posts » Moving

Moving

I finally moved. I boxed everything up (well, I had a little bit of help, much appreciated), it was loaded into a van and then, two days later, it was unloaded in my new apartment in Paris. That was it. I'm amazed at how compact everything managed to be - and it's interesting looking at the representations of my life the various cardboard boxes make.

For instance, I've got ten boxes of kitchen equipment - and I left a lot behind, too. But my kitchen is now half the size it was previously, I've only got two cupboards and I'm still waiting for the cooker and a washing machine to be delivered. So I don't know where I'm going to put it all - for now, it can just carry on living in boxes in the corner of the living room.

I've got a further 25 or so boxes of books and academic material (papers, notes, old folders etc). But I have no shelves, so nowhere to put it all. And nine crates of records - enough, I reckon, to stretch the length of one 4.5m wall in this room. Plus two decks (technics sl1210s), in carry cases, a power-amp, two speakers and a subwoofer unit. I'm not sure how good any of the last three items are as I got them in a car boot sale in Stoke Newington in December last year - but then again, I'm not sure how good any of the audio items are, I've been having difficulties for a while now. One of my plans is to sort that out...

So, next jobs are to get communications sorted (internet, a French mobile number; I put a name on my mailbox this evening), have the cooker delivered, and start to design the flat. I'm thinking I'll have wall-to-wall shelving along one wall, the other side open for a projector screen, and the third side covered with artworks (paintings, photos, posters, perhaps the drum). I've got some friends coming to stay next week, so I'll get their opinion. I'm also planning a pendaison de crémaillère (housewarming, for you English speakers), so will have the opportunity for plenty more input.