3 Things You'll Miss When Moving From Urban to Rural Living

Making the move from living an urban life to rural living can be challenging.

As I have mentioned before, many people new to homestead living have rather unrealistic expectations about what this way of life can bring. Everything is imagined to be undeniably wonderful, a return to simpler times that brings nothing but joy, delighting in animals, and a sense of being at one with nature.

Within your first week of homesteading, those expectations can be scuppered– fast.

If you’re considering homesteading, then you have to consider the things you might miss about your previous way of life. You may find yourself going through a huge upheaval, only to find that it’s not what you quite expected– and you now find yourself longing for your old, urban life in the way you used to long for a more rural way of living.

If you decide on rural living to begin homesteading, then you need to be ready to say goodbye to…

#1 – Easy access to services

There are thousands of services available to people who live in cities. You can call for takeout at any time of the day, hop a cab if you don’t feel like driving, use residential property management if you don’t have time for home maintenance– the options are endless.

With rural living, you simply won’t have access to services like these. You’ll be far more reliant on your own resources, as well as any potential help from neighbors. If you’re used to outsourcing a variety of tasks, you will need to be ready to change your habits before you switch to homesteading.

Rural living can mean less choice of banks, dry cleaners, maintenance services, garages and mechanics, and even babysitters or daycares. Take these services into consideration. Think about how you will make up for the loss of these opportunities you once had.

#2 – Quick access to care

If you live in a city, you’re probably only a couple of minutes away from a doctor’s office, and within a few blocks of a more advanced medical facility. But with rural living, then you just don’t have this same level of care.

This may be manageable if you and your family do not suffer from chronic illnesses, but you also need to be ready to manage an emergency when care is so far away. There will always be options — such as small local clinics — but you have to be ready to live far from the reach of giant hospital buildings that are full of state-of-the-art equipment.

Pharmacies are not as abundant, some towns have one pharmacy only. This means they may not always have access to all medications when they are needed. This can pose a problem for some patients who take recurring medication.

#3 – Alternative shopping options

When you live in an urban environment, you have options for everything you buy. You can choose from 20 different kinds of laundry detergent if you so choose or six different types of carrots. The choice is endless, and if there’s something you can’t find immediately, you can order it for next day delivery and wait for it to arrive.

You just don’t have that kind of flexibility with rural living. You can still order online, but you have to wait longer for the delivery. If you’re in any kind of rush, you have to buy what’s available to you, not what you prefer.

We have become spoiled in urban areas by having department stores like WalMart and Target nearby. In rural towns, some of these places simply do not exist without driving over 50 miles. Another point you should keep in mind when leaving an urban community.

To conclude

Homesteading is wonderful, but it is vital not to adopt this lifestyle without fully examining the potential consequences. Think about the many options available to you currently before diving into rural life only to be disappointed. Think about the changes you would need to make and how you will handle getting services and goods if they are not offered to you.

The move to rural living can be wonderful but can take some preplanning considerations before you dive right in.

Hopefully, the above has provided some food for thought.