I have approximately 45 days to clean up my stuff, fix things, and empty the apartment I’ve rented for the past 2 years and 6 months.
I wanted to document this long, slow process because I’m doing most of it alone while working full-time. Not because moving is particularly interesting, but because I know there will be times in the future when things get hard, and I’ll need to remember that I have survived hard things before.
This is an ode to myself.
Note: This is mostly a record of boxes, old books, IKEA furniture, Carousell buyers, things I couldn’t decide whether to keep, and the occasional minor crisis. Read only if you genuinely enjoy watching someone slowly dismantle her life one household item at a time.
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1 Aug (Saturday): The moving boxes I ordered arrived: 10 big boxes, 10 medium boxes, and 5 small boxes. I used 9 medium-sized boxes just for my books, and another one for Sofi’s books. All the other books will be donated or recycled later.
The first thing I cleaned and organized was my books, because obviously they are my precious things. These boxes were so heavy, I can’t even.
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2 Aug (Sunday): We cleaned up some of Sofi’s toys and put them in the biggest box so she could still access them if she needed anything. I also put some of her old toys up on Carousell, hoping someone would take them.
We later went out because my kitchen pipe broke and caused a mini flood. I was so demotivated afterwards that I just couldn’t do anything.
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3 Aug (Monday): Working space. Important decisions needed to be made.
I have a LOT of small stuff on the wooden rack, so I had to decide what to keep, give away, and sell. Everything needed to be separated into categories. My workspace is now a mess.
Someone reserved my POÄNG chair. I cried a little in my heart because it was one of the first things I bought after I moved out.
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4 Aug (Tuesday): The extra wooden working table from my workroom is now in the kitchen, ready for pickup. My brother reserved the wooden table and the fridge.
I had a headache and backache for almost a week. At one point, I almost spiralled. I think that was my quiet little proof that I wasn’t managing the stress particularly well. There was just too much stuff to think about, plan, move, sell, give away, clean, and somehow still do while working full-time.
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7 Aug (Friday): Managed to sell another IKEA wooden rack, which meant I had to clear everything from the rack in the storeroom. During lunch hour, I cleared it, cleaned it, and disassembled it nicely. Both wooden racks are ready.
My storeroom, however, looked like a broken ship. I don’t have time to deal with that yet.
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8 Aug (Saturday): Two buyers from Carousell came to pick up two IKEA wooden racks and the old printer.
I emptied the wooden IKEA drawer in the kitchen. A lot of stuff will be thrown away or donated. The drawer is now ready for sale.
I also cleared out two kitchen cabinets and realized that a surprising amount of my stuff came from my mom. I once told her I liked green, so she took that information and ran with it. Green knives. Green boards. Green bottles. Green containers. Green appliances. Everything green came from her.
The time when I had to ask for help: I asked my brother to help lift the first disassembled wooden rack and the printer down for the first customer. I asked Af to help lift another wooden rack later that afternoon.
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9 Aug (Sunday): Today I cleaned Sofi’s drawer. The small or unused clothes went into a tote bag, while the rest were packed into a zipped bag. Her daily wear is now separated into a basket in the living room for easy access.
The drawer is empty and ready to sell.
I cleaned Sofi’s white-and-black portable board and my wooden book racks and put them up on Carousell.
I also disassembled all of Sofi’s LEGO from the TV racks and put them into their dedicated ziplock bags with the reference books.
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10 Aug (Monday): Ma came by and picked up four wooden chairs and a bag of kain batiks. They were hers anyway.
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11 Aug (Tuesday): Categorized more stuff because I need to know where everything is going once I move into the new, much smaller space. There will be no room for things I don’t actually use.
I still haven’t decided what to do with all my notebooks and stationery. This is becoming a serious emotional crisis.
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12 Aug (Wednesday): Decision day. I had to use the RM10k Harvey Norman voucher, so I booked the kitchen hood and hob, a bigger fridge, washer, dryer, and air fryer. At least now I have the confirmed sizes for planning the new place.
My main excitement is the fridge.
I want to organize my fridge space like most moms in the world and actually plan my meals for the week so I will, in theory, remember to eat.
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13 Aug (Thursday): Cleaned up more old books from the metal cabinet near the main door. They were mostly old comics and children’s books people had given me.
I need to let them go.
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14 Aug (Friday): Today was an office day. We had lunch at PM and went to LL to recce an event space. Got home around 4-ish, completely exhausted and ready for the weekend. Sofi was with Af, so I had a very simple dinner.
I cleared up Sofi’s birthday tent, put all her birthday gifts into a box, then cleaned and folded the tent. I love that she is as organized as me.
Note: Need to plan a proper space for her in the new apartment. She needs that.
At 8 pm, I started cleaning the wet kitchen. I need to give away the portable gas stove, so I cleaned it. I also need to sell the used gas tank. Then I cleaned the stainless steel rack, washed the walls, and scrubbed the floor. My arms were burning.
I tried to contact Glow Recycle and set a date for them to collect all the old books. My sister reserved my old washing machine.
Note to myself: Take my chill drink and sleep it off. Mg.
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15 Aug (Saturday): I cleaned some of my manga and put them up on Carousell, cleared Sofi’s stationery container and kitchen toys, packed my graphic novels, washed my bedsheets, and folded all the clothes.
I don’t think I did much today.
I’m a little stuck on what comes next.
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16 Aug (Sunday): Organized, cleaned, and tied all the old comics, graphic novels, and children’s books into categories.
At first I thought I should send them to a recycling center or donate them somewhere, but I couldn’t manage all of that on my own. No one was available to help, and the center’s pickup required a minimum amount that made it worth their travel. So I changed the plan. I put everything up for free on Carousell, with pickup required. A lot of people were interested. Problem solved.
One customer asked if I had anything else I wanted to donate — kids’ clothes, unused toys, old clothes and shoes, pillows, food, skincare, anything.
So now the donation items are sorted too.
I started cleaning up the store a bit, and packed all my baju kurungs and winter attire into the big box.
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18 Aug (Tuesday): Set customer pickups for the drawer and Sailor Moon manga after work.
The time when I had to ask for help: Asked my brother to lift the drawer down to the lobby and into the customer’s car because it was too heavy for me. I just can’t lift everything. And apparently, that is a fact I need to accept. I also borrowed his trolley, which is going to help a lot.
I need to seriously consider hiring movers with several workers to handle the heavy lifting. Part of me thinks I can just deal with everything myself and move quietly without telling anyone. I need to make that decision by the 20th because I need to book a date and submit the moving applications for both buildings.
Tentative moving date: 28/8.
Quick update: Someone wanted to buy the IKEA wooden table. He mentioned that it was for work, so I suggested that he take my working table as well for free, if he was willing to manage the lifting and pickup himself. He said yes!
That smart table is 5 years old. It was one of my investments in my workspace back then. But it is too heavy and too bulky for my small space. It is time to let it go.
Then all my need-to-go big items are sorted. Yeay! Except for the black bookshelves that Ma said she wanted. I need to ask the movers to deliver them to Nilai.
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19 Aug (Wednesday): Aja came to pick up all the stuff I donated to The Plot. I used the trolley, so it was just one trip to the car! Went out for lunch afterwards, and Aja bought a chocolate cheese tart for me because I deserved the dairy fix (took lactase). I hadn’t taken a shower since last night. It was already 3 pm.
Af suggested going for a massage to deal with the pain between my shoulder blades, but I’m saving money for the renovation, the movers + workers, and the deposit for moving between the two apartments.
Note: I think my siblings set the dates to pick up the stuff because I’ve spiralled and said that was why I don’t ask people for stuff: no one plans, and everyone prefers last-minute, impromptu plans — which drives me crazy.
To manage my expectations, I listed all the Carousell customers’ details and contacts and double-confirmed when they would do the pickups so that I could manage my expectations and plan for my weekend instead of waiting.
I realize that this is how a project manager villain is born: by thinking ahead and making meticulous plans.
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20 Aug (Thursday): The old albums and the wooden shelves are sorted.
Disassembled the wooden table that night.
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21 Aug (Friday): Ma and my little sister came by to take a bunch of stuff that I’m sending to her house.
AR asked, “Aren’t you all excited for the new house and the planning?”
Not really. I am a creature of habit. I like things that are predictable, and this chaos is a very stressful time for me. I’m doing this moving thing alone, whether I like it or not. There are a lot of decisions, time, and money needed in this process.
I realized my limitations, and I am not excited about the moving part at all.
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22 Aug (Saturday): Peak Carousell weekend. I met 5 people from Carousell today for a bunch of comics, a big collection of donated stuff (old clothes, toys, kids’ books), plastic trays, a kids’ easel, and wooden book stands.
It started at 8:30 am, and the last round was at 8:30 pm. I also did some cleanup in the storeroom and the old kitchen drawer (put it up on Carousell and already booked).
I decided to ask the owner to let me stay for another 2 weeks because my space was not ready. He said okay and confirmed the final move-out and handover date.
I have +15 days (60 moving days in total), so I could take a breather and chill a bit. But that adds $$ to my budget for the extension. The main issue here is that I’ve been paying for 2 apartments for several months, so I am bleeding money.
Buffer time is super stressful for me.
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23 Aug (Sunday): 2 rounds of Carousell pickups. For this one, I had to ask for my brother’s help because it was table day and I needed manpower. I sold 1 wooden table and my POÄNG chair, and gave away one smart table.
I did no clean-ups today. I booked myself a nice upper-body massage in the afternoon because I worked hard this weekend. :F
I think, for now, all the stuff I have can fit in one big lorry, so I am super glad about the progress. I still need to consider booking 3–4 movers as well because I have a lot of heavy boxes but no manpower, so the pricing needs to be within my budget.
Downsizing has been a challenging and eye-opening experience.
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25 Aug (Monday): Public Holiday!
I didn’t do much today. Cleaned my workroom: organized documents in their dedicated folders, separated stationery, pictures, and miscellaneous items. Also did some cleaning in the kitchen: separated unused items into a bag for donation, kept only the ones I’m going to use, washed dusty plates, and threw out a lot of containers.
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31 Aug (Monday): Public Holiday!
Last weekend I went back to Ma’s because it had been almost a month since I last went, now that I had another 2 weeks of buffer time.
I slowly lifted all the boxes to the front door, cleaned both my bedside tables (and put them up on Carousell), washed my working chair, cleared the ceiling of dust, organized my skincare container, and did some house cleanup.
New tentative moving date: 17/9.
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2 Sept (Wed): A student from UNITEN bought my Sunon working chair. He said he needed something proper for his studies instead of the metal chair provided at his campus. He came by early in the morning before class.
I found my TnG card back.
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3 Sept (Thu): Today someone bought the dining table (or my work table for the past 2 weeks). So I moved my work table to my coffee table and am sitting on the floor for now.
The guy wanted the dining table, so I offered to give him the long bench as well (the bone is broken and needs a replacement). He agreed to take both. I took it apart after work, and he came over to pick it up later that night.
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6 Sept (Sun): Someone bought the tabletop gas cooker and picked it up.
I cleared up the first space: the store. All the empty boxes, unused stuff, and my extra clothes rack. Now it is all empty, wiped, and clean. I’ll put all the packed kitchen stuff inside so it won’t take up space in the hall until the moving date.
First room done.
The 2nd space is the wet kitchen. I dragged out 2 kitchen racks and cleaned all the containers. Washed both racks and put one up on Carousell. Need to sort all the baskets and containers, considering I’ve never used them in the past 2 years.
Wet kitchen done. Just need to wash the floor after Aja takes the washing machine.
My brother asked why I’m not updating my blog: I have no mental space to write. I’m mostly stressed out about the cleaning and the moving. This post is ongoing, and I don’t have to do a lot of thinking because I’m just updating all the things that happened relating to the move.
I can’t wait for this chaos to be over.
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13 Sept (Sun):
Pushed all the cabinets near the kitchen area, sealed all the boxes, and cleared up my workroom. I think I’m almost ready for the big move day.
I just need to clear the carpet, roll it up and tie it, and also clear the TV cabinet and push it towards the kitchen as well.
Prepared 2 suitcases: 1 for me, 1 for Sofi. Need to have sets of work, daily, gym clothes, pajamas, underwear, telekung, etc. Also separated my self-care stuff, work devices, important documents, etc. — all the stuff that I might need during my nomadic phase.
I also have a portable mini library, notebooks, and stationery in a medium-sized IKEA tote bag. I get nervous without my books, so it is important for me to bring book stocks.
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14 Sept (Mon):
Someone contacted me this morning and said that she wanted the huge black bookcase. She paid and set the pickup for a few hours later.
The drama was them trying to move the bookcase out of the apartment and push it to the lift using my trolley. It took them a while because they weren’t professional movers. I had already reminded her several times that I couldn’t help because the bookcase was huge and heavy. She brought her husband and brother.
Carpet cleaned and rolled.
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15 Sept (Tues):
Last-minute call: one returning customer came back and said that he wanted the 2 little side tables and another cabinet.
Yeay!
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16 Sept (Wed): Malaysia Day Holiday
Busy day, busy day.
Aja booked Lalamove really early in the morning, and my brother helped me lift the 7-year-old washing machine down. I wanted caffeine to start the day, so we went to Destina and I had a matcha latte at Luckin (still for the RM3.99 promo). Slow energy, but enough to fuel my long, busy day.
By afternoon, I was back at the apartment, ready to start the work.
I cleaned and washed my wet kitchen. Cleared out my work table and put the coffee table aside for pickup tomorrow. Emptied my workspace (room number 2), put all the IKEA bags into the store (room number 3), and moved all the kitchen stuff there so it would be easy to categorize.
Pushed the sofa nearer to the door with all the big and heavy stuff. All the furniture and heavy boxes were in one space.
Miscellaneous items were still there but separated into one space.
My body was sore. I was physically tired.
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17 Sept (Thu):
The big move.
The movers arrived early. I let them in, and they started their work at around 9:50 am. It took them around 30 minutes to pack all my stuff, and by 11:00 am we were at my new apartment. The unloading took another hour, and by 12:00 pm we were done!
We had lunch at IOI. I had to drop by Harvey Norman to confirm the date for the kitchen hob and hood.
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18 Sept (Fri):
More small boxes arrived. I made the boxes and organized the miscellaneous items.
So now I have boxes for: Self-care Items, Sofi’s Everyday, Cleaning, Fixing, Devices, and Sofi’s Toys.
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19 Sept (Sat): Rest Day.
Today was the day dedicated to resting. I went to Bangi for a skin treatment and, impromptu, walked to a spa I had been to before. I didn’t book it; I just walked in. I had a foot, back, head, and face massage for 1½ hours — a great deal for the RM100 promo, kan. It was boring, but my body was so tense that I knew I needed it. I tried my best to pay myself to relax, but I was just bored. My mind was too busy to relax. Hah hah hah.
I fell asleep when I got back.
Later that evening, Sofi was back. I made another impromptu plan and asked Ateeya to sleep over (their first and last sleepover at Sfera). We pushed the mattress to the hall and bought some night snacks as well. They managed to stay awake until 12 am.
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20 Sept (Sun):
Ateeya was at home until almost noon, so I didn’t clean.
Today:
- Repainted the wet kitchen. Tried touching up room 2, but my paint was too white, so there were obvious patches everywhere (it was the space I used the most). So I need to repaint the whole room.
- Cleaned the ceiling fans in the master bedroom and room 2.
- Took down my curtain in the master bedroom and put the owner’s curtain back. Tried to hand-wash my curtain, but it tore in places, so I guess it is time to throw it away.
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Since 20th - 30th Sept:
- We did another round of sending the remaining to my new apt, sending the balance left-over at my brother's house, I repainted the room, threw stuffs, slept on the floor on a comforter in the hall, ate out daily, and handled little hiccups here and there.
- I stopped updating in the final 10 days because I was mostly waiting in the empty apartment.
- Life was so bare in that phase; I missed Sofi most of the time, I missed home-cooked meal, I missed my routine. I was just exhausted and just wanted it to be over.
- Passed the key to the agent on the 30th and said goodbye to the apartment.
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Throughout this journey: I’ve almost spiralled once, cried 5 times, ugly-cried 1 time, received probably around RM 800 from selling/giving away my stuff, and spent more time planning than moving itself.
I realized that the fear of having too many items came from situations like this: knowing I had to rely on myself, being physically incapable of lifting anything too heavy, and having to ask for people’s help.
Having to deal with this for the second time used a lot of my mental and physical energy, but I did it anywayyyyyyy. I now deserve a peaceful and calm rest.
I want to thank my brother for lending his manpower when needed, teman makan, letting me stay-over; Af for lending his ears, taking care of Sofi on the weekends, and also lending some of his manpower when I didn’t have any other option; and mostly to me, for dealing with this better than I expected. Pat pat.
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