It feels kind of amazing, but its already been about 6 weeks since i moved into my new home. It’s been a pretty long, but positive transition. In this post i’m going to reflect on what is working well and what will need some future tweaking.
Perhaps the most positive thing about the new flat is the most suprising. I have setup a little den for the first time!
The den accounts for 25% of the space i have, but it contains about 90% of the things i value. It’s long and narrow and lined with bookcases and shelving. It’s where my books, lego, bike parts and toys all live.
It’s the first time i have unpacked everything since i was a kid. It’s been amazing to feel settled. It’s also very practical; it free’s up my bedroom, office and lounge to be simpler and more focused.
My new flat isn’t huge, so i ended up building the den within a 100ft unit at a local Shurgaurd! It started out as a storage space, but it evolved into the den when i got a free upgrade.
The fact it’s not in my home makes it more special. It’s a place i can visit and go to pick things. I’m constantly swapping out lego models, books and the like. It’s remarkably affordable at £70 a month.
One of the major adaptions we made to the flat after buying it was to convert the mouldy en-suite into a little wet room.
It didn’t really work very well. The shower leaks out and the floor doesn’t drain properly so it kinda failed as a replacement for having a bath.
However, it does work pretty well for small washes. It’s really good for having a little mini shower in the morning so i feel clean. Without being too personal, sometimes i need a shower in the morning and the little wet room works great for this purpose.
It’s not as easy as hoped, but it is easier than what i used to have so its progress in the right direction.
When we decorated the flat we kept it extremely simple and subdued. Light grey walls and white skirting board. Some nice grey radiators (!) and simple flooring. The lounge and hallway have wood floors and the bedroom and office have plain grey carpets.
Combined with the use of many small indirect lights, my home is very gentle. It allows me to control the environment to meet my needs, rather than constantly feeling overwhelmed.
Decorations are minimal, i have one art print in the office and i have a mini bookshelf which has books on it with covers facing out (so it’s easy to pick!).
The mini shower is good for small showers… however its not a proper shower and thats an issue. Long term i need to modify the main bathroom to have an over the top shower.
A proper shower is going to use more energy to use, however it’s more flexble for when its needed. Having both options allows me to pick the right tool for the moment depending on the energy i have available.
I do seem to accumulate clutter! We try and keep on top of it (by moving things to the Den, or regularily having a tidy) but it does keep piling up.
I think part of this is a design challenge. I don’t have a good place to put things like letters or carer bedding. Hopefully we can design and implement better ways to handle day to day clutter in the future.
My new home has been incredible. It’s not been long and i already feel settled. I am hoping that between now and the end of the year i can establish more useful routines and build on the fantastic foundation the flat provides.
