OPTIMISING YOUR LIVING SPACE FOR YOUR WELLBEING

by Cileme Venkateswar (she/her)

It may seem obvious that the state of your living space can have a huge impact on your wellbeing. But it’s often hard to realise you’re in a less-than-ideal environment until it’s too late. Having a sucky first flat is heralded as a rite of passage for uni students—because of the house’s quality, or because flat dynamics unravel into intense passive (and sometimes not so passive) aggression. Everybody has a hectic flat story! 

As funny as these can be, we shouldn’t overstate the genuine distress, trauma, health issues, and effects on study that bad flatting situations can cause. Would we not rather have nostalgic stories about the great times we had with cool flatmates in the homey places where we grew into fully-fledged adults?

Of course, this is easier said than done. 

While wanting to live with your best mates is amazing in theory, I’ll be honest with you—there is a risk of destroying friendships. You don’t have to live with the people you love. Sometimes, it’s better to live with friends you’re not as close with, but whose personalities and living styles are more attuned to yours.

With the Game of Thrones-esque fight-to-the-death of finding a flat in Wellington’s housing crisis, it’s easy to be cornered into taking the first ‘good’ one you find. Do your research and compare flats in the area with your own. Think about your lifestyle, and your flatmates’, and assess whether this flat fits into it. Are you messy people who need a dishwasher to keep the kitchen clean? Will you need a dryer when the weather gets wet? Does everywhere in the house get sun, and if not, can you be sure there won’t be a mould problem? 

It can be overwhelming to think about, but being aware of your pros and cons is a million times better than getting sucker-punched by a deteriorating flat situation. If you’re ever unsure about your options, you can always chat to VUWSA advocacy services.

Managing life admin with study is deceptively difficult, and will often leave you wondering how your caregivers ever did it. It pays to be more intentional about setting up your space when you also have to manage your time, finances, habits, cleanliness, and routines. Sure, you may have a chore wheel for the flat, but do you need one for yourself too? Can you arrange your bed where you’ll get morning sunlight to wake you up? If you have a desk, can you create a space dedicated to work, away from your bed, and separate from downtime? Do you find it easier to get ready in the morning if your clothes are on a clothes rack rather than in drawers?

While every little thing can seem small and inconsequential, together, these can create unsettled living conditions that will affect your mental health, physical health, and your study. Going from adolescent to adult can very much be a ‘you don’t know until you know’ type deal, but not everythinghas to be! We’ve all been through the flatting trials and tribulations so that you don’t have to. Slow down, take a breath, and the next time you make decisions about your living situation, be sure you’re making them thoroughly.