New House, Who This?

Since I moved to Singapore eight plus years ago, I’ve had 4 different addresses (not counting  one was a 3-month stint on my sister and brother’s couch) and this last place was my longest stint — the place where I lived by myself for the first time. And though it was such a gorgeous apartment with a great location, I knew I had to downsize. I was scared of getting laid off (earlier this year) and I knew I had to prepare.

So with that in mind, I found out that my friends Mark and Barb were moving house as well. They were my first official flatmates and they were wonderful to live with. Over the years, I’ve toyed with moving back in with them, because they’re just so easy to live with and we get along. But the opportunity hasn’t ever lined up. Either I was on a new lease or had just changed and they’d have flatmates too.
This time though, I had incentive. Though my lease still had 1 year left, I knew it was time. It would benefit my landlord to be able to jack up their rent (I had locked it in for 2 years, lower than market but still an increase from my original rent!) and I had given them a long lead time. Plus the threat of a layoff is a HUGE motivator, so I had some push on my side.

And even if the layoffs spared me, I still had an opportunity to downsize and that’s always a good idea. So with the decluttering as a prep exercise, I made plans to move with the same amount of boxes as I had moved in. I had 5 boxes and I was going to try my darnedest to leave with just five boxes. Sure, I have a bed and a desk and a cabinet and a chair, I’m still quite proud of myself for only moving with 5 boxes.

It was hard, but it was good to feel so much lighter. You really realise how much of your shit you don’t use. And it’s a HUGE reminder every time I’m about to accumulate more things. That I most likely won’t need it or use it and it really is better to just keep a tinier footprint than I normally have. So after my declutter in April, I knew I still had some way to go and I did some final cuts right before my move. 

And then there were the viewings and pretending to be a Real Estate agent. And showing potential tenants around and waxing poetic about the place. Luckily, I am in love with this unit and it’s brought so many good memories, so it was an easy sell for me, even if I had to do it over and over. And up until the last weekend before my move (I had given the landlord a 3 month heads up), we found the winners and I’m glad I don’t have to pay the penalties I negotiated if we couldn’t find a tenant before my move out date.

My new place? Gorgeous. I only have a room but it feels just the right size. I have to get used to sharing the kitchen again, but Barb and Mark have been so accommodating. It took me all but an afternoon to really unpack everything — the beauty of only having 5 boxes, but it was nice t put final touches to things.  Getting fake flowers and hanging up what little art I have left. 

The place is obviously further and I have to take an LRT now, but I’m also nearer to Theo and by extension my sister and her husband and that’s a real draw. I don’t have a swimming pool or a treadmill anymore but I can run in the PCN again — it’s been a while since I got to run outdoors. There’s also way less construction and way more nature and that makes me happy.

And as silly as it sounds, my desk faces a window so all my Zoom calls now have me bathed in natural light which is honestly amazing. And my room has a ceiling fan and that’s what really matters. So in the end, I’ll miss my own flat in the middle of the city, but I’m excited for this new phase in my life where it’s much more quiet and with a small footprint. Maybe in my next move I’ll have just four boxes!