‘Moving to a new home is the first page of a new chapter.’
– Unknown
MY younger sister, Ah Lan, who lives in Johor Bahru, will be moving to an apartment tomorrow.
For the past 25 years, she had been living in a double-storey house. Her land lady recently sold the house to a Singaporean and so Ah Lan had to look for a new place to live.
The double-storey house used to be near a restaurant where Ah Lan worked. Besides that, it was also near to shops and coffeeshops, making it easier for her to find places to shop and eat.
After many years, the restaurant closed down because the hotel where it was operating went out of business.
Ah Lan had to do odd jobs for three months or so before she found another job with a new restaurant. The new restaurant is located far from the double-storey house she rents so she has to spend a lot on Grab rides almost every day.
Her daughter, Ah Hong, has been helping Ah Lan to look for a new place to live. She also asked my elder sister, Ah Moi, to go to Johor Bahru and help Ah Lan pack for the house move.
Ah Moi also followed Ah Hong as she looked at two apartments for rent; Ah Lan could not go because she had to work.
The first apartment they looked at was a fully-furnished studio apartment. It had one big bedroom and a very big living room. It was airy and spacious.
The second apartment they looked at had three bedrooms and looked quite messy. The residents who were living there had apparently not moved out yet. There were items everywhere.
The apartment was on the fourth floor. Ah Hong later told me that the staircase was dark and narrow. There were no lights, no lifts and no security guards there.
She also told me Ah Moi puffed and panted as she climbed the narrow staircase.
In the end, my niece opted to rent the studio apartment because there were lifts and security guards there. The apartment also looked cleaner and tidier. Never mind that it is on the 19th floor.
Even before my niece started to hunt for a new place for her mother to live, she had asked her mother to pack her belongings.
After she decided to rent the studio apartment, Ah Hong told her mother to bring only a few necessary things, like new clothes, with her to the new house.
Since Ah Lan has been renting the double-storey house for over two decades, there are naturally a lot of things that she has to declutter. She is lucky Ah Moi is helping her to sort out her things.
Ah Lan told me she has decided to donate all her old clothes, her husband’s old clothes and her daughter’s old clothes to a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
She is also donating her old bed, her old, heavy mattresses and old bedsheets to the organisation.
She will bring some of her newer cutlery and cookware to the studio apartment but give away the older items.
“We will pack the things we are donating properly and put them in front of the house. The NGO will send a lorry to pick up the things,” Ah Lan told me.
My sister is excited she will be living in a new place soon. I have seen video pictures of the studio apartment and I am happy for her.
It’s true, my friends. Moving to a new house can be a fresh start, offering new experiences and improved quality of life. Moving into a new, airy and spacious apartment can also evoke many positive emotions including excitement and a sense of freedom.
On the other hand, since Ah Lan has been living in the double-storey house for a long time, it is natural for her to feel some sadness or a sense of loss when she moves out.
The old place she rented was run-down. The roof was leaking and one of the toilets was not functioning. There were five rooms in the house but only two were occupied.
My sister stayed in one room while a woman who used to work with her stayed in the other room. I don’t know how much rent the woman was paying my sister. But every month, Ah Lan had to pay RM1800 to the land lady.
I had told her to look for a room to rent but she preferred to remain where she was because of convenience. She also could not rent a room because she had so many things like the bed, mattresses, etc.
Now, Ah Lan has no choice but to let go of some of her old things. Ah Hong, who works in Singapore but visits Johor Bahru regularly, has told her to move to the studio apartment with just her new clothes and a few necessities!
Although the suggestion was hard to take initially, I am glad Ah Lan has decided to let go of many of her older possessions. Decluttering, I’ve learnt, is actually good for a person’s well-being; it can reduce stress, improve safety and create a more enjoyable living space.
Some older folk refuse to let go of their possessions due to sentimental attachment, fear of needing the items later and cognitive changes.
But when they die, their children just throw away everything these old folk are sentimental about without a second thought. I have seen this happen when some old neighbours die.
Anyway, I wish Ah Lan and Ah Hong happiness in their new place. I hope they will embrace their new environment by getting to know their neighbourhood and the new shops there.
Moving to a new place is a journey. I’m glad Ah Moi is there to help Ah Lan adjust to her new surroundings while Ah Hong is in Singapore.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
