Wednesday, 11 November 2015


Well, it has been a whirlwind of emotions since I got my keys to my brand new flat! I thought I was being the most organised person ever by booking an entire week off week, so I could paint, prep, DIY my heart out, and turn my new empty shell into the dreamiest of flats.

Did the plan work? Er, kinda?

Here's ten things that happened during the world's most exhausting week.

1. I collected my keys from my solicitor at 4.55pm on Friday (nothing like cutting it fine!), and then INSTANTLY was hit with a weird anxious dread that something was going to be wrong (you can see my pathetic tweets about it here). I told myself I was just being stupid, until I arrived at the flat, discovered I ACTUALLY hadn't been given the correct keys, and the solicitor was closed until Monday morning. I cried in the stairwell (because buying a house is a Stressful Thing to do), and then had to get an emergency locksmith to break down the door and let me in. Good times!

2. I then had a weekend of SO MUCH PAINTING ahead. I had totally underestimated the number of rooms that needed redone (I think that's always the case), but luckily I had a gang of amazing helpers who made the whole thing much easier. We painted the massive living/dining room, both bedrooms, and had the arduous task of painting candy stripes on a bright pink wall - such a FAFF to do, but I'm delighted with them!

3. It was during this time that I discovered that the flat has the most amazing views over the city, and on clear days you can see the most incredible sunsets! I've never lived in a top floor flat before, and I feel giddy about the views - I can see beautiful old rooftops, church spires, an old volcano, and Edinburgh Castle itself!

4. The downside of living in a top floor flat? Stairs. Lots and lots of stairs. And spending your life apologising to delivery men who have to lug massive boxes (and sofas and fridges) up those stairs.

5. I've had to kit out the entire flat from scratch, so the bulk of my furniture came from Ikea (aka the most terrifyingly massive online shop I've ever done!). I was so proud of getting so many things for bargainous prices that I didn't think about the fact I had to unpack and build it all... and it took FOREVER. I still have two bits left to build, but I don't think I can face picking up an allen key again!

6. After a fairly painful few days I had finally built most of my furniture, had lugged the last of my boxes upstairs, and was looking forward to a day of pottering about my new flat, slowly unpacking things. What did I do instead? Only accidentally poke myself in the eye with my lovely new houseplant, which was so bad my eye was swollen for TWO DAYS and I couldn't do anything but lie in the dark and feel very sorry for myself. What an idiot.

7. But I made it through my eye trauma (without any lasting damage, phew!), and I unpacked my books! Since moving from my old house with a library, I've had no space for bookshelves, and my poor books have just been stacked on top of each other, making them impossible to access so they've all got a bit dusty! Now they are pride of place in my living room, and looking lovely.

8. As I'm a boring grown up now, I decided to 'treat myself' to replacing the boring square tiles in the kitchen with lovely subway tiles lined with grey grout. My poor tiler rolled his eyes when I asked for subway tiles (I think they are literally all he does), but I'm excited for my pinterest kitchen dreams to come true.

9. One of the reasons I was so excited to move is that I've been living in a flat without a bath, and I miss them so! As a reward for getting all of my flat missions done (and handing back my old keys, bye flat!), I went to Lush to buy about a million bathbombs. I tried the Intergalactic bathbomb, and it turned my bath into a beautiful galaxy sea, it's so lovely!

10. But my smugness of getting almost everything done in one week has come crashing down. I just happened to ask my kitchen tiler to fit a shower screen in the bathroom... he noticed some tiles were loose, which led to finding a leak in the shower, which led to a leaky bath, a floor destroyed by damp, and the realisation that I need to rip out the ENTIRE bathroom and replace it with new floors, walls, tiles, units, EVERYTHING. Everything's in such a bad state I can't even use it (there's a hole in the floor!) so I'm getting kicked out of my flat while the work is being done. And I don't know if I can claim the cost back? Oh god oh god oh god.

So it's been quite the week! But I'm coming to terms with it, the flat IS lovely (if you ignore the rotten bathroom floor!), and surely that's my bad luck over? (touch wood!). Send good vibes my way please!


  1. Boo, bad news about the bathroom but the rest of it looks and sounds lovely! Loving the rainbow bookcase idea!

    1. Thank you! It's so nice to actually have bookcases again.

  2. oh hun i totally sympathise, weekend one in my flat I left to go enjoy the ed fest to be called at 6 in the morn to rush back as new flat was flooding the whole close. then the fridge went, and the microwave and finally the washing machine!" Lots of initial expense but always worth it. it is looking gorgeous- thrilled for you! xx

  3. I'm pretty sure the previous owners have to pay for that bathroom stuff - it was pre-existing damage, right?

  4. I honestly started to feel anxious just reading this, I don't think house buying is something I see in my future, far too stressful! Your flat looks gorgeous though, I just love that wooden chair and have a sudden urge for a lush bath bomb bath. xx


