One thing has struck me since getting the keys to the new flat and being able to show it to people.

The utter shock on people’s faces when they get there.

Not just to the flat, but to the surrounding area as well. I’ve been greeted with shocked exclamations of “Wow, it’s nice!” from just about everyone. I think they all expected me to have found some poky little hovel in a disgusting area or something. The fact I have a big flat on a safe, quiet road in a nice area close to a station seems to have shocked them all immensely.

All this is good, of course, but it does make me wonder what people thought of me before, when I lived near the notorious Bakers Arms on the border of Walthamstow and Leyton, in a house with ancient wallpaper, disgusting carpets and a mustard bathroom straight out of the seventies. Did they think that was what I planned to do for the rest of my life?!

I think this is why I’m being so ridiculously picky about the new place. I spend hours scouring eBay for the perfect things to put in it. I want it to look and feel like home. When I invite people over, I don’t want to be apologetic about anything. I want amazing bedlinen and matching furniture and gorgeous trinkets and scented candles and pretty crockery. I’m obsessed with having the perfect place to the point where I spent half an hour on Sunday staring at the living room with a frown on my face trying to work out how the hell I could arrange it (the boyfriend disagreed with most of my suggestions – good thing it’s not his flat). I’m still not sure what to do, but I have discovered that ‘original features’ can be more trouble than they’re worth. By that I mean fireplaces are lovely, but they don’t half take up valuable wall space.

Things that I love about my flat:

- The bedroom is huge, and now has shabby chic bedlinen in place
- The living room has space for two sofas and a table and chairs
- The bathroom is white, modern and has a decent shower
- I have a dishwasher, which is good since I HATE washing up
- Nobody can ring my doorbell. This will be great at Halloween

Things that I will grow to love about my flat:

- The only built-in storage is in the bathroom. The freezer is in there
- The freezer stinks. Fun cleaning job ahead!
- The bed has seen better days. And that’s putting it mildly
- My upstairs neighbours appear to have wooden floors
- There is only one working plug socket in my bedroom