Now that I have been living here for 11 weeks – I had to double-check the calendar a few times before I believed it had been that long! – I thought you might be interested in an update on life in Yellow House.
There is one lone big box still to be unpacked. It’s full of handbags.
My handbags (there is more than just the boxful) will sit on the top shelf of my wardrobe. That shelf doesn’t yet exist. Instead I have this horrible metal contraption which makes hanging clothes difficult. Friends of mine, Lucy and Chris, are going to remedy the situation for me as a housewarming present. I should organise a time to get that happening.
Most of the boxes (except for my studio) were unpacked on moving day. Turns out that wasn’t so great; I really should have taken more time and organised as I went. My linen cupboard is just as chaotic as when I first unpacked and the pantry is only slightly better. On the positive side, I do have more storage space than I need. At least at the moment. :)
I am really loving the new paint colour in my bedroom. My own little oasis from the yellow. :) It's funny though, now that I have this room painted I don't feel the urgency to complete the other rooms. Maybe I just needed to put my own stamp on Yellow House.
Last week I gathered my courage and hung the first frame in my bedroom. I didn't want to wreck my pretty painted walls!
It was only three weeks ago that I discovered there were hooks on the back of my studio door. It's not like they were subtle either:
Somehow I managed to not see this for 8 weeks!
My studio is slowly coming together. It's unpacked and has been getting a lot of use. My parents gave me their old kitchen table and I'm loving the larger surface to work on. I do intend to post photos, just want to make it pretty first. :)
The biggest issue with Yellow House is the lack of bench space in the kitchen. I find it interesting that when I have visitors and am doing something in the kitchen, the visitors seem to float around, having nowhere to settle. I plan to get an island bench with room for stools on the far side. That should solve both those problems, as well as the lack of drawers in the kitchen. Seriously, who builds a kitchen with not a single drawer?!
Unfortunately, I was all set to book in and order my island bench, only to discover my kitchen guy had injured his back and is out of action for 3 months. Now I'm back to the drawing board trying to work out what I'm going do.
However, I have redone the sealant between the kitchen tiles and the bench. The old sealant was grungy and ick. Didn't do a bad job at all, if I say so myself. :)
Also on my list to get done - have an automatic garage door opener-thingy installed. Needing to get in and out of my car to heft the garage door up and down really drives me nuts. To the point it's a disincentive to go places. And it's only going to get worse when winter arrives!
I love the floors here. Well, loved. My feelings diminished a little when I realised how they show dust and little bits of paper so much more than carpet does. And, they are twice the work - sweeping and mopping! ;)
The bathroom seems to have become home for my step ladder. I am really missing having a full length mirror - getting one is on the list to do. In the meantime, climbing the step ladder and using the bathroom mirror kind of works. UPDATE - After an Ikea yesterday, a full length mirror now graces the back of my wardrobe door.
Every time I see my Dad, he asks if I've made any progress on getting a washing machine. Dad says he is going to pick one topic at a time and will keep mentioning it till it's resolved. I don't see any hurry to get a washing machine though. No point - I've managed to break the clothesline!
Yellow House has one rule - you aren't allowed outside when it is windy. The fences wobble alarmingly and I think it might be a safety issue - don't want to have anyone bonked on the head! That reminds me, I need to trim the hedges out the back as they have shot up in the last few weeks. I don't even own secateurs!
Let me see...what else? I can't find my fridge magnets. I know I packed them but they haven't been seen since. It makes me slightly nervous, wondering what else I might have lost. I have terrible trouble remembering to turn on the outside light when I'll be out late. Living in an apartment building, I didn't need to. On the plus side, I'm getting better at unlocking the door in the dark. :) Three light bulbs have blown since I've moved in and I've managed to replace them all. This probably doesn't seem significant unless you realise how utterly hopeless I am at buying the right light globes!
Oh, and I feel like I'm short on surfaces. I miss having more places to put my pretty stuff. I might need to look into getting some shelves.
I had been here almost two months before I realised I am officially living on my own for the first time. And I love it.
Love living in Yellow House.
