So in April we said goodbye to our first London flat (and goodbye to having wifi at home until mid May!).
I was blasé about this move. After all, last time we’d moved home, we’d packed up our entire lives, driven 10 hours, and moved country. This time, we weren’t even leaving South East London.
And unlike last time, we were so ready to move. Our petite place had become to feel even more so, like it had shrunk in the wash somehow over the last year. Perhaps it was the kitchen sink that was always blocked, the mould that refused to die in the bathroom (and then destroyed my Scandi shower curtain in revenge) or ‘the day ALL the blue bottles came’™.*
Which is not to say that the flat was all bad, not at all. Just as time went on, the things that were funny at first – like the step that always caught your sock and put a hole in it – became less so. But we did get much better at darning socks. And darn it – socks, blockages, mould and yucky flies aside – we had fun this last year. 2013 will always be the year we moved to London and that flat will always be part of that.
So we approached moving with the excitement of two kids waiting for Christmas. Impatient, a little grouchy, a little too over excited. We packed in a hurry as if that could make the move happen faster. And then all of a sudden, as with all things you wait for, it had happened.
We moved.
Which, of course, is an understatement. There was lugging, there was lifting and shifting, and cursing ourselves for having so many books (a hallmark of any move we have ever done).
Not surprisingly, packing up all your belongings into boxes (and a multitude of tote bags when you run out of boxes) was more tiring than I’d have liked to admit. And oh being without internet for such a long time, well, oft.
But it was totally worth it.
I think we’re in the loved up phase with this flat… where every eccentric angle, every ray of dappled sunlight spilling through the windows, every drop of rain tapping at the skylight (possibly my favourite thing ever).
And ok, so it’s a rented flat, but it feels like it’s somehow very much ours and just to have somewhere to call home again is really rather wonderful.
Of course, we’re still sorting things, working out what fits where, discovering a need for furniture we don’t have yet… and even with more kitchen cupboard space we still don’t have room for all the vintage china I’ve collected over the years. But that’s the fun of moving right?
And the furry felines we live with… well, they seem to have settled in just fine. There’s carpet to roll about on, stairs to scamper up and perhaps most importantly a bit more space from each other. (Theirs is a relationship built on being always at least a couple feet apart, unless there’s a spider in the room.)
And the humans… we’ve settled in not too badly too. With more kitchen space, we’ve started cooking properly again (now we have an oven that doesn’t take 90 mins just to cook a veggie burger), I’ve started doing more crafty stuff (see the bright neon chairs in the second picture!), and generally just doing more happy chilling out when we’re at home (instead of frustratedly trying to tidy a flat that was impossibly impossible to tidy).
Yes, everything is going to be all bright now… or at least, a little more neon than before!
*******
*the day ALL the blue bottles came™…
A day that will live on in my memory forever.
If you’re eating, planning on eating, really dislike blue bottle flies, don’t read this bit!
You’re still reading? Ok, well, you’ve been warned…
On a warm humid day, I was working from home when I heard a buzzing in the next room. I opened the door and there were two big bloated blue bottles doing circles around the room… Blurgh. I threw open the window and managed to sort bat them out of the window. Closed window. Felt a bit blurgh. But they were gone, so that was that.
Only wasn’t there a buzzing noise again… This time coming from the cupboard with the washing machine. I opened the cupboard door and four more blue bottles flew out. This called for reinforcements (i.e. fly spray). I dashed to the kitchen to grab it, only to discover that there were now three other blue bottles in the kitchen/living room. It was all getting a bit Hitchcock for my liking. Ok, so there were 7 flies to deal with… except… there were now 10. What the…
I threw open another window to give them the chance to leave before I got crazy with the fly spray.
In the aftermath, I had to pick up the dead flies – with tissue paper – and some of them popped. I still get shudders thinking about this. (I’m pulling a really freaked out face as I type!) But it was done. No more flies…
Except, oh no, not again… buzz…
And so it went on. Buzz, spray, squelch.
I phoned the other half, now quite freaked out at the invasion that seemed to be taking place. He helpfully suggested that our downstairs neighbour might have died. (She hadn’t.) Which did nothing to calm me down. (I’d also very probably inhaled too much fly spray by now.)
By the time he came home, I’d ‘taken care’ of 30 odd blue bottles. I was also irrevocably disturbed by the whole experience. I had eyes like a bush baby that had just spent a whole day dealing with blue bottles…
After some investigating (which I refused to be part of), the other half identified that they were crawling in through the washing machine cupboard. I promptly disowned all knowledge of this cupboard for the rest of the time we lived there.
Blurgh. Blargh. Blergh. Blorgh. Blirgh.
If you read that far, I owe you a cat picture. And gin. And a hug.
I need all three myself!
Zoe, it’s gorgeous! Those chairs, swoon! Is that what you were painting on Instagram? 😉
Thanks Sam, yeah those were what I was painting neon… the pink and yellow chairs are old school chairs (one even still had chewing gum stuck to it). I’m calling the yellow one my ‘highlighter chair’. x
So much pretty and it really is bright! This new place looks very you, it’s like it’s been waiting for you to come along 😀
(Also!! Gawd! The flies! I’ve bush baby eyes too now!!!!!!)
Aww, I like that idea Alexis. We like to say that we’re its current custodians (sounds better than tenants!). And yeah, sorry! Blaeurgh!
Gorgeous flat! I feel you pain – the lugging books, the vintage china that’s still packed away because there’s not even room in the kitchen cupboards and the no internet for months. Moving in London is a nightmare. And well, the blue bottles, I’ve never had that but I know my mum has. Ick. I’m sure a gin or three was definitely called for!
Charlotte {theteapotexplodes} recently posted..St Benedict – A Victorian B&B
Aww, thanks Charlotte… glad it’s not just me (and the problems of china huh!). And your poor mum, though I’m slightly relived I’m not the only person it’s ever happened to! (Lots of gin.) x
Zoe!! I just read the end,,, I need something stronger than gin! 😉
Whisky Sam? 😉
Wowzers, your flat is beautiful!!! And that bluebottle story has freaked me out, a lot. I saw two in our flat the other day, I hope I don’t go through the same thing!! x
Aww, thanks Jo! (And yeah, sorry… I’m sure it was our weird old flat, we thought the drainage pipes were wonky so they were what was attracting them so hopefully you don’t have the same thing. Blurgh!) x
Ok, so where is the neon brick vase from?
Its all so amazing, but im afraid i now need that vase in my life!!
He he… Sophie, it’s actually a plain white brick vase that I painted up. (It’s by these guys: http://www.stolenform.com/catalog-product/view?product_id=18&cat_id=4 Coveted it for ages but then decided it was too plain once I actually had it!)
Ah, Zoe…it’s so lovely to hear that after some headaches of your initial move to London, you all seemed to have found your ‘home’ in the big city!
The new flat is enviably gorgeous! I completely empathise with you fly-tastrophy… Living in our beautiful flat for the last 3yrs, things started falling apart recently. My studio full of mould, constant issues with blocked drains to the point where we had worms coming out of our shower plug hole – Hammer horror movie – yuck!!!!
Our search is continues for our perfect ‘home’ where we can settle and nest…
I look forward to hearing what you’re up to next.
@RedBirdMakes Oh my word… worms! I think that might be totally/definitely worse! (You can imagine how well I’d have reacted to that one!!)
Hope you find a perfect ‘home’ soon – it really is so nice to have somewhere that feels you (and with no worms/flies!) x
It looks so bright and homely and those puskies have got just the right idea to snuggle and relax in there – many happy adventures in your new space!
Thanks Angie, yeah they’re the best examples of chilling there is! x
Oh my god I worked in a place once that was located in a really old building (that probably had rats in the walls, yay!) and something died in a wall somewhere. We couldn’t smell it, thankfully but THE FLIES. OH DEAR LORD THE FLIES. I am not exaggerating, they seemed to be coming from the back room so we hung literally ten strips of flypaper at a time and they would get FULL overnight. I’m talking maybe thirty to fifty flies on each strip. It was like a horror movie going back there and it lasted for about a week. Seriously I’ve never seen that many flies in my entire life. I’ll see if I can dig up a photo, I’ll post a link if I find one.
Okay here it is!! haha http://ablogaboutanova.blogspot.ca/2014/05/caution-dead-fly-photos.html
Nova recently posted..caution: dead fly photos
Holy! That post is terrifying… now I definitely need gin. Bluuuuurgh! x
What a gorgeous looking home, all white, bright, fresh and loved .. YUM, thanks for sharing but oh dear I feel I do need a pick me up after reading about the bluebottles … now thinking of my own bluebottle, Bombay Sapphire! it’s only 4pm….
Aww, thanks lady… and oh dear, yes, sorry! (Do like a blue bottle for a blue bottle story though!) x
Your new flat looks amazing, just how I like spaces….bright and light and eclectic. Can I ask where the kitchen table is from? It looks amazing.
I to have had a bluebottle experience. I woke one morning to a buzzing in my bedroom, I opened the curtains a little and there were about 5 bluebottles on the window. I drew the curtains again and tried to go back to sleep, when it was time to get up and I opened the curtains there were about 20 bluebottles on the window. Truly ugh!
Di recently posted..Amsterdam
Hey Di. The table is actually Habitat – but to be honest, I regret getting it! We decided for once that we wouldn’t source a vintage one as we needed a table quickly… however, it took months to arrive from Habitat and when it did, it was a bit wonky but I was so bored of waiting that we just accepted it as it was. Actually trying to source a vintage one to replace it! (Blurgh to your experience, yuck!) x
Thanks for the heads up on the table…..will,perhaps keep looking!
Di recently posted..Amsterdam
It looks like you’ve found a seriously gorgeous place! And am loving the painted chairs – they’re so awesome!
The flies, urgh, gross! Poor you!
Thanks Sally! I’m pretty pleased with how well the chairs worked out. x
Wow, it looks beautiful! Is all the lovely furniture yours?
Those flies are called cluster flies. I had them in my first London flat, it was the worst day of my life dealing with them. Lots of Raid and a vacuum cleaner. Ugh.
katie recently posted..Lettering workshop with Martina Flor
Thanks Katie! Yeah, everything pictured is ours – we do have a dressing table that belongs to the landlord but we can put it away in the storage area once I find a more me one, but that’s it which is pretty cool.
And ah/arrgh… well, at least I know what to call them now! And yeah I understand your pain!! x
Lovely flat – it looks v.fresh and full of light. Chairs are ace. That blue bottle story! Hideous. I also would have abandoned all knowledge of the cupboard too. We ended up with mice at our last flat which was really horrible. My bedroom is also now an attic space with veluxe Windows and the sound when it rains is the best (and also reminds me of Jurassic park) x
Annie recently posted..The Lake District – ENNERDALE WATER
Thanks Annie! He he, on Jurassic Park… hadn’t thought of that yet, I keep thinking of caravans so far when it rains. Thankfully never had mice, another benefit of having two cats I think! x
Your flat is incredible! There’s nothing about it I don’t like. Total dream flat. x
Alice recently posted..Blogging As A Business: How I Turned My Blog Into My Career
Aww, thanks Alice! Yeah, I’m so happy with… took months of searching but was definitely worth it in the end! x
So much bright indeed! Gorgeous pics, love the new flat and the kitty cats, x
Cate recently posted..I Forgot How to Hold the Needles!
Ewwww, blue bottles, my hubby has a similar story but his cause was far more disgusting, he had a killer cat, enough said! Anyway, horribleness aside, I love your neon chairs, is there a tutorial on its way for these perchance?
It looks amazing!!! Love the chairs too. Glad you’re all settled in now, it looks amazing (I know I’ve already said that – but just wanted to emphasize it!) xx
Ha ha! just read the blue bottle bit… where were the kitties?! Isn’t that their job to catch and eat (bleurgh) the darn things? lol. Not good though. I once stayed at a retreat place (for free – a guest of a friend pass) and our room was completely invaded by blue bottles. Gross. I did feel bad that I had to let the woman know even though I was there for free… but if I was paying a lot of money to stay there I would have been very annoyed and possibly doing a lot of online slating about it – so I figured I was doing her a favour. But yay to new home, blue bottle free 😀 x
I had a similar situation with wasps, where they had built a nest the chimney, and then all decided to come inside in one go. I didn’t have any fly spray, but I found that hairspray and the Yellow Pages (remember that?) came in fairly handy.. xx
Oh dear! The bluebottles. **POPPING???!!!!!** ewwwwwwwwwwww. Hug back ‘atcha. So glad you are all now settled in a fly-free zone.
Sam recently posted..Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. The vow of heroism is not to be taken lightly.
It looks like yours too. There are bits of it that are so like the Edinburgh flat. Lovely!
Lisa-Marie recently posted..Blogging Every Day in May – Day 10
I love it! Wish I had somewhere that feels more like home but I’m still very much in transition x
Leanne recently posted..June Goals
I can’t believe I only just found your blog! I’ve been an avid follower of yours on Instagram for a long time, and love all the beautiful posts you have here. 🙂 I can’t wait to read more! xoxo
Sarah recently posted..another nook
Hi Zoë – found your blog yesterday and love it. I love that place – I live up in the North and my flat doesnt look half as bright – even though most walls are white or nude coloured. BTW I love that cowboy print chair in the second pic – where did you get that from? Thanks