Are you considering relocating your family to the country for a bit of the good life? Memories of those summer holidays on the beach in Cornwall are a strong incentive to encourage you to break free from the rat race. Those happy holidays memories are all the more endearing when you are fighting your way through the rush hour in a noisy city. But beware, Cornwall is a different place in the winter, so make sure your next visit is in February or close to this time and see what a different place it is then.

Do not assume that things in the Country are done the same as in the City, they are not. Plan and prepare as you would for moving to a foreign country, when you arrive keep an open mind to the ways and customs. Remember why you moved to the country, often these reasons include lifestyle and a slower pace of life. The knock on effect of this often means that when you want to get something done it can often take much longer.

Do not bring your city spending habits with you. You will no longer need the designer shoes and jackets unless you enjoy sticking out like a sore thumb. Casual is the country chic, think surf gear and wellington boots. Change the twenty pound bottle of wine for some Cornish cider and remember you do not have to spend money in the country to have fun.

If you are stuck in a rut in the city it does not mean everything will change when you move to the countryside. Start changing your life before you move, go for walks in the park, go to the gym or start running. Buy an instant vegetable garden and start living the good life now. You may find the city life actually suits you best.

Make sure you know what it is you really want – is it by the sea or down track miles away from your neighbors? Do you want to be in a local community within walking distance to a pub and shop or close to a small town? There are positives and negatives to all of these, so dig deep to work out what you do and do not want.

After you have narrowed your search down to specific areas check out the local facilities available. Broadband is not a certainty if you live off the beaten track, although some of the wireless dongles now available are affordable but it is worth investigating before you buy your dream home. Do you enjoy takeaways delivered to your door in the City; well think again, in the countryside these are few and far between. How much is a taxi ride from your local pub or town? Fifty pounds may not have broken the bank when you were earning city wages but if you are downsizing to a country income this will become very expensive.

Once you take the plunge be prepared to have your breathe taken away by the autumn sunsets, the quiet of a winter beach walk, the view of the milky way and a home-made Cornish cream tea. Enjoy.