thoughts

[jenn]

I would appreciate any thoughts on this problem. In a way it is craft related in a wide sense. We are having to move from our present property cause of extensive repairs needed. (its rented, we have a huge huge garden with lots of sheds and a very very large old 400 year house. Now the landlord has offered us the most delightful cottage you could imagine, very small but with a bigger kitchen. again huge garden but no sheds or anything but a really large cellar complex under the house only reached by outside entrance. We could not use this cellar for craft work. only for storage which would be great, but we would have to purchase a workshop for my husband, and another for my daughters etc. All of which would be a good cost. We would still be in the same locality with really no benefits for craft venues as now. So. we have to let them know this weekend and we are still undecided. Do we move to a much smaller house and have the expense of buying workshops and know that we would have somewhere to live in the autumn, it would take that time to do what they have to do to make 3 beds and move the bathroom etc and redo the kitchen. Or do we refuse it and try and find somewhere else or move to somewhere we really dont want knowing that if we did we would not have the courage to move again.

Your thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks

Jenn

[Peter]

I think you already like the idea of the smaller house Jenn. :) We have quite a big Victorian monstrosity, and I look at people with little apartments and sometimes think of going down that route................but we've so much stuff!! What you own expands into where you live over time - what seemed a big place when you moved in is begging for an extension to do your craftwork in now! I think the cleaning time would swing it for me - this house needs a full time Dyson squad! :) Go for the cute cottage................and take a few trips to the tip with stuff you don't need. :)

[candles by lisa]

I agree with Peter I think you like the cottage or you wouldn't have said that it was delightful.

You say the garden is huge - what would the feasibility be of taking the sheds from the old house and move them to where you are just now? It will be a huge operation but what a chance to declutter! It would save you on having to find alternative work space.

HTH.

Lisa

:D

[PeggyCrafts]

Go with your instincts, even if all the practical issues point to one solution, I think you are usually happiest when you choose based on your feelings!

:)

[wyattbean]

I agree with Peggyprint, go with your heart. You know deep down where you want to be, change is always disquieting.
Wishing you lots of good vibes for the right choice.

Sue

[craftyjan]

go with your instincts a cottage sounds lovely and the more space you have the more you fill it so if you declutter you will have enough space and it does have a cellar for storage

[jenn]

Thanks so much for your replies, un fortunately my instincts say NO, but it has so much going for it, particularly as now we have been told that the next door field, which has a gate from the garden, we can rent for our ponies and as it is agricultural land and about 10 acres we can have sheep also for wool. Its just me that I did not want to stay in this area and my family are sold on it. Its true that once you are married and have children your identity is virtually lost.

Jenn

[ethel&edna]

Sorry to be dim but would you moving back to the current house anyway once the work is done? If so, is anyone going to be in the current house while it's being gutted? Could you not commute to your present workshops every day and just live in the cottage on a temporary basis?

[jenn]

No ethel&edna, we would not be able to move back, this is the whole point. Do we move to this delightful cottage albeit smaller, in the same area or as I would like to do, move to a complete different area. It is getting more and more inviting (if that is the right word) cause we would have our ponies right next to us and it would only cost us the annual rent of the field as it costs a lot of money to have them in livery as they are now. The trouble is selling prospects in this area seem to be pretty hopeless and I am such a wimp I hate driving on busy roads which we would still have to do and a workshop small retail outlet is terrifically expensive in this area.

The dilemma is would we be better moving away from the area or staying

Jenn

[Chris W]

Someone once said to me there are no right and wrong choices, if you take one path over another you use it as a learning experience. I have always gone with my instincts because at the end of the day we can't see into the future so instincts are all you have sometimes. Meditation is a good way of clearing the clutter from your mind and tapping into your inner, knowing side. I get into the bath and have a good think.

[Apple Tree Crafts]

....it's the lesser of two evils.

To me, the cottage sounds lovely. But moving my family and all our stuff (even if we did a skip run or several) would be a nightmare.

Our house drives me insane. But it's big. There's space for all 6 of us. I have an indoor workroom. If we had to downsize, no matter how pretty, I'd be having kittens.....and where would our animals go? 9 cats, four rats and a hamster.

Can you look into other properties in the same area that may have better facilities?

I do know how you feel, our house in only ours in trust at present. We'll inherit it when Himself's uncle passes away. It's an ugly 1968 thing, with bog all garden. It has coal central heating, hermetically unsealed double glazing and is draughty as all get out. But it's huge. It's 5 minutes from the boys' schools, 5 minutes from Sainsbury's, 5 mins from TKMaxx, QS, the P.O. and a few other things. On top of all this, it's still rural. I would dearly love to move, but it's not going to happen. But then again, I'd love to move to a better, even more rural area. I'd love less road traffic noise, no street lights and not to live next door to a lout who thinks his ASBO is some kind of medal.

You have such a hard decision to make, so you do have my sincerest sympathy there. But it does sound like your family is already set. Can you try the wee place for a few months? Maybe put some stuff into storage until you decide which way you want to go.

Jules

[JBJB]

If you were to toss a coin .. heads for staying, tails for leaving, how would you want it to land?

Try it and see how you feel with whatever outcome you get.

It might show you how you are truly feeling.....?

[jenn]

Thanks for replies appletree and jb, it has now been made more 'inviting' shall I say in the fact that we have been offered the field next door for our ponies and a replacement workshop for my husband which the one here we would have to leave behind as it would not move!! So I suppose it is inevitable that we will squeeze into this small cottage somehow, Im not feeling quote to bad about it, it really is delightful and no neighbours except the rugby club as my daughters favourtie item is rugby players legs that is an added attraction.

Thanks so much for your thoughts everyone, it really has helped.

Jenn

when we move in I will send pics

[Focus on Life]

Sorry I'm a bit late catching up on your thread Jenn but, although you have reservations, it seems that extra little "enticements" have been given to you along the way - like the replacement workshop, and the chance of having your ponies so close by - so perhaps those are good omens enticing you in a direction that's going to be really good for you :)

I'd always advise go with your gut and your heart too but the head and logic all play their part too and I totally agree that there are very few "wrong" decisions - just interesting new paths

Hope you enjoy your new home, its sounds quaint and lovely, all the best

Shaz x

[jenn]

thanks focus, went to see it again today, garden absolutely horrendous, but a challenge lets face it 1+ acres of nettles!!! LOL
. Plus the what looks like 6 acre field. Daughter already lookiung at types of sheep for spinning.
jenn