Whether you’re retiring and looking to downsize, or if you’re looking for a slower, quieter pace of life, moving into a residential home can provide you with the peace of mind you are craving. For some, it even offers financial freedom.
For all its benefits, making the move from a brick and mortar house to a residential caravan park can be a big culture shock for some, so we’ve put together some tips to help make the process as smooth and as easy as possible.
Leave the Appliances Behind
Unlike traditional houses, our residential caravans are kitted out with all the modern appliances. Our brand new residential homes come with integrated facilities such as ovens and dishwashers, meaning you needn’t worry about finding space for yours. You can rest easy in the knowledge that you will be moving into a fully kitted out kitchen that likely matches or exceeds the size of your existing one.
The same goes for the bathroom. All our new caravans are finished to the very highest standard, so you don’t need to worry about remodelling an old bathroom to bring it up to date. The luxury of moving into a caravan is that you can hit the ground running – no building work required.
Be Mindful of Storage
Our residential homes are built with storage and convenience in mind, with smart storage solutions to ensure that you’re never lacking in space. That being said, if you’re downsizing, you may find that there is less space than you’re used to. Before you turn up with all your belongings and nowhere to put them all, think about where you might store things in your new caravan and where overflow items will go. You might consider renting a storage facility for things you want to keep but not necessarily in your home, or you might donate/throw away items you no longer wish to keep in any capacity.
We’re confident you’ll have more than enough storage to keep your home looking tidy and functional, but it’s something that may take some getting used to.
Think About Furniture
A lot of brand new caravans come fully furnished with top of the range furniture, but if you’re buying an older property or would rather use your existing things in your new home, you will need to account for room sizes. Many of the static caravans on our residential parks are spacious and airy, but if you’re used to a three or four bedroomed-house that covers multiple storeys, you will inevitably need time to adjust to your new, smaller space. Whilst you will have viewed your new caravan home prior to buying it, it’s worth having a second viewing to take measurements.
It may not be possible for you to fit your existing two sofas, two reclining chairs, nest of side tables, entertainment unit, sideboard and coffee table into your caravan living room. This doesn’t mean it’s short on space or cramped, but rather that there is typically only one sitting room and therefore compromises may need to be made.
It’s no different to moving into a bungalow or a single-storey apartment, but naturally, if you’re used to something much bigger, a bit more thought will need to go into how much furniture you can feasibly keep.
Remember Your Bills
We mentioned previously that for a lot of people – especially those downsizing – buying a caravan can be financially freeing. Depending on the sale of your previous house and the cost of your new caravan, you could end up living mortgage-free, but this doesn’t mean you’ll have no costs.
When you move into a caravan, some of the bills will mirror those of a brick house whilst others may be new to you. It can take some time to adjust to, but luckily it’s not too complex. For example, you will still need to pay electricity and gas bills but a new bill to you will be site fees.
Here at Allens Caravans, our residents have access to premium services across our parks such as swimming pools, bowling greens, golf courses and clubhouse bars., As per all of our parks, for the plot that your residential home sits on, we charge a pitch fee to each resident. The price will change depending on the location of the park, but we’re more than happy to talk this through with you before you move in.
Meet The Neighbours
We mentioned previously that for a lot of people – especially those downsizing – buying a caravan can be financially freeing. Depending on the sale of your previous house and the cost of your new caravan, you could end up living mortgage-free, but this doesn’t mean you’ll have no costs.
When you move into a caravan, some of the bills will mirror those of a brick house whilst others may be new to you. It can take some time to adjust to, but luckily it’s not too complex. For example, you will still need to pay electricity and gas bills but a new bill to you will be site fees.
Here at Allens Caravans, our residents have access to premium services across our parks such as swimming pools, bowling greens, golf courses and clubhouse bars., As per all of our parks, for the plot that your residential home sits on, we charge a pitch fee to each resident. The price will change depending on the location of the park, but we’re more than happy to talk this through with you before you move in.
Get More Advice from Allens Caravans
If you need more advice and guidance on moving into your first caravan, we are more than happy to help. Whether you are looking to buy a caravan and don’t know what site to go for, or if you have already bought a caravan and want further advice on the moving process, our team is on hand. All you need to do is call us on 01564 792323, or submit an enquiry online.