Are there massive apartment complexes in your country? In Japan, especially around large cities like Tokyo, there are a lot and they're called danchi. I'd been apartment-hunting in danchi and have decided which one I want to move into, but I'm still waiting for an apartment that fits my budget to become available. Danchi are basically made for families, so there aren't a lot of single-friendly apartments. The reason I saw an apartment with rent I couldn’t afford is that within the same danchi, even if the apartments differ in size, the overall vibe is generally the same.

I lived in a danchi when my son was in elementary school, and those were our greatest days. A danchi is one big park, so to speak. Traffic is limited within the complex, so children can play freely without adult supervision. Most of the adults who live there are laid back as well.

Anyway, I've moved over a dozen times, but this is the first move where I have the time to cull my things beforehand, so I'm intensely decluttering and deep-cleaning my apartment. You might be thinking I always say I'm doing that—and you're right; I slacked off for about 30 years, so it takes long time to whittle it down to the essentials. If I can manage to pull it off, my next 30 years are going to be much better.