had two babies here (not literally, in my case), got over a serious illness, lost a beloved dog and several pregnancies...all the memories are coming up now, and they deserve to be grieved IMO

Good luck next week, hope it goes smoothly and that you have plenty of space for your memories too.

Definitely! We moved from London to Manchester 6 years ago and I have to work in London most weeks and get the train down which goes past the hospital where ds1 was born and almost past our old house in London and I still get emotional sometimes!

I agree it's a grieving process, whether the move is for good or bad reasons it's still a loss and a huge change in your life.

We moved again last year from a damp, cold house with no garden to a lovely warm house with huge garden just down the road - so no change of school, friends etc. and it was still odd and bizarrely sad for some reason.

Hi - pleased to know others feel like this and it's not just me. We have just agreed an offer today on a house we're going to buy. It's a big move for us from NW London to a village just outside Cambridge. We've been here 10 years and also gone through a lot here - good and bad. Plus it's a wonderful house with lots of great features and great room sizes which we won't have in the new house. I know it has to be done but the idea of leaving everything we know - new school for DS etc is quite traumatic. He is very upset about it too and I've just spent bedtime telling him what a great adventure it's going to be - not sure if this was really for my benefit or his!My thoughts are definitely with you - hope all goes well!

where are you going Mins? I'm just north-east of Camb.

Mins, a quick hijack to say congrats on making the decision and hope it all goes smoothly - adventures, IME, don't always feel great all the time, so think you told ds the truth

Elibean - thanks for that. You're right about adventures - I hadn't thought about it in that way!

Chasingsquirrels - we are going to Impington - whereabouts are you?

Well, we rent privately, so moving is a regular part of life.

I try to see it in a positive light, but it's normal to feel a big nostalgic and a certain yearning for what has become familiar.

Why not pay what hommage you can to your soon-to-be former home?

Take photos, make a scrapbook or do videos and make an online, digital scrapbook/tribute to it?

Throw a party! Tell it aloud you're grateful for the good times you had there, and the support its walls gave you, and you hope the new owners cherish their time there as much.

That's a brilliant idea - I think we'll start on that today ex-pat!
thanks everyone for helping me to see its normal to feel like this

You can do a scrapbook totally online, too, just upload your photos and vid clips.

Get the kids involved!

near Burwell