The ways that we think about home have a heavy symbolic weight. For many of us, home is the safe, stable place that we return to after a hard day at work, a space in which we can welcome friends and family to celebrate and relax. They’re so much more than just a useful space, our homes can start to become part of us.

Sometimes, however, it can be time for a change. We recognise that it can be difficult to take a step back and truly assess whether your current home is providing you with what you need, so to help you out, we’ve compiled three clear signs that it might be time to move home in 2024. 

1.  Your finances have changed

One of the most common reasons why people are forced to move home is financial pressure.

Maintaining a home whether you own it outright or not, can be very expensive. From the monthly upkeep costs of your local property tax, to building and contents insurance to the general maintenance costs, the expenses can really add up. And that’s before you even add the utility bills, like water, gas and electricity which have seen a huge increase in many European cities over the last two years.

Despite recent energy caps being introduced, the cost of living remains at an all time high, leaving the average person with some serious questions about how to keep up.   

If you don’t currently own your home, then you will know that both mortgage payments and rents are astronomically high at the moment, and take up a substantial portion of most people’s salaries.

As a result, moving home can often be one of the most effective ways of saving money, and cutting down your monthly outgoings.

If you’ve noticed that you’re really struggling financially, then it’s time to take a step back and review what you can do – not everyone can go to the bank of mom and dad for help!

It might not be easy to start earning more (if only!) so the immediate action you can take it to cut back. If you spend a lot on your lifestyle, consider making short term changes that could help you save more for your home expenses.

Downsizing or moving to a less expensive area might just be the solution you need to balance the books a little bit. This is a great strategy if you are also keen on saving up for a deposit for your own home. A year’s stay in more affordable accommodation could be the answer to your mortgage deposit needs!

2. Evolving lifestyle

As we grow older, our needs and desires change with us. While you might have been incredibly happy living in a bustling neighbourhood with bars and clubs in your 20s and early 30s, you might at some point start to crave outdoor spaces and a bit of quiet.

Other factors - most notably having children - can also have a significant impact on your lifestyle. Your old home might not be suitable to raise children in, whether due to certain hazards, the neighbourhood, or just the size. 

Both the extra space outdoors and more bedrooms have a direct cost, whether renting or buying your dream home. Moving to the countryside will offer both the extra space to accommodate your new needs but also access to a myriad of new entertainment venues for a young family, all while offer the needed quiet away from the busy city centre.

If you’ve realised that your house no longer accommodates your lifestyle, it could be a sign that something needs to change. Moving between homes with kids can be stressful, but with the help of a removals service like Kiwi Movers, you should be able to keep that stress at a minimum. 

3. You simply want a change!

Lastly, if you just feel like you need a change in your life to shake things up a bit, or get yourself out of a rut, then moving home might be a great place to start. Your old house might be full of memories, some good and some bad, or you might just be bored of the area you’re living in.

Either way, moving home forces you to actively change your life, providing you with a sense of control and urgency. In some cases, this might be too much, but in other situations, it can be just the thing you need to help you push things forward.

These signs only cover a tiny snapshot of the reasons behind why you might want to move, and even if they don’t ring true with you personally, we hope they enable you to reflect on why you might benefit from a home move in 2024.

Jenny Kakoudakis likes to blog about interiors. She launched award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2014. When she is not chasing criminals out of the financial system (her day job), she gets creative by redecorating her own home.

Download her free bathroom renovation guide here.