Latest news with #movinghouse
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
'I moved from Brazil to Leamington Spa and asked - is everything closed?'
They say moving house is the most stressful thing you can do in life. But imagine if you weren't just moving house, but moving continents. Having to learn a new culture, a new way of life. Now imagine you are balancing that with a new relationship, starting a family and having to begin a career all over again on the bottom wrung. This is what happened to Bianca Rodrigues-Perry - a Brazilian native, who met and eventually fell in love while on holiday in Spain with David from Leamington Spa. Swapping the beaches and the hustle and bustle of Rio De Janeiro 16 years ago left Bianca, or Bia as she is known, reeling. Combined with a traumatic pregnancy and having to start a successful marketing career all over again, Bia in the leafy avenues of Leamington Spa, felt like she'd left an important part of herself back home in the busy streets of Rio. Read more: Hail and thunder warning for Coventry amid heavy, humid showers But trying to remain positive, she did start to rediscover herself in her new town, thanks to the love and support of her family, husband David and their two children, as well as a passion for the food she grew up eating at home. 'I remember walking through Leamington Spa for the first time and asking if everything was closed,' she laughs. 'It was so quiet compared to Rio!' In Brazil, Bia had run a marketing and production company organising events and mixing with international artists and celebrities. Her life was busy, creative, and full of energy. 'I went from being a businesswoman in Brazil to feeling completely lost here. I had postnatal depression, and at one point, I didn't want to live anymore,' she says. 'I didn't recognise myself.' It was a dark period that Bia says she got through with support, faith, and a belief that her story wasn't finished yet. Food, always central in her life, became a lifeline. She'd been cooking since she was 12, growing up in a family with Brazilian, Italian and Portuguese roots where food was 'how we showed love.' Even when she wasn't working in the food industry, cooking was always part of her identity. "I've always loved telling stories through food,' she says. 'It's in my blood. If you visit my mother's house and you're skinny, you're not allowed to leave again until she's fattened you up!" That love found a new creative outlet in Warwickshire, when she began working on Bia's Kitchen Show, a video series supporting local food businesses. The project – part podcast, part documentary, part storytelling platform, and later a book, is her way of giving back to the community she now calls home. It's not Bia's first time in front of a camera though. In 2021, she appeared on Couples Come Dine With Me alongside hubby David, a decision made on a whim after a friend encouraged her to apply. She went on to wow her fellow participants with her charm, hosting skills and extensive and unique culinary panache, winning the show along the way. 'I didn't care about winning, it was just great experience and good for exposure. And I think the producers liked me because I was a bit bonkers and didn't speak perfect English – great for TV!' But her latest venture is different. It's less about the spotlight, and more about amplifying others. She produces, interviews, and promotes – combining her experience in events, marketing, and food. Now, she's taking the project back to her native Brazil to film a new series of episodes across different restaurants, aiming to showcase the diversity of Brazilian cuisine. 'I want to show people that Brazil isn't just barbecue and carnival. There's incredible food influenced by so many cultures – indigenous, Portuguese, African, Japanese, Italian – and every region has its own identity.' Bia's journey hasn't been easy, but it's one she's proud of. From entrepreneur to mother, from Rio to rural Warwickshire, she's built a new life, and hopes her story might help others do the same. "It's about connection. About using what I have to give back to the place that welcomed me. Moving here and becoming a mum changed everything. But so did food, therapy, and my relationship with God. I've fought hard to get where I am now and I wouldn't change that." Find out more about Bia, her shows and even her recipes, on her website.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I moved my family-of-7 out of a four-bed home and into a caravan – downsizing is chaos but we save £2.7k a month
WE all know that moving house is a struggle, but it was even harder for Lucy Vernon as she ditched her four-bed house for a caravan. The family of seven decided to leave the spacious home in Cheshire due to the cost of living crisis and swapped it for a mint green caravan. 6 6 6 6 Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Lucy, 30, a stay-at-home mum to her five children, Bella, 13, Coby, 10, Dolcie, 5, Bea, 3, Jessie, 1 1/2, revealed why she decided to downsize from her luxe Cheshire home to a tiny static caravan. She says: "Originally, the house was a three-bed, but they turned the garage into a bedroom. So, our bedroom was downstairs and all the kids' rooms were upstairs, it was a very spacious house. "The living room was massive. It was like a living room and a diner. The kitchen was huge, the biggest kitchen we've ever had. It was the biggest house we've been in." The rented property, which the family had for two years, may have been the largest but it was also costing them a fortune. leading them to seek out alternative housing. That's when the couple decided to live in a caravan, sacrificing space to keep money in their pockets to buy their own land. Lucy says she and her partner, Scott, 31, who owns a haulage company, were paying £3,000 a month just on rent and bills. "We were just chasing our tails all the time," she explains. "That was the turning point for us. Because it was just too much. "Even though it was a gorgeous house and we had the pleasure to live there. And it was a nice area, it was just too much financially." Last month, they made the big move and the caravan is currently located on her family's land, meaning she doesn't need to pay fees to stay there. 6 6 I wanted to give my caravan's old sofas a makeover so found a £20 way to transform them completely - they look brand new Now, the couple only pays for gas and electric bills, which cost £300, meaning they'll save £2,700 every month. The family had been thinking of living in a caravan for years, as they both wanted to save money and eventually buy their own land so they can raise animals and enjoy more financial freedom. But Lucy revealed that sacrifices have been made in their downsizing, including getting rid of lots of personal items and having less space. In the house, they had four large bedrooms but have now downsized to a three bed with a tiny kitchen and bathroom, while the parents sleeps in the front room. Now, the youngest share rooms and Bella has her own, while Lucy and Scott sleep in the front room on the sofa that converts to a bed. LIVING in a caravan can be an economical and flexible lifestyle choice in the UK. Here's a breakdown of potential costs: Initial Costs Caravan Purchase: £8,000 - £40,000 (depending on size, age, and condition) Caravan Insurance: £200 - £800 per year Ongoing Monthly Costs Pitch Fees: £150 - £600 (varies by location and facilities) Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water): £40 - £120 Maintenance and Repairs: £20 - £80 Internet and TV: £20 - £50 Gas for Heating/Cooking: £15 - £40 Other Potential Costs Waste Disposal Fees: £8 - £25 Transport Costs (if moving locations): Variable, depending on distance Optional Add-ons (Awning, Solar Panels, etc.): £400 - £1,600 (one-time) Sample Monthly Budget Pitch Fees: £400 Utilities: £80 Maintenance and Repairs: £40 Internet and TV: £40 Gas for Heating/Cooking: £25 Total: £585 Annual Estimated Cost Total Monthly Costs: £585 x 12 = £7,020 Insurance: £500 Maintenance and Repairs: £480 Total Annual Cost: £8,000 Tips to Save Off-Peak Pitch Fees: Look for lower rates during off-peak seasons. DIY Maintenance: Handle minor repairs yourself. Energy Efficiency: Invest in solar panels to reduce utility costs. While initial setup costs can be significant, ongoing expenses for living in a caravan can be relatively low, making it a viable option for those seeking an affordable and mobile lifestyle in the UK. The act of downsizing has meant the mum has had to shift many of their belonging. Lucy says they have got rid of lots of clothes and toys, either selling them on Vinted or donating them to charity. Lucy adds: "It's been quite a bit of a long process because we've had to throw a lot of our things away to fit it in because we've got five kids. So, you can imagine it's been a struggle. "There were a lot of people who did get bargains because we were in a desperate need to sell the stuff. "We did do the prices quite low, but altogether we probably got a thousand for all the household stuff." "All the children have had to downsize with clothes and toys, but it's just one of those things," she adds. Lucy says downsizing hasn't proven to be too much of a problem, but that the kitchen has been a struggle. Close friends have said 'I couldn't do it' 'I like my own space', but this hasn't been an overnight decision. Lucy Vernon "Storage in the kitchen is a squeeze, I used to have loads of plates for when people came round, now I don't have that choice, it's just enough for us," she says. "But it's been quite nice, it's less cluttered. "We had a big telly in the old house, it was like 60 inches, now it's 38 inches, there's nowhere to put a 60 inch TV in the caravan." Lucy also admits that when she brought the move up to friends, they were left questioning her decision to uproot her life. "Close friends have said 'I couldn't do it' 'I like my own space', but this hasn't been an overnight decision, we've thought about this for a while," she adds. "Being in the caravan now, feels like home, I feel more freedom. "We can see the money stack up, we're doing strict budgeting, everything is going into savings." While Lucy has never lived in a caravan before, she's adamant she made the right decision and has even found it to bring the family closer together, and not just in terms of space. "The caravan has brought us all closer together," Lucy explains. We can see the money stack up, we're doing strict budgeting, everything is going into savings. Lucy Vernon "The older ones, Bella and Coby, were always on the iPad or on the phone. We've noticed they actually want to sit with us now, because we're closer as there's not as much room, they can't run off to their rooms." While she's loving the new lifestyle, Lucy says she and her family are preparing for a hard winter in the caravan. "We haven't had a winter yet, but we're already prepping for that, oil radiators in storage, we know were going to need them, the caravan has radiators in the bedroom and a coal fire in the front room," she says. Once the pair has enough savings, they hope to buy their own land to live on a larger caravan or a lodge where they'll have room to raise animals without worrying about rent increases.
CTV News
13-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
What you need to know about moving with kids
Ottawa Watch Moving house can be a stressful time for anyone, but especially so if you have young kids. What can you do to make the move a little easier on the little ones?
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Insurer won't pay for stolen tools amassed over decades - as we don't have receipts: SALLY SORTS IT
My husband, now in his seventies, was a British Railways engineer and amassed a vast collection of tools, which he kept in our garage and garden tool stores. We are moving house so our son sorted and labelled the best tools into boxes and locked them in the garage in preparation. But when we came home from church on a Sunday morning, we found the garage had been broken into and all the expensive power tools stolen.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Love Island's Laura Anderson gives tour of her HUGE new mansion with en-suite rooms and garden so big it could be a park
LAURA Anderson has given fans a sneak peek inside her HUGE new home. The Love Island star, 36, shared clips of her new property - which features a massive garden with stunning sea views. 5 5 5 Laura said: "I mean actually can't believe I've got a garden and I can't believe this is my garden." She then turned the camera around so her followers could get a better look of the immaculate lawn. The star's new home also includes a massive dressing room with patio doors - perfect for getting dressed up before a night out. Her one-year-old daughter, who she shares with ex Gary Lucy, 43, also has her very own playroom, filled with toys. The hallway is also an impressive size and has a big staircase leading to the first floor, with some seriously high ceilings. Laura stunned fans with her master bedroom, which has floor to wall windows and even a second dressing room. Laura, who is dating Scottish footballer Clark Robertson, also has a spare bedroom for the couple to invite guests to stay over. And if that wasn't enough, they've got a huge living room area, kitchen/diner and patio space to host some parties. Yesterday Laura revealed that it was her last day in her Glasgow flat. She told fans: "I'm moving house tomorrow. "I have just finished packing. The removals are coming in the morning. Oh I feel weird, feel like I am getting a bit emosh." Laura continued, "It's just weird because this is the flat I brought Bonnie home for the first time. I've packed the whole place myself, I've been here for two years. I moved here when I was literally eight months pregnant and yeah just thinking about all the times with her and the hard times. "Now I'm actually moving to a house." The mum-of-one then shared a clip of her packing surrounded by boxes. She went on to say: "This is what I've been doing. This is why I have been MIA packing everything," she explained. "It sounds really echoey, you know when there's nothing on the walls." She added: "Just drying last bits of washing. I hate going to a new house with dirty washing. "I've packed all Bonnie's stuff, she's at my dads, so everything is empty." Laura will be moving into her new home with her boyfriend and daughter Bonnie. Laura previously told The Sun that boyfriend Clark slid into her DMs three years ago but she ignored it at the time - and only decided to reply last year. Laura said: 'I didn't make it public for a little bit, but we've been together for a little bit. It's nice, it's chilled, no drama, just simple. A good Scottish boy, I can't complain." She then revealed how she met her new man, saying: 'It's not very romantic, he messaged me online and I saw it about three years later and replied and here we are.' Laura admitted Clark is different to her other exes and guys she's previously dated – saying she's in it for the long-haul. She gushed: "He's kind and patient and normal and beautiful and he makes me laugh.' 5 5
