When Roomie got married last May and moved out, I was pretty much ready to move out right there and then. I moved into that house for two main reasons: First, I wanted to live in Vancouver closer to well, everything. Second, after living on my own for three years I really wanted to try living with someone. My time in that place with Roomie was amazing, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. But I never loved that place whole-heartedly or felt like it was really mine.
But I stayed there for four more months after that. It was for financial reasons mostly, and also I had to come to the decision that I wanted to live by myself again. It took me awhile but here I am, finally. My new place is amazing, I truly could not have picked something out that is more perfect for me. Here are some of the reasons why I love it:
• The location is amazing
No really. I am within walking distance of almost everything. I can walk to Benny’s for coffee and to see Natalie and Luke. I can walk to Safeway if I run out of milk or butter or bread or dishsoap. But the best part is that I can walk to Ariana’s in my pajamas to watch House or to Michelle’s to hang out with her and Levi for the afternoon. So even though I live by myself, it’s almost like having roommates because my friends are just around the corner.• It has a Dishwasher
My brothers teased me about this relentlessly while I was home for Thanksgiving because every time someone asked me about my new place the first thing I would always mention is the dishwasher. But can I just say that having lived without one for four years, I will never take having a dishwasher for granted ever again? It has literally changed my life by finally, finally allowing me to keep my kitchen as clean as I like without spending at least an hour each day cleaning it. Excuse me, I just need a moment alone with my dishwasher.• There is a Security System
I have had a number of mildly scary run ins with being a single girl sleeping by myself in a scary apartment/house over the years. Remember Nekkid Neighbor?. There is something seriously comforting about being able to arm your security system before you go to bed every night.• The Ceilings are high
Not that I really had issues with bumping my head in the old place, but I remember that de Funk had to bend down around all the light fixtures. It’s nice to know I can have tall people over if I need to. Plus having high ceilings makes the place feel bigger and less basement-y even if I do have to have the lights on most of the time.• There is a usable, nice, bathtub
The old place had a bathtub but for most of the time I lived there it was used as a storage area. Roomie started it before I moved in, but it was my idea to put up the curtains and really make it into a makeshift storage room. In my new place, the bathtub and shower are attached and it is slightly smaller and more functional. I cannot even begin to tell you how much easier it is to shave my legs now that I don’t have to maneuver around a tiny shower.• There are no dead rats in the walls
I may not have blogged about this too much because I didn’t want to freak my mother out. But there was at least one rat that crawled into the walls and died in that place during the last winter. It was gross. It smelled so bad, and there was really nothing I could do about it. And the landlady refused to have someone come in and cut open the wall to get it out (even though Josh Knepper totally offered). Anyway, there are rats in Vancouver. It’s just the reality. But thankfully I don’t have to deal with them in the walls of my house anymore.• It is small and cozy and clean and mine!
Seriously, this place is just wonderful for one person. But it’s big enough (and close enough to transit/friends) to have people over. To cook meals here and entertain. Which I’m so excited about. I haven’t had a place I felt good about inviting people to since I moved out of my parents house. It’s nice to finally have a home thats mine that I can share with people I love.
Because of all these things and more, I feel so blessed. I know God went ahead of me and prepared this place for me. It was worth the stress and the heartache and the sleepless nights and the waiting. I’m pretty much over the moon to have found home.