WWYD - move or stay?

[KitschinSynch]

Hey everyone, I need some more help. Please let me know what you would do...

We have lived in a 2 bed flat 634ft squared for the last 12 years. It has gone up in value a huge amount about £250k but it sadly means that we can't afford to buy anywhere bigger in our area either.

DD6 loves her school and we have a really nice selection of friends she has had since nursery - we can walk to school - and walk to the tube station.
In short it's convenient and very friendly.

I think that the flat is far too small for us now and would love to move somewhere further out where we could afford a house - DH thinks we should stay and reconsider storage/decluttering - I am am my wits end and can't wait to be somewhere more spacious.

There is no scope for extending due to a drain and very small garden.

So would you move and take a chance of a new area, or would you stay.

[SarfEasticated]

Just to add that I have changed back to my original name KitschinSynch just wasn't doing it for me!

[WhatsGoingOnEh]

Why not try decluttering first? FAR FAR less hassle, and cheaper, than moving. I'm moving and it's costing me over £12,000 just in costs. You can get a lot of storage solutions at ikea for that!

I realise you're dying to move BUT, have you tried googling for small-house ideas? There are a million sites about it.

You'd be giving up a lot. I moved this January and I'm still thinking I made a HUGE mistake. Friends and schools are worth so, soooo much to life. More than I thought. :(

[Clawdy]

I'd have a really good look at what's out there - that could change your mind or DH's. Look on Rightmove at what's available in areas you like.

[SarfEasticated]

That's interesting whatsGoingonEh and sorry it's being a struggle for you. i am thinking that we move about 2 miles away and will have to get a car, but shouldn't be too cut off. I do try to declutter but everything of DD's seems to require storing - toys, books, school work, clothes, shoes, we don't have space for any more stuff!

I have been looking Clawdy which is why I know we can't afford anything bigger near us. :(

[LizLemon]

Since I've just had an offer accepted on the same street I live on now, I lean towards the 'stay if you can' brigade - that support network is something I would really miss.

I totally understand needing more space though, & 634ft isn't a lot - what we're doing is swapping a maisonette with very big bedrooms, for a house with more living space downstairs but smaller bedrooms. The floor space is about the same but it will mean we can actually have a table to eat around with friends. Is there anything that would do that? A bigger flat without the garden? (A big compromise I know, but we haven't had one for the last ten years and it hasn't been awful.)

[petalunicorn]

If you can do it by decluttering then try. You would be paying a lot of money for space just to store stuff. Is it really all your dd's stuff? At about age 6 they start to have less stuff, Would it make a difference to buy furniture optimised to the space?