Please… Excuse the mess. Liebling and I moved into our new flat just two days ago and, while we are enjoying our central location, setting up the flat has been a bit of a pain.
I hate moving. I despise packing. Unpacking is 10 times worse.
Those who have been reading for a while may remember the comedy of errors when I last moved apartments in Hong Kong. No bueno, but at least it provided a good blog post. Sigh.
I am a free spirit (read: organizational disaster) by nature. Compartmentalizing my things and packing them neatly away has never been my forte. Reopening the compartments and packing my things away in a new space is even more tedious.
Moving is a chore that I am not good at.
Regardless, little by little we are getting sorted. Despite a few “surprises” in the form of items that were either broken or missing in the flat, when we were assured that everything was present and in tip-top shape, we are generally happy with what we signed up for. The flat is not huge, but seems palatial by my Hong Kong standards, where I paid a loooot of money for verrrrry little space.
Moving into a new place makes you realize just how much stuff you need.
I never thought about the importance of a toothbrush holder (because who wants to put their toothbrush down on the germy counter???) and that mat you lay down alongside the bathtub so you don’t get the floor all wet when you step out of the shower.
Moving into a new place also reminds me how much of a germaphobe I am.
I took to the kitchen and bathroom counters with industrial bleach, refusing to put any of my belongings on them before the caustic agent worked its germ blasting wonders. Ditto for inside the cupboards, sinks, doorknobs, and handles.
If the photos above are any indication, there is a lot to be done before this apartment becomes a home.
We spent yesterday evening at two home furnishing stores getting supplies to haul back to the apartment, after having ordered them online the night before. I am quite frankly exhausted and Liebling and I have been working each other’s nerves as we hotly debate frivolous things like what colour throw to get for the couch (I said magenta, he said white- he won) and what colour shower curtain to get for the bathroom (he said robin’s egg blue, I said white- I won).
If nothing else, we have a nice (albeit hazy, at least today) view of the London Gherkin from our living room and bedroom.
And now, we actually live together, after a long-distance love affair that spanned two continents and 1.5 years of expensive plane tickets for short visits, fear and intense longing, lots of daydreaming about the future, and tortuous Skype calls.
All is well in the world.
Do you like packing? What are some of the things you look for when apartment hunting? Are you a germaphobe like me?
Psst! Don’t forget to “like” me on Facebook if you haven’t already! Your support is much appreciated!
66 Comments
Congrats on the move! It takes time to settle in, we are still adding things to our place and we're been here over a year now. I am also slightly germaphobic and did the same run down when we moved in. Everything was scrubbed/wiped down even though the flat was cleaned before we moved in.
I'm too lazy to be a germaphobe. But I love packing and unpacking! Completely opposite, LOL. Enjoy your new place–looks very nice!
Congrats on the new place! The view looks lovely, and all that natural lighting is enviable lol. Although I consider myself a packing and organizing sleuth, its definitely something I have to psych myself up to do. Unpacking is by far the worst, especially if you aren't already organized with a game plan in mind.
I've been in my new apartment for a couple months now, and I'm slowly decorating bit by bit to make it homey as you say. Next on my list is cute writing desk. It takes time and patience.
It looks like it's going to be really cute once you get things organized. And for what it's worth, I would have been team magenta throw with you 🙂
Congrats on finding a place! As for me, I'm still searching for a flat here.
Yay! Congratulations! It was great to see you yesterday, too!
So excited and happy for you! I know how awesome it feels to finally live with your significant other after so much time away. Enjoy it!
Rather sweet post. Like that your language is getting a bit British: "getting sorted". Or is that normal too in Canada to say since you are actually an ex-colony and member of the commonwealth?.
I'm itching to move to a smaller place, but dread it so much, not only the cost, but like you, the packing up, breaking down of furniture, cleaning, then doing it all again when moved in. My old back protests just even if I think about it.
Since you're so central London, did you find a reasonably priced flat?. I know England is even more expensive than Switzerland, but at least we earn the money in order to spend it for our cost of living. I keep wondering why many English don't need to have two jobs!.
Thanks a bunch for sharing. I really dig your blog!
so exciting!
Hey O,
It's Tanya, I've had to catch up on all your posts…Finally glad you made it to London with your Boo!
Yes, moving…germs..ugh! toilet, did you bleach the toilet?? LOL
Congratulations on the move! Like you, I hate packing and moving but I guess it's something that must be done. The new place looks very nice! Especially the lighting. Can't wait to see pics of it fully furnished and decorated 🙂
Btw, I absolutely adore this blog!
I am so not a packer or unpacker. I detest moving. I just moved and it could not have been quick enough for me. I love things super clean but I am not a cleanholic. In my new place, I did scrub everything down big time because I was not trying to put any of my things in the cupboards etc. Congrats on your new place. Looks really nice from the pics so far.
Hey your place looks great:roomy, neutral decor just awaiting your own stamp on it.
Getting a spacious flat in Central London which does not cost the earth is a very big deal; extra kudos if it's within 10 minutes walk of main transport links, in a nice, safe neighbourhood and has decent shopping and eateries on the high street! I know people who sacrificed space and personal comfort just to be close enough to the tube or to have the cachet of living in a cool, trendy area..:)
It does sound like the real deal now for you and Liebling- living together can be taxing on any relationship, maybe moreso after doing the long distance thing. So here's hoping you both go the distance.:)
BTW – I love unpacking and setting my stuff out 'just so'; I call it my nesting instinct. Packing on the other hand…not so much.
PS: is anyone else having difficulty signing in when commenting? Each time I do so (though I always click 'stay signed in' that never happens)my comments go missing and I need to re-type them. Now I have to copy them then re-paste when it signs me in..
how nice to finally be able to unpack and create a home with your loved one. what a great new phase this will be – very happy for you!
Oh this is exciting Oneika..congrats and hopefully soon the apt becomes a home. and what a gorgeous view!
I quite enjoy unpacking, I like finding each item a home 🙂
Looks like an awesome place! i also can be a bit of a germaphobe so I get why you would clean everything.
It took us one month to unpack and we only finished because we had friends coming over the weekend and my birthday was also coming up. I'm obsessed about cleaning but I hate organizing. I never thought of it as being free spirit but from now on that is what I will say. I'm glad that ur long relationship is no longer long distance! 🙂
Yeah for the move and being able to live together. 🙂 I can't say I love moving but in almost 40 years I have never lived in one place more than 5 years. I move a ton! Moving into a place creeps me out. I have to scrub every inch of it and line all the cupboards.
Oh wow! Congrats on the move and finally being together after all this time! I love the view from your apartment – it looks stunning! I'm slightly envious, as I have always wanted to live in central London but moved further out in order to give my dogs a garden.
GREAT view
Moving is fun…but holy cow can it be a drag. Hope the transition is going smoothly
@Melissa: Thanks! Man we need to catch up, these last weeks have been ridiculous! Looking forward to Saturday!
@Teresa: Different strokes I guess! Thanks!
@caribbelle: That's one of the reasons I love it as well! I love naturally bright places!
@Emily: You have to come to the flat when you are in town!! Magenta all the way- I love brights!
@Eccentric: No way! That sucks! Where are you currently staying then?
@Lady: Thanks and congrats to you on your move as well!!!
@Sheryll: Thanks! Long distance is a pain but it's so worth it in the end!
@foosrock: I'm glad you're enjoying! Nope, we don't say sorted in Canada at all, it's a product of having had British friends in Hong Kong and of course Liebling speaks British English since he's lived here for a while :-). The flat is wayyy too expensive but most decently located accomodation is so we are grinning and bearing it!
@ramblinbess: I agree!
@Tanya: How are you chica!!! Bleach galore! Couldn't live in the flat without it!
@EssKay: I'll definitely do a post once we finish decorating!
@Rhona: Apparently it was profesionally cleaned before we moved in but I don't trust that so I cleaned up anyway lol.
@sprite: Hmm, don't know why you are having problems signing in- that's not good! Thanks for letting me know, I'll investigate. As for the flat, it's quite expensive but everything is expensive here these days unfortunately! At least the flat is within walking distance of Liverpool Street station and the City, which is where Liebling works! We live in Brick Lane and apparently it's starting to become a trendy neighbourhood so rents are ridiculous!
@Kay: Thanks girl! When are you visiting? Try to stopover on your way home!
@Mrs. Pancakes: Thanks! I think the view was a great selling point!
@Deidre: I should employ you to do it for me then!!! 🙂
@B: Germaphobes unite!
@Cata: I know, life seems to be getting in the way of us getting organized!!
@Emm: Thanks! Man, I would LOVE to have a garden, but now I think I'm used to urban sprawl and small spaces after living in Hong Kong!
@Kiki: Thanks!!
@Alexa: It is SUCH a drag. Thanks for the support!
I love that bottom window in your apartment. So cute 🙂
Moving is supposed to be 1 out of 3most stressful things in life. So, it's expected to get a bit agitated during such a time 🙂
@Ashley: Yes, me too! It really lets even more light get in! After a very stressful week things are finally calming down here- thank goodness!
Welcome to London Oneika! Lucky you to have lived in some of my favorite cities. My older sister lives in Hong Kong (mid-levels now in Olympic City). Welcome and happy exploring and traveling!
@Lily: Thanks so much for the warm welcome, Lily!!
Alright now I got someone to visit in London! LOL
My Lanzarote holidays experience is by far one of the best experiences of my life. For those who are budget conscious, you can get cheap holiday deals in Lanzarote.
I'm pretty late to this conversation, but in the event you check these older posts I'm curious to hear what you thought of the renting (letting) prices in London? I recently returned from the UK after 1.5 years of study. I spent a year in Bath (you definitely should visit there if you haven't already) and 6 months in London.
Compared to what I'm used to here in Norway, I found the standard of living in London a bit horrid, and the prices for renting somewhere half way decent were ridiculously high, especially if you wanted to live alone like I did.
Reasonably priced accommodation came either shared or run-down or both whilst decent living space (I consider your digs decent) where there were no visible signs of decay and or germs were through the roof.
In the end I couldn't afford, on my thread bare student budget, living on my own and ended up living in a flat share with 6 other people. It was dreadful. I LOVE London, but the cost of renting did me in (everything else was awesome!).
So I'm really curious about what your experiences and impressions regarding this have been. I notice you live centrally enough to have a view of the Gherkin. That's pretty central — I attended film school in the neighbourhood where the Gherkin is located. Living so centrally located, and in a nice flat, can not be cheap! I hope I'm not being intrusive, but without any intention of being rude, how were you able to afford it? Is it more affordable since you live with your boyfriend? I'm curious because I plan on moving permanently to London, and I really wouldn't want to go through what I went through the last time trying to find clean, modern accommodation! so if you have any tips or secrets, help a sister out! 🙂
@Shells: Hiya Shells! Thanks so much for your comment! You're right, getting good accomodation is TOUGH! If you want something decent and centrally located you will have to pay a pretty penny… Eek! Luckily me and Liebling have pretty good paying jobs so that we can afford the ridiculous rent. Living together and splitting the expenses definitely helps- no way I'd be able to afford the rent on my own. That being said, I paid a lot for my apartment in Hong Kong, so while rents here in the UK are crazy, I guess Hong Kong prepared me for it!
I couldn't believe London was more expensive than Norway in anyway. But letting prices in the city sure did hit me for six (everywhere else is a lot cheaper. I paid a fraction of the rent I paid in London when I lived in Bath — though the quality was lacking there too).
I definitely think its due to overcrowding in London. Higher demand drives up the prices. I was really shocked at some of the places I went to view. Perfect sh*t holes with shared, rundown facilities, but the landlords wanted min 120+ pounds a week. A self contained studio costed 1000+ pounds a month excluding bills, and the quality of the fall was barely there. I dunno if I was just unlucky or what, but I didn't like standard of living at all.
Eating and drinking out, buying food, cab fares etc… all great when compared to Norway! But cost of renting, horrible.
Housing in Norway is super expensive too, but you get what you pay for. Therefore, if you're paying 1000+ pounds (which is almost or about 10 000kr) you can get a nice living space in a nice part of town. And it might include the bills too if you're lucky.
I guess every country have its perks.
@Shells: That's what kills me about London- you don't get what you pay for!! It's the same in Hong Kong. Just unbelievable and really disheartening to think you are basically paying a mortgage for a little crap apartment! Le sigh!
Oh my, I'm just seeing this post – purposely was looking for anything you wrote regarding moving to/living in London. Love your questions @Shells, it what I want to ask as well.
My secondary question @Oneika is do you move household goods between countries or just sell all when you change locations. I had a full apartment in California and it's all now in storage. I am wondering if it would make sense to hold onto it until after grad school (fingers crossed for SOAS at Uni of London)or post to London. Any advice would be much appreciated!
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