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It’s a matchbox world we live in
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Originally uploaded by: Kempton
“I’d like to pack my bags and I’m ready to go”. Pftt! I wish I am going away for a nice long vacation.
Apparently, I’m considering of moving again from my already nice and small size apartment to a much smaller, typical room jail-cell-sized when my two years contract expires next month. It’s true, a flat or house to live in is never easy here. And when you’re searching in a place as densely populated as Hong Kong, with a huge shortage of housing, the quest can take on nightmar-ish qualities kind of flats. They are big enough for me to wave my arms without bruising my knuckles. It’s a matchbox apartments with bedrooms the size of a coffin. Seriously.
It’s quite chaotic really. My landlord has already advised me whether I should continue living in this flat or dispose it before I sign another contract with the new rate increment once the lease expires. It’s not that it made me panicked but thinking about it since yesterday, I will be on a tight budget again so that’s pretty much explains why I’m moving to a more cheaper ones.
Sadly, it sucks that when you’re single and a certified rat pack like myself, moving from one flat to another specially when money is usually involved, it’s not as easy as paying a pair of cheap jeans. During the pre-1997, money was so easy that people might buy four or five shirts without thinking if you would wear them at all. Since I couldn’t afford paying the entire flat all on my own, it’s hard to think about shopping anymore. I’ll probably just go ahead with the idea of ‘just-pack-the-bags-and-ready-to-go’ kind of city life without worrying on buying furnitures which, I think not necessary.
With this in mind, it’s also worrying me again on how am I gonna be able to pay the agency fees and which location, to become oriented, what’s the age of the building and even meet a new neighbourhood. Did I say, neighbourhood? How about the monthly management fees? How much will I pay, and what does it include?
I went to my old agency and he kindly walked me to a few decent room-type apartments with small kitchen, a bathroom, a built-in cabinets & a nice big window to breath. “It’s okay”, said by my agent as we crammed each other cheek to cheek in one of the flats he showed me. “You’re a thin guy and single, so it’s okay”, he said. The rates are still negotiable so it’s really up to me as to when I’m going to move out. Hopefully, I’m going to be very busy again as I’m planning to dispose some of my old furnitures to be given away to my brother’s family once I settle everything.
For every person like me who lives alone, I know for the fact that this is Hong Kong. Somewhere else up above my floor or another buildings with a large extended family pressed into a tiny apartment, their shoes stacked outside the front door and their clothers were usually hung on poles out of the window, is because there’s so little room. I just have to take it or leave it.
So why Hong Kong people usually meet in restaurants to socialise or likes to be in the shopping malls, not in each other’s homes? One of the reason is because we live in a matchbox.
What I’ve Done
by: Linkin Park
I could still remember my Aunt’s flat there. She was with Cathay Pacific and she brought me and my mom to HK when I was a kid. I couldn’t believe that only one person could fit in her kitchen and that you could make a 360 turn and not take a step. Haha~ I’d sure like to come back, but this time, I’d pay for a nice comfy hotel room instead.
Hanne, that is so true. Well not every apartment here are small - depends on the location where you want to live. The higher the rents, the bigger (or small if you’re in the big city area) the space. In the other parts away from the city, you can get bigger ones, expensive and beautiful apartment sitting at the top of the mountain - The Peak. But hell, only Li Ka Shing can live there. Even Imelda Marcos during her recent visits to HK, she prefers The Island Shangri-La hotel. And do you know that Nanette Medved (I’m sure you know who she is)? She has a large Apartment, who now resides here, active in Charity events, loves Hong Kong way of living because it’s not the rent or space, it’s the peace in order of this lovely city.
basta go for the most comfortable and conducive yet the cheapest. the 3 C’s of practical investment. hahahaha.
K, what about finding a roomate, or roomates so you can share a bigger flat? i can’t imagine being hemmed in a matchbox. but then again, it is nice to have your own privacy, you and your mac alone. since you spend most of your time at work anyway, so all you really need is just a room to sleep in. i guess it is alright.
JC, hahaha I admit that’s one of the best choices of living abroad (temporarily). Forget big kitchen but find the cheapest and having comfortable bed does the job.
Belle, been there done that. We even offered an extra room for a kababayan who lost their job - and sadly, I don’t trust these kind of people. We used to have a big one with the whole family. Now that my brothers has their own family and that my Mom moved to Pinas na (after my Dad died 7 years ago), I am now on my own. The idea is to live the way I want it, walang hassles.
did you consider to just stay in your old flat even with the rate increase? Maybe in the end, it will come out cheaper after you paying for the finder’s fee, agent’s fee, management fee, and whatever miscellaneous fees they have. HK is really notorious for having these cramped flats with expensive rent. Too many people in the city!Lipat ka na lang ng Sai Kung mas fresh pa ang hangin!
I agree with Duke, if you’re gonna be spending all that extra fees for a cheaper rent apt, maybe you should just stay at your current place with the new increament…
may I ask by how much it’s going up to? and do you need to sign for another 2 years?
it sure does suck to fine a place and move once you’re already settled in your current living arrangement. I may be in the same boat as my landlord is planning to raise my rent come August. And I tell you…it’s ain’t cheap living here on da islands…everything costs more now and the only thing that’s not going up…is my pay ~ I need a HUGE raise ;]
*sighs*
Duke, been thinking that as well. I’m trying to see if I can just hang in here for the time being and be more serious on how I spend my money. Not everyone needs a big apartment. Well my other brother used to live in Lan Tau but since it’s too far away for the kids to go to school, 3 months later, they moved back to HK islands. Sai Kung is for the expats and gweilos eh, even Mirriam Quimabao hated it there because she can’t go out shopping without a driver. I think it was one of the reason why her ex-husband Claudio decided to divorce her. Expensive daw sya. Sad.
C, like what I said, I might consider moving but I don’t know yet. Sometimes I pushed myself on the edge without thinking or listening to people’s opinion - but now that some of you suggests I should stay, I’ll probably consider that as well. Thanks goodness, I’m not in Tokyo, it still ranks 3rd the most expensive place to live in Asia - oh wait, HK is 4th? Me too, I need a huge raise, let’s boycott our Bosses.
Finding a roomie is indeed the solution in getting a bigger and nice apartment. That’s what usually students do here so they can get those poshy apartments. Anyway the picture of your apartment looks so cozy!
Charles, I’m always against it. I want an apartment my own. In case I got a roomie and few months later decided to leave or got fired or something, I can still support paying the rent my own. Besides, I cannot anymore blog around here wearing only my underwear in case I shared my flat with someone else. Hahaha.
Oic. But I hope you can get the apt. that you really want plus
it is not expensive. Hey how about getting one outside the city?
good luck in finding a place that would suit your needs and you budget. i bet it’s tough finding a place to call home away from your real “home”.
Charles, it crossed my mind a few times. The current flat is very close to where I work, 10mins walk. Very convenient. I like walking and I hate travelling. See why I don’t like travelling to another country, I choose to stay in HK not somewhere far because, it’s closer to Philippines (I still think it’s far). Problem is, I have stuff to bring with me and I hated that filling boxes, transferring stuff, changing address, phone bills, going to the bank to update your informations - those processing. Note to self: I’m just lazy doing all that, hehehehe.
Kaitlin, the main reason of getting all these stuff hard to do is when you’re out of budget. It’s not hard finding suitable place but it’s how you gonna be able to support yourself and maintain the rent (sometimes may dumaadan na malas) so it’s not easy for a single person like me.
Matchbox living is a nice way to put it, I think ‘space’ is one of the trade off for city living but the bright side of this is that you have more of the exiting life style (I think, not so sure, you decide on this one) with so many things that the city has to offer, I remembered so well. Your flat seems so cozy, maybe cutting cost of living might be a solution (might have to give up your star buck). If you choose a cheaper place, safety might be a big issue that you’d have to consider, it’s a hard decision to make.
It’s hard to decide and infact I hate “moving”. Packing and unpacking is the most tiring thing to do.
I’ll survive in a tiny bachelor-flat size room and I’m not that sensitive to eating without a table. I am a boyscout so anything cheaper with a nice bathroom is not bad. But then again, I’m worried about my clothes, you know (winter clothes and all those jackets).
I guess it’s a challenge when space is so limited, you have to be extra creative, I used to watch ‘Small Space, Big Style’ on HGTV, and was amazed with what they can do with small spaces. I always believe that life is full of choices, but it’s bad when your choice is either worse or worst, many people living in the city also share your problems, if this was me, I might be homeless by now.
Sorry about the homeless part, not very encouraging I’m afraid. I’ve faith that you’ll find a good solution, and yes there’s someone looking out for you, always.
in HK you really have no choice. dense or matchbox living it may be, it is still a good place to earn money.
Hi Nye, hahaha no kidding, it’s alright. I’ve been here long enough and I should know what to do. Sometimes we tend to get a little disappointed about other things but in reality, I am committed to finding a solution to the problem, so now I’m in the hunting process, it maybe a bit harder for me tho’ living with a roommate is much cheaper than living alone, it’s good to know now what I can afford. On a second thought, I might consider finding just a cheaper one for myself.
Sexy Mom, you’re right, it’s a good place to earn but nowadays, everything here is not cheap. I spend HK dollars to pay my necessities - (kung sa peso malaki laki na rin) The only thing that I hate working/living here is the fact that it’s difficult to find an affordable housing. I am a self-employed so there’s no housing allowance included in my pay check. Rent is quite problematic and not cheap really. But well, a search can be quite beneficial and besides I don’t need to worry of getting a working visa.