I’m Excited About Moving House! Planning In Full Swing

Simon explains how house moving is an altogether different experience when you are living alone.

Like most people, I have moved house numerous times in my life. In my 24 years of adulthood, I’ve lived in nine different dwellings and will soon be hitting double figures. I’ve had an offer accepted on a house, and all things being equal, I will be completing the move in a few weeks.

However, things are considerably different this time around. For the first time ever, I am moving on my own. And I’m finding it decidedly more exciting! Let me explain. 

Decisions, decisions

Every single element of the moving process is entirely down to my decision-making. And with great power comes great responsibility. Where to live? How much to pay? What to look for in the property? What to put in the property? Plus approximately 4,524 other issues to consider. I’ve mentioned in previous articles that my ADHD manifests in a way that means I thrive on planning every aspect of my solo living life. Well, that penchant for planning definitely extends to moving house.

I loved compiling a list of ‘wants’ for my new house, many of which I am basing on the fact that I will be living alone. For a start, I do not want to feel isolated in my new house. I need to be somewhere enabling easy access to shops, pubs and friends. But I also need my new home to be somewhere quiet and safe. I’m not someone who is easily scared, but security is essential to me while living alone. 

There is also the issue of my DIY ineptitude and a general lack of interest in the subject. The word ‘renovation’ is not in my vocabulary and immediately removes a large chunk of properties from my search. I want somewhere I could make my own, but without needing to don a utility belt in the process.

Success!!!

I eventually decided to buy a  new build (or a near new build) house in a country village. I’ve been living in big cities and have really enjoyed it, but at heart, I prefer village life. That being said, there are villages, and there are villages. I want my village to have some kind of ‘hub’ – a few shops, decent pubs, transport links, and some nice country walks. Clearly, this was narrowing my options somewhat, but I relished the challenge. My brain was firmly focused on finding a property that ticked all my boxes. 

Eventually, after many unsuccessful viewings and countless hours lost on Rightmove, I have found my ‘dream property’! – a new build semi on the outskirts of a lovely country village. I am confident it will be a house that will make me feel safe, and being a new build, maintenance should be at a minimum. Perfect. Now the real fun can begin!

The best bit so far

The ‘middle bit’ between buying a house and completing on it is a strange mixture of emotions. It manages to be exciting, stressful, tedious and scary, all at the same time. There’s so much to do, but there are long periods of inactivity.

I’m not the most patient of people. My anxiety rears its head all too frequently when I’m going through crucial moments in life, and moving house certainly qualifies. 

To help me overcome the associated anxiety, I have launched into a hardcore house planning mission. I’ve measured every inch of the property (a big advantage of a new build being you can pop in whenever you like), spent evenings in online shopping rabbit holes and tried out more furniture than I thought possible. 

I’ve found the whole process incredibly therapeutic. I’ve been working to a strict budget, but have pretty much decided on exactly what I’m going to buy and where it will go. And because I’m going to be living alone, I’ve not had to compromise on anything. For the first time in my life, I will buy my house, put my furniture in it, and position everything exactly where I want it. 

The next steps

Of course, all the planning in the world does not expedite the buying process. There’s still a lot of waiting for solicitors to do whatever it is they do, and until I’ve got a front door key in my hand, I’m going to have bouts of anxiety. But overall, I’ve never been more excited about buying a house. 

As I write this, I’m waiting for a completion date. Then it’s all systems go, and the next planning stage can begin – finding a removal firm, changing my address for bills, etc. Okay, that doesn’t sound like the start of the most exciting task list in the world, but I will approach it with the same enthusiasm as the previous stages of the process. That means a lot of researching, budgeting and planning. Once again, it will all be down to me. Just how I like it. 

What have I discovered? 

I’ve discovered that moving house is a far more exciting prospect when living alone. Yes, it can be scary, but you can completely take control of all the key decisions. You can extend that thinking to other elements of solo living. Sharing is lovely, but sometimes it’s great to do precisely what you want without worrying about what anybody else thinks or wants. My choice of property and furnishing won’t be to everyone’s taste, but who cares. I will be happy in the knowledge that it’s entirely my doing. And that will give me a fantastic sense of achievement. 

There’s a pretty high chance that you won’t be moving house anytime soon, but you might be planning a holiday or looking to buy some new furniture, or completing some other task that can seem daunting to do by yourself, especially if you feel low or anxious. 

Try to embrace challenges in the knowledge that you are in control, and the ultimate outcome will be what you have decided. It might turn out perfectly, or it might not, but who cares? You’ve accomplished something by yourself and can be proud of your achievement. If you can create this mindset, you are likely to drastically increase your enjoyment of the task and, ultimately, your chances of a positive experience. 

Read Simon’s Living Alone Diary