The apartment became the beginning of a new life for Ingrid and Lars-Göran

In 1977, Lars-Göran designed a house in Götene, where he, Ingrid and their two children lived for many years. But as they grew older, the couple made a shared and major decision - it was time to move. Now they are thoroughly enjoying their newly built apartment and have a clear piece of advice for others in the same situation: take the step!

A year and a half ago, Ingrid and Lars-Göran Gustafsson left the house they had lived in for the past 46 years and moved into a newly built apartment. Now, from the sixth floor, they look out over their hometown.

“I have a very clear memory from the day we moved in. The children were carrying boxes, and I stood there pointing to where everything should go. Then I looked around the apartment and out through the balcony windows and said to myself, ‘I will enjoy living here.’ And I have ever since!” Ingrid laughs.

Ingrid describes the house they lived in as a dream home - at the time. In the villa, designed by Lars-Göran himself, they had a large garden and plenty of space for the family. But once the children had moved out and the years passed, the house no longer felt like the same kind of freedom.
The couple explains how the garden and maintenance of the house became more demanding.

“We enjoy travelling, but when we came home, there was so much to do in the garden—mowing the lawn and weeding,” says Ingrid.

“It felt like a punishment to come home!” Lars-Göran adds.

So even though they had loved the house they had lived in since it was built in 1977, a couple of years ago they came to the conclusion that it was time to start looking for something else.

Wanted to make the decision themselves

When they started talking about moving, they both agreed that they didn’t want to wait too long.

“It was important for us to be able to make the decision ourselves. You never know what might happen in the future - if we had waited, we might not have had that opportunity,” says Ingrid.

Once the idea of moving had taken hold, they joined a housing queue and began clearing out the house. After being in the queue for about two years, a new building project started in Götene. The building would have six floors and was centrally located, close to the grocery store, library and bus station.

The new development caught Ingrid and Lars-Göran’s interest, and after attending a viewing, the decision was easy.

"It turned out that we were first in the queue. Then our son said, ‘Of course you should choose the apartment at the top!’ And that’s what we did. We have a wonderful view!” says Ingrid.

Two-bedroom apartment with a view and a large balcony

The three-room apartment they moved into is much smaller than the house they left, and Ingrid and Lars-Göran took the opportunity to clear out many of their old pieces of furniture before the move.

“We felt that now we’re starting a new chapter in life,” says Ingrid.

Ingrid has a strong interest in gardening, but she doesn’t miss the large garden now that it has been replaced by a glazed balcony and raised planting beds in the shared courtyard.

“There’s nothing I miss here! I feel very safe, which I didn’t always do in the house. And when we go travelling, we just lock the door and leave. That’s freedom!”

“More people should take the step and move”

Since Ingrid and Lars-Göran moved, many of their friends and acquaintances have been curious about how they like their new home. And for them, there is no doubt - moving was absolutely the right decision.

“We tell our friends not to wait too long. Many people should move much earlier,” says Ingrid.

This text has been translated with the help of AI.