Simplifying Our Lives...and the World's Smallest Couch

The world's smallest couch in all her tiny sheet-covered glory.

As I sit here typing: Monday chores are done, our hand-washed clothes are drying on the line, it is 70 degrees with no clouds in sight, and there is a long enjoyable work-off-all-that-hot-chocolate-from-the weekend (we party hard)- run in 20 minutes when I am done writing this post. 

Ever since we arrived in England, we have had to simplify our lives significantly. And I mean, taking the term minimalist to a whole new level-as you can see my pathetic attempt at decorating our flat- but don't worry, I am still in the process of making this place a home.

 We came to the UK with literally nothing but two suitcases each, with as much of our lives packed in as we could stuff.  I have learned just how good we really had it while living in the States. Here in our little flat we don't have a shower, which means baths for days! I feel like I'm 4 years old again playing in the bathtub, all I need now are some toys. We don't have a washing machine, we are still on the hunt for a decently priced used one-everyone has their washing machines in their kitchens here (which means they are miniature) so we have a space for one, just minus the machine. Not sure when we will actually purchase one, seeing as we have no way of getting it back to our flat-I'm sure the people on the bus would love two Americans bringing a washing machine along for the ride. I have been doing our laundry in our bathtub-Daniel had a good laugh today when he walked into the bathroom and I was in shorts, stomping and sloshing around on our clothes. At least it makes the house smell like fresh laundry! I have also learned about the joy of sun-dried clean clothes fresh from the line. Yum. Our flat came with two square tables pushed together to make our kitchen table, 3 ugly blue felt office chairs, a small (how surprising) fridge with moldy food inside, and the world's smallest couch! The underside of our charming kitchen table(s) unfortunately had been the victim of some chewed up gum-which I had the privilege of chiseling off with a pen. I bleached the crap out of our fridge and all the shelves-and it actually looks and runs pretty good now. As for our mini couch...we covered up the ugly and dirty black material with a cut-up sheet. I tried cleaning it and spraying it with fabric refresher-and it made our house smell like baby powder and lysol-not a good combo. So for now, the white cut-up sheet will have to do. So what happened to the the other pieces of that cut-up sheet you may ask? They now serve as our "drapes" in our room, and the spare bedroom. No, we are not allowed to nail holes in our walls, so yes, we did hang up those "drapes" with dental floss. Just keeping it classy over here! All joking aside, it has actually been kind of refreshing having to simplify our lives, and work a little harder to do the simple things that we were so spoiled with in the States. I feel like we have truly gone back to the basics. Hey, at least we have electricity and running water! Not to mention, heat for those chilly Durham nights. I have come to appreciate the little things a little bit better. It's nice to not hear the buzz of a tv constantly, or have a smartphone to mindlessly play on. Our bed may be a small double bed that takes up our whole room, but at least we have a warm place to sleep at night. I love our charming little flat with all it's windows that let so much light in, it's fresh new carpet, the train that goes by every 20 minutes like clockwork, and how we have our own front and back doors with a little courtyard.

 Life is good.