Moving On? The Dreaded 3-Year Mark

Hubbs and I average a home rental duration of approximately 3.5 years. Usually out of necessity, sometime during this time frame we will need to move from our residence. When we lived in E-town, it was our relocation to Van that required us to move. When Little L was two months old, it was the lack of space for all of our newly-acquired baby gear that necessitated a new home.

We are reluctant movers. There are those out there who love discovering new neighborhoods and decorating new spaces. We are not those people. In our current home, we have absolutely everything we need except for extra space and our favorite school to be nearby. We have dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, banks, Starbucks, a florist, and a prime proximity to the train line and aquabus system. We have an abundance of playgrounds and parks, not to mention the seawall and easy access to downtown attractions like Science World and the aquarium. Whole Foods is a short drive away, and other organic grocers are literally a 3-minute walk from home.

So why move? Well, aside from the fact that we are now reaching that 3-year mark on our rental, we also have Little L to consider. She was recently accepted into the preschool of my school (the one I was teaching at), and its location is about 40 minutes away from where we currently reside. While that's probably a normal commute for some, it is not the kind of commute I really want my 3-year old to have to deal with twice a week. I also recognize that as she forms friendships and wants to go on play dates with classmates, that it may alienate her to be so far away from the school's community. 

Selfishly, I really do not want to move. Sure, I could really use the extra space, I would not mind paying less money in rent, and I definitely would love an open concept kitchen and not having to deal with the structural problems of our current abode. However, moving does not come without a cost. In this case, it could be quite significant. Aside from the typical cost of hiring movers and purchasing some new furnishings, we may also need to buy a new vehicle. We may be looking at landscaping costs, since neither Hubbs nor I have any lawn care or landscaping experience. And we would need to have our mail forwarded and our address changed on absolutely everything, which is no small feat.

Can you hear the dread in my voice?

Part of me is trying to justify staying one more year and and enduring that long commute. The other part of me is already cleaning and culling my stuff in preparation for our seemingly inevitable move.

Ugh. I don't like being a grown-up.