I'm moving house tomorrow... again. It is one of my least favourite activities in the world, yet somehow I've ended up moving house virtually every one to two years for the past decade and more. Packing up all the random bits of my life into boxes and discarding other assorted bits always puts me in a wistful mood. Thinking of the various events that have happened in my life while I lived in a particular space, from the mundane everyday stuff to life-changing events like new relationships, friendships, breakups etc.
When I look at an empty home cleaned of all my stuff, it's like seeing the imprints of your life vanishing, and that space becomes a blank slate once again where once upon a time, it was where you cried your heart out, stared for hours at the ceiling in despair, spent countless nights wondering if any of your dreams would ever come true. All these spaces hold different memories from different parts of my life, that are often also associated with different people that have come and gone out of my life. And then the memories become all that you have.
Here's a brief recap of all the times I've moved:
1. 1996 - from Singapore to UK to start university
2. 1997 - moved dorm
3. 1998 - moved dorm
4. 1999 - from Singapore back to UK after graduation and then to California for graduate school
5. 2000 - from US back to Singapore to start work
6. 2003 - moved to Tokyo, Japan
7. 2004 - moved to another apartment while my apartment was being renovated
8. 2005 - moved back to my apartment
9. 2007 - moved back to Singapore, then to New York briefly, then back again to Singapore
10. 2008 - my apartment was sold so moved to a rental flat while my new place is being built
11. 2009 - moving into my new apartment
Nevertheless, I am looking forward to my new home which is in a much more peaceful neighbourhood than my current one. Just hope that it will be quite some time until my next move.
When I look at an empty home cleaned of all my stuff, it's like seeing the imprints of your life vanishing, and that space becomes a blank slate once again where once upon a time, it was where you cried your heart out, stared for hours at the ceiling in despair, spent countless nights wondering if any of your dreams would ever come true. All these spaces hold different memories from different parts of my life, that are often also associated with different people that have come and gone out of my life. And then the memories become all that you have.
Here's a brief recap of all the times I've moved:
1. 1996 - from Singapore to UK to start university
2. 1997 - moved dorm
3. 1998 - moved dorm
4. 1999 - from Singapore back to UK after graduation and then to California for graduate school
5. 2000 - from US back to Singapore to start work
6. 2003 - moved to Tokyo, Japan
7. 2004 - moved to another apartment while my apartment was being renovated
8. 2005 - moved back to my apartment
9. 2007 - moved back to Singapore, then to New York briefly, then back again to Singapore
10. 2008 - my apartment was sold so moved to a rental flat while my new place is being built
11. 2009 - moving into my new apartment
Nevertheless, I am looking forward to my new home which is in a much more peaceful neighbourhood than my current one. Just hope that it will be quite some time until my next move.
24 comments:
Wow! That's great you've been so many places! Is your new home going to be in Singapore too? Good luck with all the moving!
i know your pain. i have moved more than 20 times in my life and i am moving to my new house (under renovation) in november and again, to sydney in dec/jan! i have gotten so used to moving that i am now like a robot when it comes to moving.
good luck with your move. :)
Hi Lina,
Thanks, my new home is in Singapore too :-)
Hey Jojoba,
I just can't bear the thought of another overseas move! It's bad enough moving within Singapore. I just want to be able to stay in one home for more than 2 years!
Your new home looks beautiful. :)
Wow! That is a whole lot of moving... good luck with the latest one!
Hello Haru,
Congrats to you moving! I am almost done with mine, but I think in 6 months or 1 years time, I'll be moving again.
Have been moving like every year once, very very tiring. Haha!
The place I am renting, well I am suppose to sign some agreement which the agreement is so weird.
Sigh, I wish I can get my own place soon!
ur life is sure exciting! getting to travel and see the world!
ur new place looks fantastic! ^-^
OMG you have moved toooo often, hehehe, If I were you, i'm probably gone mad. Nice picts of a new place. ^_^
It's lovely to get the chance to live in another country but I totally agree with you about the whole packing process.
Your new home looks lovely I hope you enjoy your stay there.
Wow! Seems a bit tiring but exciting as well. Just look at the bright side, at least you get to do more shopping for your new home. hehehe Good luck! :)
I love what you wrote about the empty spaces and the memories they contain. Very poetic and rings so true. Despite the pain of moving, I guess that's life! And even if you don't move places, you change people, you change workplaces, you change yourself.
Iris, wow to all places u've been to. And your new place looks great too! Enjoy your new home ^^ xxx Lissi
Hi Iris,
Did we ever talk about being in UK at the same period of time? Did I kinda missed out on that? =) Or is my memory failing me?? I was in Birmingham from 96 to 99. But I do love to go to London once in a while ;)
I can't imagine moving house now. I have acumulated sooooo many stuff ever since i got married. *embarrassed*
Hey is that B******a? I may move there too!
*pat pat*
Your new place looks awesome. I will miss going to your place so easily and chatting makeup with you. :) SG is small though so I look forward to visiting you at your new home! ;)
Hey Plue,
Thought I was the only person who's so unlucky with having to move so often! But it's nice to finally own my own home :-) Good luck with yours!
Hi Raspy,
Yes, I have been very lucky in being able to live in different countries. Nevertheless, sometimes you just get a feeling of not belonging anywhere and wanting to settle down. Now I'm very reluctant to pack up my life and move anywhere!
Hi PinkyKathy,
It is a very tiring and stressful process, my mom does most of the work actually but I do all the heavy lifting of stuff!
Hi Miss.friendz,
Thanks for your kind wishes!
Hi Eka,
The shopping process was quite tiring but thankfully we managed to settle everything within a couple of weeks! I hated shopping for lights the most, cos your neck aches like hell afterwards!
Hi Deb,
I totally agree. I also loathe moving office/cubicles within my workplace! Sometimes it can be positive as there are some things you're very happy to leave in the past and move on to new and better things! Not material things but life situations.
Hi Virginia,
Thanks for your kind wishes!
Hey AhCapp,
Yup, think we talked about it! I was also in the UK from '96-99 :-)
Hi Karelessly,
Yes, that's B******* near Clementi/Jurong! It's quite lovely, but need to have a car to live there. But IMM is very near (with free parking!) so at least there's a place nearby where you can go to get everything.
Hey mag,
I'd love for you to visit my new place sometime after all the renovations are done! :-)
My good friend will also be staying in your estate. She is renovating now. Hope to run into you.
hehe look on the bright side if is near IMM you can practically go Daiso everyday! haha...hope you will have lloonnnggg and good stay there!=)..
What a beautifully written paragraph on moving from home to home. Not quite what I expected from a beauty blog but you sure got my attention :)
Wow, you are probably now an expert at packing! :) I moved a lot when I was a kid. It takes me awhile to start hanging up pics and decorating my space because of that experience. :) But packing up for a move is good. It gives you a chance to clean out all the clutter in your life. And it's always fun to unpack and decide where your stuff should go in your new surroundings. Best of luck to you! :)
Sunny
ooh that's crazy! How can someone move so often?? ookay, I've never moved in my life (except to dorm). Must be strange...but that new apartment with the surroundings looks amazing! I'm sure you'll love it! And don't go anywhere this time =D
omg, I know how you feel! I've moved like a zillion times throughout my twenties - from my parent's home to Boston for college, then back to home, then to Los Angeles, then to the Inland Empire, then to another address in the Inland Empire, then to Orange County, and this weekend I'm moving to another address in the OC. I freaking hate moving! But I imagine its so much more difficult when the move is overseas. Even moving across state lines is daunting here, because you have to get new medical insurance, reregister your car and get a new driver's license, etc.
Indeed a very sentimental entry...: cgee
Hey there. I just chance upon your blog. Oh my. Im loving your life. What job do you do that allows you to work overseas? I wish I can have my own place or rent a place outside. Nice condo!
Post a Comment