This space has been a little quiet lately, I'm not going to lie to you - the last couple of weeks has been a lot a lot a lot of work. I could have days where before lunch I think 'I'm totally nailing this - someone high-five me!' and the next minute I'm convinced they've hired the wrong person. Sounds dramatic, but I'm fairly sure these are just the normal motions when starting a new job, in a new place.
With all of that going on I wanted to make my temporary corporate housing feel more like home, a place to relax away from work, as soon as possible. I found there were a few key moves to doing this, which I'm going to write down for future Lorna, in case she ever has to do this again:
1. Remove all symbols of impermanence
Put away the plastic sign in the living room that tells you what the wifi password is, and move your suitcase out of sight. Throw out the parts of the welcome basket that you're not planning to eat and shelve the basket. Take the bathroom towels that have been concertinaed to look like a sea shell and fold them into squares for the linen cupboard.
2. Replace these with things that symbolise 'home'
Take some of your favourite things - photos, that card that someone gave you, your jewellery box - and put them around the house in places where you can see all the time. In my case I've huddled all of these things on my dressing table, along with an incense burner - this does make it look a little creepily like a shrine but it makes me happy :)
3. Introduce signs of life
In the same way that robots are trolling Mars for life, make it so that if someone were to break into your house tomorrow they could clearly see that someone is living there. Buy some flowers to put in a vase or invest in a purely decorative pumpkin (I may have done this). Let an onion lie around on your kitchen bench. Light some candles.
4. Adopt your previous 'home habits' where you can
I've ordered my clothes drawers in the same sequence (underwear down the bottom, then scarves) and I keep the same whale keychain from C that I've always had. Laundry and groceries are still done on Sundays, and I blog after dinner.
5. Be domestic in ways that tourists aren't
These will emerge out of necessity because your underwear is not going to clean itself, but make sure you do things in your new home and neighborhood that a tourist wouldn't. Buying a jumbo roll of cling wrap can be one of those things.
And that has been my week of late. Not mentioned are things like trying my first microwave dinner, but I'm saving that for another day.
Goodnight everyone! Enjoy home.
With all of that going on I wanted to make my temporary corporate housing feel more like home, a place to relax away from work, as soon as possible. I found there were a few key moves to doing this, which I'm going to write down for future Lorna, in case she ever has to do this again:
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| This is really weird but I actually took a picture of the last time I went grocery shopping to make dinner in Sydney. I just really love Harris Farm! And I made lamb ragu, for those who want to know. |
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| First self-cooked meal - a very tired cous cous with vegetables the day I flew in. |
Put away the plastic sign in the living room that tells you what the wifi password is, and move your suitcase out of sight. Throw out the parts of the welcome basket that you're not planning to eat and shelve the basket. Take the bathroom towels that have been concertinaed to look like a sea shell and fold them into squares for the linen cupboard.
2. Replace these with things that symbolise 'home'
Take some of your favourite things - photos, that card that someone gave you, your jewellery box - and put them around the house in places where you can see all the time. In my case I've huddled all of these things on my dressing table, along with an incense burner - this does make it look a little creepily like a shrine but it makes me happy :)
3. Introduce signs of life
In the same way that robots are trolling Mars for life, make it so that if someone were to break into your house tomorrow they could clearly see that someone is living there. Buy some flowers to put in a vase or invest in a purely decorative pumpkin (I may have done this). Let an onion lie around on your kitchen bench. Light some candles.
4. Adopt your previous 'home habits' where you can
I've ordered my clothes drawers in the same sequence (underwear down the bottom, then scarves) and I keep the same whale keychain from C that I've always had. Laundry and groceries are still done on Sundays, and I blog after dinner.
5. Be domestic in ways that tourists aren't
These will emerge out of necessity because your underwear is not going to clean itself, but make sure you do things in your new home and neighborhood that a tourist wouldn't. Buying a jumbo roll of cling wrap can be one of those things.
And that has been my week of late. Not mentioned are things like trying my first microwave dinner, but I'm saving that for another day.
Goodnight everyone! Enjoy home.
1 comments :
Virtual high fives and hugs! x
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