Over the last few days I have come to realise something: I am as prepared for moving out and living independently as I was when I was 16. Less even, because at least back then I had made some sort of effort toward getting things together that I would need, eg. kitchen utensils and a lamp. Here are some things that I believe you must have to live successfully on your own:
1. Fridge - Very important. It’s not too bad that I don’t already have one. There is always one person with a fridge in a share house, and then there’s everyone else who just take advantage of the fridge being there. I was always part of everyone else.
2. Washing machine - Also very important. And very expensive. I would like a front loader, because they seem to be more energy efficient and water efficient etc. But it is irritating that you can’t open a front loader once it’s started the cycle. I always forget things that I need to wash, and then they have to wait until the next time I work up the resolve to do some washing.
3. Towels – This is including but not limited to bath towels, floor towels, hand towels and washers. I feel this needs no explanation. I have a grand total of three towels: 1 pink towel given to me as part of a set for my 18th birthday by one of mum’s friends; one purple towel given to me by mum for Christmas one year; and one Harry Potter towel given to me by Ruth for my birthday a couple of years ago. I would <3 to have lots of big, fluffy, soft towels in nice colours.
4. Culinary tools and serving ware – Including (but not limited to) cutlery, plates, bowls, cups, wine glasses, coffee mugs, cooking utensils (my favourite is the pasta spoon thingy that picks up spoonfuls of pasta and drains water off them. Yay). I used to have SOME decent things, but over time all my wine glasses broke, and all my crockery somehow became mismatched (I don’t think I have a full set of anything). Also, all my pots and pans somehow became mixed up with mum’s, and are now all in the cupboards and I no longer know what is mine and what is mum’s.
5. Furniture – Stuff like… lounges, dining room table and chairs, coffee tables, bookshelves… (I have a small bookshelf at the moment, but I have all these books packed away because it won’t hold all of them. I <3 my books.)
I’m bored of stuff I don’t have. Let’s list the stuff that I do have:
1. Bed – Very important. One of the most important, I think. It’s a nice bed, with a good mattress. It’s currently in mum’s room because it’s pretty big, and hers is the biggest room.
2. Entertainment – TV, DVD player (x2 - the new one plays divx, so I might leave the other one for mum), PS2
3. Work stuff – I have two laptops, a desk, a chair, a printer…
4. Your mum
Yeah it’s a pretty solid list. I guess one of the important things I need is a stereo. I haven’t had one for so long, because I’m living with other people, I always feel like at any moment they’re going to come and tell me to turn whatever I’m listening to down, so I can’t really enjoy it that much. However, if I were to live on my own, the only thing I’d have to be worried about is the neighbours. And who cares if something’s annoying someone that you don’t even know?
I probably would still care. I don’t want to be a bad neighbour.
Oh also, I have a cat to take with me too. That’s a pretty big thing. You’re never alone when you have a cat. Except when your cat wants to do it’s own thing and goes off somewhere.