Housing advice

Apologies for my lack of updates! Apparently, semesters in Japan do not organise themselves...

So here is something relatively light, but topical, I feel, to a great many students at this time of year.

When buying a house! What I think it's important to consider, from my first year's experience of choosing somewhere to live, and not doing it very well:

1. Decide if you prefer bills included - so you don't have to feel guilty switching on a light or cooking your dinner, and don't feel a tiny urge to ask guests to pay for having showers - or bills not included, which is slightly more stressful, but will usually be substantially cheaper in the long run.
2. Tumble-drier/airing cupboard - or ANYWHERE to dry clothes, so that there are not constant loads of washing heaped on every radiator and airer available, and you still end up lugging loads of laundry up to your boyfriend's house in an attempt to commandeer his house's tumble-drier
3. Kitchen table - I have no idea how we didn't notice this one when we looked round houses last year, but we didn't. Lesson learned. Kitchen table necessary.
4. Shower which runs off gas, not electricity. Especially if bills are not included, or this one gets pricey.
5. A thermostat away from all other electrical devices. Apparently, this is a thing.
6. Not too much greenery in the back garden - there will be no light in your house, and I mean ever, and it will be freezing cold in July.
7. Selflessness. Yes, you know what you want from a room, of course you want the most convenient storage space, ooh look, that one has the double bed. But it's important to remember that you're about to sign away (at least) a year of your life to living with others, and it wouldn't be the best idea to open hostilities this early. Keep in mind that you can make your room individual without the help of acres of space, and that if you have a tiny room, or the worst shelf, or an infestation of wolves, you can use this to take advantage of your housemates later on.
8. Cleaning rota. This year I've learnt it's important to be honest early on. Where you are on the scale of how clean you want to keep the house, or if noise is going to bother you after (or before) a certain time, how often you're going to have friends round. It helps if everyone's on the same page.

I've genuinely loved moments of living in my first ever 'house' house away from Home, and most of those were due to some particularly delicious house-mates. I have learnt a great deal though, and I'm thankful to have the opportunity of practising how to live in a house with people for a year, before having to go out into the world and living somewhere super long-term.

Good luck to all embarking on New House expeditions.

Yours, homely,

Abby

The Fox House

It has happened. I am moved in. Why is this for certain now and not three days ago when I arrived? Because, quoting The Incredibles here, I've finally unpacked the last box! I adored my uni accommodation room. It was a good size, only 2 years old, and always seemed so clean. There was a giant pin-board and a full-length mirror and an ensuite, and it was lovely. It does not compare to this. I barely decorated my room last year, it didn't feel enough like my space to go batty with it. This year, all change! This year, my room is MINE. As previously posted, it is gloriously tiny, with no free space making it look big and empty. The walls are covered, and I mean covered, with my posters (Van Gogh Cherry Blossoms, Alex and his Droogs, Plan of the Ghibli Museum, and Flight of the Conchords) photos of all the fabulous people I've met and places I have been in my life, a pin-board overflowing onto the walls with tickets and postcards and letters from my friends, and with all my necklaces hanging from pins. A giant flag with every flag in the world on the ceiling, and Chinese lantern fairy lights and hand-made bunting hanging around. A panda rug covers the only floor space left, and I have a plan for the remaining ceiling space too...

How full my room is should accurately depict just how in love with it I am. My real home will always be in the village where I grew up, but, boy does this place come close. The house-mates are slowly filtering in too, making it seem so much more like home. Just two more of them to move in, and I can't wait until we're all here. The six of us would very often go out as a group together in first year, and for one thing it'll be so much easier logistically when we're all together! The dressing-up box is ready and waiting in the front room for the first BOP!s...

Happy bustling is still going on, so life in Uni Town won't grow static before term starts. Cupboards are being shared out, hot water being understood, and a couple of nights out have happened already. So speaking of which, there's a fridge which needs cleaning of mould...

Yours, hygienically,
Abby