It’s time for a change.
No, I’m not quitting my job!
Where else am I going to find a gig in Tokyo that pays as well as mine does and gives me seven weeks of paid vacation a year?
I’m talking about my apartment.
I’ve been in my current place about a week shy of a year, and while I like it, it’s time to move.
Why?
Several reasons.
1. The location bites. Sure, it’s convenient for work (only a 3-minute walk), but for everything else I may as well be living in the sticks. I need a place closer to a station, which would be much better for getting out and about in Tokyo. It’d also make it easier to get home to, since I wouldn’t have to depend on buses to get home from the station. (Buses that stop running at stupidly early hours.)
2. It’s not big enough. My current place has been great for a starter apartment, but I’ve outgrown it. My kitchen has become a bit of a storage area and is more than a tad unsightly. (It’s clean, just cluttered.) I’d like to be able to set up my furniture in a way that looks decent. And being able to open cabinet doors without them bumping into the couch would be nice too.
3. My projector. Yes, it works just fine now, but I’d like to be able to have it set up properly. That means hanging the screen on a wall instead of from the closet doors. It means having the rest of my AV gear and game systems set up so they’re under the screen (proper line of sight for remotes) instead of off to one side of the room.
4. I want a proper living room. (This is related to #3, but deserves its own bullet point.) I want a place with separate living and sleeping areas. For one, it just looks nicer. I don’t need to “student life” look in my home. I want things to look more orderly. Also, it’d be cool if friends who came over and wanted to crash had an option besides “the floor.”
So, to fulfill these needs, I told my boss’ husband yesterday that I want a new place. I’m interested in neighborhoods a couple miles to the east of where I’m at now. Still convenient to work, but a lot more convenient to the station(s). (Tobu-Isesaki line, specifically.) I want a largish one-bedroom with a proper living/dining room.
And I’m willing to pay for it.
I know the rent will be higher than what I’m paying now, but so what? Convenience costs, but I know it’ll be worth it. Besides, I’ll save money on taxi rides and get the exercise benefit of a longer walk (or bike ride) to work. I’m hoping to be moved by the end of October (sooner would be even better). I’ll keep everything here updated and let everybody know how the hunt is progressing. And if you’re in Tokyo, consider this post your semi-official notice:
There will be a housewarming party. ^.^