Making The Move From City To Country Life
I am so excited to be on here talking about our recent, life changing decision that we made as a family! If you're following me on instagram then you've already got a glimpse in to our new beginnings out on the country side, and if not don't worry, that is what this post is all about! Also, if you're new here, I am so grateful for the visit and hope that you enjoy this platform as much as I do. :)
Okay so back to it. I honestly am so excited and passionate about this that I don't even know where to start! Passionate because I am all about doing what serves your inner most joyous self in life, because well we only get the one! I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say they would have, should have, could have in life. Especially when it comes on to real estate. And so we just did not want that to be us. We have always had a picture of the type of home and property that we wanted in our minds, so we did know what we wanted when it was time to start looking. And this house we are in has surpassed what we envisioned we'd be able to get with the property size we wanted. I say that because the real estate market is crazy right now in Ontario! If you know, you know. And since we wanted something with more space and privacy we thought that we would have to end up buying an older house and renovate it to our standards.
Butttt, that was not at all the case. I remember when I first saw this house online... I thought that my husband would say it was too far so I ALMOST didn't even show it to him. But then again I knew that I absolutely could not pass up on it so easily. He loved the house of course and so we set out to book a viewing with our realtor. It was definitely one of those moments where we were both mesmerised by what we saw. The place just looked so much better in person, it was to the point where I was looking for at least one imperfection because it was such a perfect home for us! So with no if, ands, or buts we put in an offer which was accepted shortly after, and that is how this journey began.
Living here in the countryside that is Wellington North, on the outskirts but still close to a few small towns, is definitely different than where we use to be in the Greater Toronto Area. At this point in all of our lives it made the most sense to be here. Ry and I are both very in tune with ourselves and value the family that we have built. We are perfectly okay with staying home, and not only that, but also creating the best home we possibly can in order to really love being home that much more... if that makes sense lol! Maya is also very much so a homebody and we figured that she is at the best age to make this move. She is still young and so we didn't have a hard time with her missing friends or not wanting to leave any friends in the city, especially since her first year of school (JK) was done virtually at home. It is different in the best of ways and I am excited to share the reasons as to why with you guys right now! Also, just as a disclaimer, we were aware before moving here that the potential of us moving in to an area where we'd be the minority in terms of race was high, however we chose to follow our hearts and fully embrace and go after all that we have envisioned for ourselves. We are not the type of people who let those things stop us, in our minds as long as we have each other that is all we need. That of course does not mean that we are oblivious to racism, I am simply letting you guys know that it wasn't much of a culture shock for us!
Okay so back to what it's like:
1. More Privacy
I literally cannot stress this enough. I am an introvert so this was one of the main things I wanted when we started our search for a country home. That both of us wanted really. To just be able to not be 3 feet away from our neighbours like we were at our last place. I love that Maya can be outside screaming and playing and laughing with absolutely no one around to hear it! Or even the fact that we can take full advantage of our amazing surround sound system without having to worry about bothering our neighbours. And especially that I can walk around in what ever I want whenever I want without a care in the world! It literally feels amazing to have so much space with so much privacy.
2. More Peaceful
I feel so unbothered out here. I feel like my mental health is benefiting, extremely, simply because I feel like I am on vacation every day. I am up with the sunlight that beams in from our bedroom balcony doors. The air just smells and feels more pure and fresh. And I get to see nature evolve and just be every single day. I mean our tree line still amazes me on a daily basis. I have always been a nature lover, so this really is my paradise. The roads are never busy and neither are the stores in town. I can always find a place to easily park and I don't have to worry about any long line ups at say the Canada Post office, or a Service Ontario for example. In the city I would have to use a good chunk of my day to get those things done leaving me with less time to do other things. I like to spend my time wisely, so it really is the little things. I just feel good out here, I feel like there is no rush nor lag when it comes on to getting things done, which essentially means I have more time to do the more important things in life!
3. More Accessibility To Healthy Farm Fresh Foods
Simply put, when you live in the country there are not much take out food options, which I think is a good thing. It forces you to cook at home more often. Also, there are many farmers around us, which makes getting organic food a lot easier. We can drive up the road and get farm fresh vegetables, fruits, meats and flowers... all for very affordable pricing. We're able to pick up fresh beef from the butcher and throw it on the grill the same night, which feels really good. I can truly taste such a difference in a lot of things simply because they're fresher and organic. Plus we feel good about supporting local farmers. Living a healthy lifestyle is always the goal, and although we are not perfect we are always trying our best, and so this accessibility just gives us that added convenience in being able to do so!
4. More Beautiful Scenery
As I said earlier, it just feels like we are always on vacation out here! There's been times when all three of us have said that certain things we see outside remind us of some where we've been, or in Ryeon's case where he's from, Jamaica. It really is just so beautiful to see a new side of Canada that is not excessively built up on yet. There's so much greenery, different types of trees and plants, and farm animals to be seen every single day. It really allows us to appreciate our drives more. It grounds me in ways that the busy city traffic could have never done. There's just something so beautiful about seeing cows graze, and hearing our neighbour's horse neighing in the morning. It kind of just reminds me of how simple life can really be. Might sound weird to you guys now, but just trust me on this one!
5. More Space
So even though we've downsized in terms of our house square footage, we've up-sized our land/lot! We didn't really need or want the three storey house. We mostly just wanted a liveable indoor space with an acre or two, and that is exactly what we got. So now we can play things like soccer, volleyball and basketball without having to worry about the road being too close or about hitting a neighbours car with a basketball or something. We can do the things we love with each other in our own, private space with absolutely no worries. Princess, our dog, can roam and have her fun too even though she sometimes takes advantage of all of the space lol. But regardless, living in the country guarantees you a lot more space and freedom to choose what you wish to do with it! We definitely have plans to do some things with all of the yard space we have, and we already have a few good sized gardens on our property that are just gorgeous. We are so grateful for all of the space we now have in and outside of our home!
6. More Relaxed
I mean it's not to say that I wasn't relaxed in the city, it's just that being out here I feel like I am even more so. I can wake up and enjoy a latte on my balcony, while listening to the birds, horses, and roosters that are near and up with me. The crime rates are lower here, which is something to consider when you have kids and a family. I really do feel like I am on island time here... with the great help from my beautiful surroundings. So yes, definitely more relaxed. And there's also that small town feeling that is appreciated as well!
7. More 'Chicken-Raising' Friendly
Maya and I were finally able to fulfill our great desire to raise a few chickens out here, because of course, we couldn't do this in the city with the little yard space we had! Maya will often say that she feels like she's a farmer when she is out with the chickens, which is so cute. She loves watching them grow, chasing after them and really just caring for them. I of course also love having them around, and this is another thing that I find really grounds me and brings me to appreciate the little things in life. They also help to just take my mind off of work. I love it, Maya loves it and Ry has grown to love it, he's definitely not new to the idea of having chickens around because back home he did, but it's still something new and exciting for all of us! Plus we should be getting some fresh eggs from them eventually, so that's another added bonus!
8. More In Alignment With Our Values
So last but not least, this move is just us. We value having a warm, loving home with a spacious and private property for us and all of our family and friends to feel amazing in. But first and foremost, we value family and each other. Living out in the country aligns with each and every one of us and I'm just excited to continue on this journey to see what else it has to offer us as a family, because it's been great so far!
Thank you all so much for joining me on the blog today to read about what my experience with living out in the country has been like. I feel like this is a great post to read yourself or to share with a family member or friend who is on the fence about making the same move that my family and I did from the city to the country. I wish you all nothing but the best if you are on that real estate journey, and just remember that what is meant to be for you will always be!
Talk soon,
S.S.
Proud of you guys xox looking forward to some great holiday gatherings.