This is my moving Diary written on the eve of moving out of o1ur last sublet. I am back in NYC 3 and a half years after leaving to move back to amsterdam to start my family planning. For one reason or another (this story isn’t about that) I became a single mom during pregnancy and had to quickly put a home together at around 7 months pregnant. There was little room to hop on a flight to NYC and take all of my things out of storage to create a space to bring my daughter in the world.
All that mattered was that I did, and with little time and just a need for a safe space, I started subletting. First it was an overpriced airbnb for three months to give birth and bring her home for the first month. I had my baby shower there and hosted many friends and family members sleeping over to help me during post partum.From then it never seemed like the right time to get my things from NYC, all of my being had to go toward raising my child and nurturing her. So we lived in sublets for the next 2 years. It wasn’t my plan, but subletting allowed me ease. Places and spaces with Dishes, Necessities, Furniture, TV, WIFI- everything already done. Places to come be and feel safe, and create memories. I just didn’t have the energy to exert to build a home.
Now that we have found our place together in New York, I knew it was time. My storage space that I created in 2021 is about 22 minutes away from me and I can finally open my boxes like an old time capsule. And it sort of feels that way, I realized I don’t own dishes. That I never cooked. I had a mini fridge in my room. My dad who was my roomie, cooked, I door dashed or we went out. I made things like smoothies, salads, coffee and ate bodega sandwiches. Now I am scrambling the night before trying to find creative ways to find dishes and pots and pans. A little hello from the me before baby, it was good to see her and reflect on how much we have grown.