On The Move

In these times of housing shortages and exorbitant rents you will think I’m CRAZY when I tell you I’m giving up my house…but enough is enough.

I’ve lived in my rental house for 4.5 years now. It’s the 3rd longest house I’ve ever lived in. And while I’ve been pretty happy here, and I’m super grateful I’ve had the opportunity to live so close to the beach and to be able to afford to live by myself because of my non-greedy landlady, it’s time to move on.

It’s time to have the opportunity to live in other areas, to live in lovely comfortable homes, it’s time to give my love to a furry being or 2 (meow) and it’s time to let fate guide me to the next place I’m meant to be.

What’s making me leave?

• I’m tired of living in a house with lineolum on the bench (meant for floors) and as lining in the horrible old pink wooden cupboards that don’t shut properly.

• I’m tired of having to put a piece of cloth under the power switch so the power connects to my washing machine and dryer properly.

• I’m tired of having a HOT shower in the summer because when I turn the mixer to cold I have no pressure.

• I’m tired of spending an hour mowing my lawns every week, and in rampant spring and autumn growth, twice a week.

• I’m tired of living in a house with thread bare wrinkled carpet up the hallway.

• I’m tired of living in a house with windows that won’t open, or, when they do open, won’t close!

• I’m tired of living in a house that’s like a sauna in the summer and a fridge in the winter.

• I’m sick living next to inconsiderate neighbours, who, even with countless calm appeals by me NOT TO, still insist on slamming their back door (sometimes half a dozen times in as many minutes) which reverberates through my house and rattles my shitty windows (no exaggeration). And throwing bottles in their recycling bin at 7.30am or 11.30pm at night (particularly on weekends!) A. I’m not a morning person, and B. they just don’t consider I MAY be in bed trying to sleep at 11.30pm – you think?

Yes, these are 1st world problems and no I haven’t told my land lady about the power switch and water pressure. It’s such an old place I’d be calling her every week with the things that are falling apart!

What I’ll miss about my house:

• It’s location – a 5 minute walk to one of the most beautiful beaches in NZ (and the world for that matter)

• The rent I pay - $300 per week, when the average is now $450.

• It’s mine. I don’t have to share with anyone else and it contains all my things.

For the past two years I’ve AGONISED (no exaggeration, ask my friends) about whether to leave or whether to stay. I’ve sub-let my place when I’ve gone overseas and been lucky enough that all has been well on my return. When I came home from my trip away last year and walked in my door I burst into tears…I didn’t want to be here.

But it’s been bloody hard loosening the grip of ‘security’ that is enmeshed in my psyche. You see I come from a family home that my parents built and lived in until the day they died. They had that place over 50 years. I knew no other home. And so, where everything else can shift and change with no problem for me now, HOME is another matter entirely.

They say “Home is where the heart is”…well my heart’s not here anymore. I’m not quite sure where it is (apart from ½ of it being in Bali). Go live there I hear you say...yes one day I hope to and I’m working towards it with my online work…it’s just not consistent in volume as yet to cover my financial commitments here AND living costs over there…I’m holding onto the dream though.

Am I afraid I’m making a mistake? Hell yeah! But what if I’m opening myself up to something BETTER? I’ll never know unless I jump. And in the past when I’ve jumped…something better has ALWAYS come along…you’ve just gotta take a big breath, TRUST, and do it!

And through all this, I know my friend B who I wrote my last post about, is right by my side cheering me on...

#trust #feelthefearanddoitanyway #takingrisks