Use of walls

A day spent drilling holes in my wall, just because I can. Oh the wonders of being a home owner! With the help of my parents I have made the final crucial additions to my flat; things that I've had planned right from the start: wall mounted storage solutions.

I was actually shocked how expensive wall-mounted shelving can be. It's surprising, but once you've bought the tracks, brackets and the shelves themselves as separate components and it quickly adds up. Never mind, I can now officially say that my flat is properly fitted out and all it needs now is a good tidy up.

Best of all though is that I have now implemented what I call bicycle storage for men. That's right ladies, none of this "bicycles belong outside in the shed; inside the home is only for pretty things like pot plants" malarkey, we men hang our bicycles on the wall.

Shoe Rack

For a while the acquisition of furnishings for my flat has become a prime concern. For example, in a civilised dwelling there is not a big pile o' shoes™ in the hallway. Footwear is installed in a dedicated piece of footwear storage furniture.

Enter the offer of this article from a friend of my Mum's.


Now, to start with I wasn't so keen on it so I turned the kind offer down, it was after all too large. However, after a trip around IKEA drew a blank for suitable shoe racks I re-considered my decision, remembering that I am, after all, an engineer extraordinaire. By that point it had been thrown on a firewood pile and was covered in mud and bird poo, so needed rescuing.

This is where we cue the A-team music. Stand back everybody, that's right, I'm gonna modify the the shoe rack!


Now it's more than just a shoe rack, it's a shoe rack with a story behind it.

Is it a Sofa? Is it a Bed?

Today heralded the arrival of my newest and definitely my favourite piece of furniture. Yes, that's right, my flat is now graced by the presence of a new sofa... or is it a bed? In either relaxational configuration it is limb-meltingly comfortable. How comfortable? Well, today I took the day off in order to be in when it was delivered. When it arrived just before mid-day I sat on it for a bit... then tried lying down on it... and fell asleep for 3 hours.

Gooood sofa.

Now in Magnolia

‎"This new flat means more to me than just home ownership" he said.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Freedom from landlords, my own space, a new start..."
"No no," she interjected, "what's that?" she pointed.
"Oh," he paused, "yeah that's a bit disgusting... I'll have to paint over that."

Yes I've spent the last week beginning the process of turning my empty flat into my home. I'm very much indebted to my parents for their help with all the painting and cleaning and helping me get established with a washing machine and fridge.

Everything's been moved out of the old place now, and the keys handed back. I am truly living in my own flat now!

‎"Get a plumber, get the water connected, hire a cleaner, maybe a cook - live like real middle class people."
"Get the water connected?"
"Yeah."
"So, not connected now?"
"Not so much."

Completion!

Today I passed an important milestone; I have just completed on the purchase of my very own flat.

It's all happened very suddenly. Yes I kicked off the process months ago with a conversation with an independent financial advisor, really got things moving when I put in an offer for the flat I wanted, but until now it all seemed like stuff that would happen at some indeterminate time in the future.

That was until I picked the keys up this lunch time.


I will confess that I felt quite emotional when I found myself stood in my own home for the first time. That's what it's all about though; my home. For the last five years and especially for the last six months I have felt as though I haven't really had a home, just somewhere I have lived. I can stand in my bedroom, my office, my living room and feel the anticipation for all of the future scenes from my life that will unfold in this space.

Most of all I want to give my thanks to my grandparents without whose boundless generosity none of this would have been possible.

There's no plug for the bath, the paint on the walls has a nice singed effect going on above the storage heater and the previous occupant somehow managed to melt the handle for the grill in the oven. Bliss...