We have sold our house STC!

Never done it but sounds incredibly exciting.

Congratulations, Kupari. Full speed ahead to your new start! ?

So glad you have a buyer; and that you have found somewhere you like.

We moved a year ago (OH then 70; me 68) to a bungalow - a bit bigger than yours sounds, as there are 3 good bedrooms.

We have benefited hugely from the fact that it is all on one level, as neither of us have great mobility.

The downside is that the move seriously took it out of my OH who has PD. I did all the legal, estate agents, financial stuff, but he found it very hard to stand back from doing too much as regards moving stuff about, trying to put up curtain rails etc. - he now has bilateral inguinal hernias!!

So my advice to you is: take every tiny bit of help you can get - get the removers to pack for you. Do not underestimate how stressful it all is; and how much less able to cope with that you are in your 70s.

Spare stuff was much appreciated by recipients on Freecycle.

Lots of good luck in your new life - enjoy!

You will love Northumberland Kupari45 Congratulations on selling so fast. As you say it's now or never and I'm a great believer in fate.

Fate indeed! We had just started looking for a bungalow when this ideal one came up - a sale had fallen through so the vendor was keen for a quick sale and we were moved in within 4 weeks of offer being accepted! Clearly it was meant to be.

We moved full time to France in our early70s. We had the house for about 15 years but it was only a holiday home although we spent a number of months here each year. DH bought a large van and did most of the moving himself! Bit of help each end with loading and unloading. We did have a company do a small amount when time got short to clear theUK house.
The big problem for me was getting two houses into one!! Lots of sorting out - still not completed - but it all settled down. Now of course we are a tad in flux as we don't know how we will be impacted with Briexit - not just being allowed to stay but how our financial position may change.

I envy you going to rural Northumberland!
We've probably sold our house here in France, but it's being such a long drawn out process. From their first (only) visit in early July, probably not ending until late Feb. (If they don't pull out.)
We're older than you, Kupari, but will also be going from a 'proper' house with lots of outbuildings and land to a bungalow with a tiny garden. Pets to take too.
We're in the process of dsiposing of some of the accumulated clutter - continuous trips to the Tip.

We both retired aged 60 and moved 200 miles south from Yorkshire to South Bedfordshire to be near two new DGDs. We had packers in and the move was over two days.

We settled in happily and made a good new life in a village with lots to do nearby.

Nine years passed and now aged 70 and with DH having had a major health scare, DD prevailed on us to move 100 miles, near to them on the south coast. I had misgivings and wasn't sure we should but DH was very keen and we ended up moving here, to a dormer bungalow in 2012. We didn't have packers for this move and I did most of the packing as DH was just out of hospital. It actually didn't feel too bad as I had thrown out a lot as I sorted. I haven't missed any of it either!

My advice would be to get rid of as much as you can. There is no point in taking boxes of "stuff" which will never be used and which will end up being disposed of at the new place. Start the sorting asap too. I did a drawer or a cupboard every day as we had a wait from March to June before we managed to complete and move.

Good luck and I hope you are very happy and settled in your new home.

I endorse decluttering as much as you can starting now. We had a massive skip, as well as trips to charity shops etc. We were embarrassed to discover that we had boxes in the loft, unopened in twenty years. Our loft now houses only the Christmas decorations.

Years ago my m-I-l moved from a four bedroom to a two bedroom house. She had her furniture in storage for a while, but hadn't sorted through anything beforehand. Two enormous lorries arrived and it gotcto the stage where we were unloading one and reloading stuff into the other because there simply wasn't room for it.

We've learned our lesson after three moves in four years.

We moved earlier this year from a 5 bed house to a large 3 bed flat. I spent weeks/ months clearing out stuff. The hardest stuff to sort was the kids stuff. They all live in small flats with no storage so I've had to bring anything they couldn't bear to throw away with me.
I now realise I was a bit too enthusiastic when de cluttering my stuff!! I now need to go and buy casserole dishes as I can't find mine. Think they went to charity.
Love,love living in my new flat.

" a drawer or a cupboard every day" that's what I must start to do, Gagagran.
The trouble is, I don't really want to leave.

Brilliant news, start decluttering now. Even if the worst happens and everything falls through you will still need to do more than you can imagine!

Congratulations on selling your house! In my experience it is very therapeutic to have a good clear out. I wish you all the best, I’m sure you will love it.

We eventually decided on a rule when sorting: if the children will look at this after we die and wonder what the heck they are going to do with it, then out it went!

Oh how I envy you moving to Embleton Kunari, it's such a beautiful area. I'm sure you'll be very happy there. Good luck with the move.

We are both 72 and had lived in our previous house for 40 years. The area was becoming a car park with houses. We moved to the coast to be near our daughter, and we wish we had done it long ago. Our son and his family are further away now but come for lovely holidays. We moved from a small semi- detached house to a largish detached. The pease and quiet is wonderful
Be happy Kupari45 in your new life.

Just to say thank you for your messages of advice and Good Luck. If it all works out will let you know when we are up in Embleton. Just thought, I will be able to join the Northumberland G.N for their get togethers.