Number 5

About 18 months ago when I lived on my own in my little one bedroom flat. Now, I say little but it wasn’t very little at all. My flat was one of those really grand buildings which I think had previously been an old office block or even bank many many years ago. It had a spiral staircase going all the way up, there was no lift either so thank god I only lived on the second floor otherwise I would of been doomed. My front door was big and white with a big gold 5 on the front. My living room and kitchen were one room but there was so much space, I had a dining table there too with only 3 chairs (the 4th lived in my room). The saddest part was when I moved out and I had to give all the furniture back to the charity shop because I couldn’t bring it to Manchester. I also had this magnificent sofa. It was AWFUL but in the most charming way. It was that awful velvet, scratchy material and was an off yellow colour. It was teeny tiny and couldn’t fit more than two on and I had to get a poof for my feet otherwise most of your legs were hanging off the sides. It was also a sofa bed which was GREAT for when you just wanted to snooze and watch tv (always). It was £10 and like my chairs and table, I gave it back to the charity shop- with a giant bum shaped dip in the middle where I used to sit.

So because my flat was so big with its large ceilings, it was impossible to keep warm. I had single pane windows where they were so high you had a little pole of you wanted to open the top ones. When I was at uni, I couldn’t work because I kept coming to Manchester and no one wanted to hire me which meant I had no money whatsoever because my loan went on my bills & rent. So my mum gave me £20 a week to live off for about a year, definitely couldn’t afford having my heating on, in fact I didn’t even know how to switch it on and when my mum did, it stank the entire place out with dusty heating smells.

However, I did have my hot water on all the time so everyday I could have a bath and defrost myself. I also had an electric blanket which I think without it I probably would of gotten leprosy or hyperthermia. I would wake up on a winters morning and my bed covers would be damp from the freakish cold. Sometimes I’d go into the shopping centre nearby and just chill because it was warm and my flat was so desperately cold.

It was then I made a pledge to myself, that no matter what happened with uni, graduation or no graduation (it was hit or miss at one point) I would never ever ever be 1) that poor or 2) that cold ever again. One week my boiler packed in and all I had was my many throws, dressing gowns and baby sized halogen heater that used to sit about 3 inches away from me at all times.

I have fond memories of my flat but now I have the heating on whenever I want.

Happy Blipping.