First, unless you absolutely, positively have to move, don’t! Even if you get help and/or hire people to do the packing, you’re still the person who can’t find the corkscrew or screw driver until you’ve unpacked a few boxes bleary-eyed on your first night.
Unless you are moving for a better job or fleeing a bad situation, where you already are could be improved with far less stress, even if you have to put up with a few minor inconveniences. You know your home, even its adorable quirks like the shower dial that says hot but delivers cold, or exactly how many coffee cups or folded tees a cupboard holds.
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I wrote the opening paragraphs two plus years ago when we moved to what I consider my forever home. It’s a rental community with resort-level amenities like an almost Olympic- size pool, heated, well-equipped gym, and lakes that attract more birds than the nearest bird trail. All this within walking distance from groceries, hardware, restaurants both modest and up-market, as well as a walk-in clinic. I love few things more than combining a brisk walk for exercise with a stop for a few groceries I can carry home in a mesh bag.
Surprising how few items need to be replaced often — eggs, fresh produce, bread, with enough room in the bag for something frivolous on sale, e.g. chocolate chips. It reminds me of a brief visit with friends in Rome when I accompanied my host to the farmers market daily to purchase fresh ingredients for our dinner. Those meals were a lesson about choosing ingredients I never forgot!
I travel any distance now only in memories like this one. And we gave up the snow-bird life last year. Recently I read an article about the surge of enthusiasm for renting vs buying. Never thought of myself as a trend-setter before, but freedom is never having to fix what’s broken or change another lightbulb for that matter. So far, so good.
Woman Aloud 