It’s more than a month now since I moved to a new apartment. I mentioned my plan to get a new apartment in my 2019 Financial Review before the pandemic caused a worldwide quarantine aka the “new normal.”
Alas, it’s my first time to leave on my own.
I felt like singing On My Own from my favourite broadway show Les Miserables. The movie was worth every penny when I watched it . . . on my own.
Apologies for the pun and long hiatus from blogging.
I’ve been busy doing a bunch of stuff on my . . . own terms. It’s all about me me me. What I want and need.
The Things that Kept Me Busy
Again, I have to give credit to minimalism for making my move easier than the first.
I maybe turning into a pro renter/mover or nomadic.
For the past few days I’ve been busy with a lot of to-do and to-buy list.
1. Enlisted reinforcement. I simply asked a friend to help me out move my stuff to the new apartment because I sold my car after my first moving out.
The same friend found my current apartment through an acquaintance met at work.
When I was offered to be helped in moving out I immediately said “yes.” Who am I to decline.
2. Used plastic bags. I never use boxes in moving my stuff for safety and convenience.
It took three times going back and forth to my old apartment to carry my stuff mostly packed in black plastic bags that were used when I moved to the old apartment.
Some of my stuff like documents and gadgets are in boxes and plastic containers; these makes moving easier and enjoyable if I may add.
3. Gifted with used items from a friend. It’s the same friend who is somewhat a relative. My friend was happy to give me cutlery, plates, tea cup, microwave oven, and a pot.
Who would have thought that I can survive using only one medium-size pot.
I use it for everything because there’s nothing else.
Oatmeal, barley, miso noodles, udon, and even kombucha are cook using my one and only pot. I’m lucky to have it for free.
4. Bought a dining set online. It took me a long time in deciding which dining set to choose and I was also having fun on how I use what I have as a dining table.
For three weeks, I was eating on top of a yoga mat, countertop, box, chopping board, and study table. It was doable that I wondered if I still need a dining set.
Who am I kidding? Even Flo and HL of Thoughtworthy Co has a dining set but no sofa. I love though their projector; should I get it instead of a sofa?
I settled for a minimalist and light dining set.
The Burdett 5 Piece Dining Set was on sale for $236.99 on Wayfair. My dining set was delivered for free right on my neighbour’s front door.
I live in the basement so I had to take out the chair and table out of the box one by one. No sweat at all. My neighbour helped me out while keeping social distancing still.
5. Shopped online. Other than a dining set, I also bought from Well.ca a cold pressed organic coconut oil and a conditioner bar.
These are items I added to my zero-waste items that I use daily. Although I use a bamboo toothbrush, I still have to use and can’t find any replacement of my Oral-B electric toothbrush. It is a durable brush that I hope will last a long time.
I’ll write a review of the coconut oil and conditioner bar after a month or so.
Related Post: My Dental Care Routine
6. Shopped in stores. I may have bought many kitchen stuff although some were given by a friend.
Fortunately, stores opened a few days before I move out. My friend and I had to wait in line outside IKEA where I bought most of the stuff that I need like bathroom rugs and kitchen tools.
My countertop is now cluttered with toaster and Brita filter bought at Canadian Tire.
I like how Benita Larsson, a minimalist from Stockholm, Sweden keep her countertop free of clutter. I wish I can hide away my gizmos. Wait. I can do that.
Related Post: Things I Only Buy in Dollarama
The other stores I went to are Walmart, Real Canadian Superstore, Dollarama, and HomeDepot.
That’s a lot of store. No wonder my Tangerine Mastercard racked up $10 cash back while TD Minimum Chequing account no longer waive the $3.95 fee. I have to pay regardless of how much is the balance.
Maybe it’s time to consider a credit union. First Calgary Financial comes in mind. Any thoughts?
7. Installed Wifi with Shaw Self Connection Kit. I’ll write more about this in details because it’s supposed to be an easy task but it was a struggle or should I say a challenge brought about by the wiring setup in my apartment.
But I promise ordering and setting up the kit is a piece of cake.
There’s even an icing on top of the cake. My monthly Wifi bill is only $63 a bit higher than my FIDO cellphone bill ($48).
Should I only use a talk and text plan on my phone since I have free Wifi at work?
8. Froze fresh broccoli to lessen plastic usage. It’s my goal to live a somewhat zero-waste lifestyle. It’s impossible to eliminate plastic in my daily life but I’m doing my best to intentionally buy items without plastic packaging. Sometimes it’s impossible and I have to take it as it is.
But trying is more important than wishing.
I successfully made frozen broccoli and placed it in a Ziploc. Freezing fresh broccoli is easy that I don’t know why I put it off for a long time.
It’s time to do the same with cauliflower, spinach, and carrots. What else can I put inside a freezer?
Slowly, I’m starting to go back to my routine personally and creatively.
Back at It Again
It feels good to blog again and share all my adventures as a solo renter and travel before the pandemic.
After buying stuff for the house, I bought myself my first sustainable T-shirts on Organic Basics. I used Jusuf 10% discount code.
It’s a treat for myself for working hard because I did all the moving and cleaning while having a full-time job.
I never stop working since the start of quarantine in March so I don’t have a story to tell on how I use free time to better myself.
But I did make a list of what I will do in case I will have lots of time on my plate.
Well that didn’t happen so I’ll have to make do with the time and energy that I have. Now that I live on my own I can manage my task and time however I please.
Cook whenever. Sleep and watch less Netflix on a day off. Siesta is a must though. Exercise early in the morning.
And blog most of the time. I have so much drafts about travel and lifestyle. Till the next post.
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