House Haunting

T

he time is nigh to spread your wings and fly. This is about the extent of my poetic prowess in trying to express moving out. Whether one is looking for hostel accommodation or a three-bedroomed apartment, there comes a time to fly the coup. And the search is all but easy. 

Photo: StuffWeLike

Aside from the monthly rent budget, there are other factors for consideration. Proximity to amenities,  decent infrastructure, familiarity stemming from previous living quarters, locations visited, homes in which one has been hosted, HGTV and Pinterest (it's okay to admit it. This is a safe space). 

Therefore, I compiled all the virtues a house should possess as building blocks to being a home. Might as well launch into adulting with high spirits, yes? The choices are limited to bedsitters, SQs and single rooms before working my way up the property acquisition ladder. This does not exempt me from viewing houses outside of my price range. One must have something to aspire to, as Teacher Beth used to say.

My first viewing and ironically I can barely see a thing. Eyes are squinted to sharpen my focus despite my pupils being dilated to the size of the late president Moi-engraved shillingi. The windows were tiny, the sun struggled to illuminate the letting. Maybe because the new Chinese mega-flat is towering over my potential new residence and the laws of physics bend for no one! 

A well-lit room where plants have a chance of survival.                                                         Photo by Megan Nixon 

Most spaces have one sink, which is better than no sink. However, washing my hands in the kitchen sink after visiting the porcelain throne diminishes one's appetite when I have to prepare spinach there in an hour. Neither is washing my ugali sufuria in the bathroom sink dignifying. The sinks' aesthetic and functions are wildly different with the former having a 1 1/2" diameter to account for solids and the latter 1 1/4" with its design accenting the bathroom decor. All the viewings have one unstrategically placed sink and my enthusiasm for moving was quickly draining. 

My last viewing. The rooms appear spacious for failing to envision where clothes, shoes and dishes will store. Show me which Gen Z is at a fundi's shopping for a wardrobe? I understand SQs were made to house individuals who would eat in the main house but there was little forethought as to where said staff would be expected to stow their uniforms. Should they need to survive independently, no kitchenette is fitted in the economical space and living on takeout is a fool's dream in any economic climate. 

Basically, real estate seems to focus on those who can afford the 4-bedroom mansionette with two parking spots while they should ideally seek to balance the scale on housing. As of 2017, research by the British Council revealed youth below 24 years formed 20% of the entire population. Standardising features such as in-built wardrobes and pantries for storage, a niche IKEA beautifully leveraged, should be a requirement by the housing authorities. Separate sinks and proper water waste management systems would undeniably improve cleanliness or at the least their will to maintain an acceptable level of the same.

Courtesy Twitter 

Simple geometry: you'd think straight, parallel walls are a bare minimum. Alas! You'd be mistaken. I am unsure as to the severity of spirit level shortages in the market since the lockdown. Perhaps we should consider less angular buildings and revert to modern versions of huts and manyattas. 

Lastly, each habitable room should have at least one reasonably sized window for aeration and natural light. This point may sound trivial but in an age where working from home is becoming commonplace, feeling as though the home is a cave - but with a mounting electrical bill since the lights have to stay both day and night - reinforces the importance of natural light. 

Affordable housing should create a better sense of worth and acceptance of the youth by the community. Especially since the rate of unemployment is so high, they can have something to jivunia rather than be haunted by the idea of house hunting.