Moving to Spain: What We Really Miss

When a family of four from Connecticut packed up for Las Rozas de Madrid, they had to decide quickly what to keep and what to leave behind. Instead of shipping goods or renting storage, they chose a fresh start: buy new items in Spain with purpose. The process of sorting through years of belongings was both freeing and overwhelming, but after seven months in their new apartment they realized only a few things tugged at them. The bed is the first thing that feels different. In the U. S. , a king mattress filled their bedroom comfortably. Spanish apartments rarely have that size, and theirs could not fit one. They settled for a European double – 140 cm wide by 200 cm long, roughly the size of an American full bed. Even with a tall husband, sharing this smaller space has become normal, yet the memory of their king bed still lingers. Laundry has also changed. In summer, hanging clothes on a line was easy and eco‑friendly. But with two boys who wear uniforms and play outside, the volume of laundry grew quickly. Spain’s homes usually lack dryers, so they now dry clothes in a combined living‑dining room with two racks and one radiator rack. In winter, drying takes all day, especially for bedding. The convenience of a dryer is sorely missed.Books are another loss. As an English major, the author had a large personal library. They could only bring favorites and a bin of books, while the rest went to friends or the local library. Although new titles can be found online, the feeling of being surrounded by personal choices is missing. The boys also miss some childhood items. The 10‑year‑old cried over a Lego Winter Village that he had built each Christmas in the U. S. It was the tradition, not just the bricks, that mattered. The 7‑year‑old’s monster truck collection was sold before the move; he has new trucks now but prefers playing soccer in the park. Despite all these changes, the family finds they miss very little. The furniture they carefully selected, the cars that once made travel easier but now add hassle, and seasonal decorations all feel less essential. Living in a well‑connected Spanish suburb means they no longer need a car, and the simplicity of their new life is refreshing. Their belongings once held power when they were nearby; now, without them, those memories fade.