There’s a strange kind of life that exists between deciding to move… and actually moving.
I’m in it right now.
Half my mind is somewhere else—walking through new kitchens, imagining where the sofa will go, picturing Tilly choosing her new room.
The other half is here, staring at walls that need painting, cupboards that need clearing, and a house that suddenly feels like both mine and not mine at all.
It’s a weird place to be.
The Reality (Not the Instagram Version)
This isn’t aesthetic, candle-lit, perfectly staged “we’re selling our home” energy.
This is:
- Painting after work when I’m already tired
- Moving furniture around trying to make rooms feel bigger
- Filling holes and wondering if anyone will notice
- Decluttering in bursts because doing it all at once feels impossible
All while still working, parenting, and trying to keep everything else ticking over.
Some days I feel on top of it.
Some days I feel completely overwhelmed.
Both exist at the same time.
The Shift in Mindset
The biggest thing I’ve had to change is this:
I’m not trying to create a perfect home.
I’m trying to create a sellable one.
That means:
- Clean over perfect
- Neutral over personal
- Space over stuff
It’s less about me now… and more about how someone else will feel walking through the door.
And that’s been harder than I expected.
Because every corner has a bit of life in it. Letting that go—even temporarily—feels strange.
House Hunting While Letting Go
At the same time, we’re looking at new houses.
And that’s where it gets exciting.
There’s one in particular that’s stuck with me—the kind of house that doesn’t tick every box logically, but just feels right. The kind you keep thinking about days later.
It’s not perfect.
But it has something.
I’m trying to stay grounded and not get too attached before mine is even on the market… but it’s definitely there, quietly sitting in the back of my mind.
What I’ve Actually Done So Far
When I stop and look at it properly, I’ve done more than I give myself credit for:
- Cleared the back garden from completely overgrown to usable
- Painted the lounge and made it feel lighter and calmer
- Started tackling the bedroom instead of avoiding it
- Made real progress on decluttering
It’s not finished.
But it’s moving.
And right now, that’s enough.
Where I’m At Right Now
If I’m being honest?
I feel overwhelmed… but also hopeful.
Overwhelmed because there’s still a lot to do.
Hopeful because I can finally see it coming together.
This house is shifting from “my home” to “a house someone else will fall in love with.”
And maybe that’s exactly what it’s meant to do.
The Bigger Picture
Joel has been his usual wonderful self—holding space for me while my head does what it does.
He’s had me, Billie and Tilly basically take over his house so viewings can happen, and has even offered it as a temporary stop if mine sells before we find the right one.
I genuinely couldn’t do this without him.
And that’s the other side of all of this.
It’s not just moving house.
It’s leaving behind almost 20 years of life in one place.
A house that’s seen more than its fair share of tears and heartbreak… but also the place that made me a mum. The only home Billie and Tilly have ever really known.
Letting that go is hard.
But I know it’s the right step.
Joel and I have had a bit of a whirlwind—less than two years—and here we are, both giving up our homes and routines to build something new together.
It won’t be easy.
Nothing ever is.
But it will be worth it.
Next Steps
This weekend is everything.
Painting.
Tip runs.
Final declutters.
Getting it to that “ready enough” stage.
Not perfect.
Just ready.