They traded Gothenburg for Kinnekulle

Sofia, Simon and their three children left Gothenburg to get closer to nature. They found their dream home in Kinnekulle in a former country grocery store where they converted the old stockroom into a studio. And now that Simon continues to run his company remotely, the family has more time for nature, art and each other.

Four years ago, Sofia and Simon made a big decision. They left their apartment in Gothenburg, a city where they’d lived for 20 years, and moved to an old country store in Kinnekulle.

“I’d never been to Kinnekulle before we went to see the house!” Sofia laughed.

During the pandemic the couple began wondering whether the apartment in the city was right for them. Their home felt too small, and both of them longed for a house with a yard with space enough to grow vegetables. But the cost was prohibitive. In Gothenburg, houses with space for the family’s three children, their cats and a yard cost more than the family was willing to pay.

And once their thoughts turned to leaving the city and moving out into the country, the couple could not let go of the idea. Although their wish list was quite long, when the couple found the house in Kinnekulle in the municipality of Götene, everything felt right.

“We were looking for a house that we could develop and extend, without having to do too much renovation. We also wanted to live in the countryside and have a large plot. As soon as we got here, everything fell into place. The house was just the right size, and what used to be the country store stock room had the potential to become a large studio,” says Simon.

“What’s more, there were two greenhouses and a mature backyard. Having fruit trees was a dream come true. And now we have several, and a walnut tree, too,” adds Sofia.

Runs his company from home

Simon has his own company, where he and his employees create digital teaching materials for high school and adult education. When the couple lived in Gothenburg, he was in his office on Järntorget every day, but since the move, almost everything is done digitally.

“I have employees in Gothenburg, Linköping, Stockholm and one in Götene – me! The rapid digitalization brought about by the pandemic has created opportunities that did not exist five or 10 years ago. These days, doing my job from our house in the countryside is no problem as we have broadband here just as we did in the city! I have virtual meetings with my employees every day, and even though the major networks and venues in my industry are very centralized to the big cities, I can take part in everything remotely. In fact, I see advantages in not being tied to one place, and by being able to find the skills my company needs anywhere in the country,” says Simon. 

While Simon continues to run his company, Sofia has been retraining since their move. She and Simon share a great interest in art, and are both artists. Previously, Sofia had a job that involved many hours in front of a computer monitor, and she realized she wanted to meet more people at work. She took an online course to become an art teacher, and as soon as she was fully trained she got a position with Falköping’s municipality.

“Finding a job wasn’t hard, even though we live in a small town. Because Skaraborg consists of many towns located close together, there’s a broad jobs market,” says Sofia. 

They let art take its time

One major reason the couple left Gothenburg was to have time for things other than their occupations. The cost of remaining in the city would have meant long days at work for the couple. Because a house in Skaraborg is significantly cheaper, especially a little way outside the urban areas, the couple can now spend money on things other than housing costs. To spend more time with family and their art, both now work 80%.

“There’s far less financial pressure here than if we had stayed,” says Simon.

Sofia and Simon both say they were a bit worried about leaving the creative environment they enjoyed when they lived in Gothenburg. But their worry soon disappeared once they discovered the great interest shown in art in and around Kinnekulle.

“Working with art in Gothenburg was wonderful, but there is so much art all around us now! Artists seem to be drawn to Kinnekulle, and everyone is very open and welcoming. We’ve been invited to events where we can showcase our art, such as Kinnekulle’s spring and fall exhibitions, and have gotten to know a great many nice people through art,” says Sofia.