Hi there,
My name is Andrew, I'm 24, totally blind, and I'm looking for a long-term room on the Gold Coast. My budget is $250 to $320 per week, and my income is stable and guaranteed. Because I am blind, I want to be completely upfront about my lifestyle and space requirements so we can make sure our routines align well.
I recently completed a double degree in law and psychology and I'm currently taking a gap year before postgraduate study. I value my independence and manage my own life, handling all of my own meals, washing, and personal errands. I am a former competitive swimmer and am currently running a year-long 20,000-lap charity swim fundraiser for Palestinian medical aid. Outside of my training, I spend a lot of time reading, writing fiction, and watching documentaries. I'm an AFL and NRL fan - Hawthorn and the Roosters - so if there's a game on, I'm probably tuned in. I use earphones for everything, so I produce virtually zero noise even when I'm up late.
Because of my routine, I usually eat twice a day, typically a hearty brunch followed by a pre-made Nourish'd meal later on. I do almost all of my hot cooking independently using my own microwave appliances, MicroPro Grill, and sandwich press, and I have my own talking stovetop and other adapted cooking equipment. I'm also working with an occupational therapist to expand my cooking skills, and occasionally I'll have a support worker come in to help me bulk-cook meals for the freezer. So I barely use the main stovetop or oven at all. I am a clean and tidy person who never leaves plates lying around. I also book and manage my own NDIS support workers for transport, occasional room cleaning, and getting out into the community, so I'm fully self-sufficient in terms of daily logistics.
I'm looking for a mature, friendly, and laid-back household with people around my own age, ideally in their mid-twenties to early thirties. I tend to be quite independent; when I'm not training, I spend most of my time in my room focused on writing or other projects, but I'm absolutely not rigid about it. I'm also away fairly regularly - I've got close friends and family in Sydney and Brisbane I visit often, so I'm out of the house for a few days at a time every few weeks. When I am home, I enjoy having a good relationship with my housemates, catching up in the kitchen, having a drink-of-choice together, and just being part of a relaxed household where everyone respects each other's space and independence. I'm happy for housemates to have friends or partners over whenever they want, and I'd appreciate the same in return, so long as the noise or mess doesn't get too much - I'm not fussed.
On the practical side, I'd prefer a non-smoking household, and I have a few specific requirements to keep things functional and safe. In the kitchen, the main oven must use physical dials or tactile knobs rather than flat glass touchscreens. I need to live with people who keep the kitchen benches generally tidy and free of random clutter like loose bottles or containers, simply so I don't accidentally knock things over and cause a mess for everyone. I also need shared kitchen items to be returned to the same spot consistently, and I will need a dedicated shelf or zone in the main fridge for my ready-made meals. That said, if the bedroom is large enough, I could easily keep my own bar fridge in my room to keep things simple. I may also need to put a few small braille or tactile stickers on shared appliances like the washing machine, which are removable and won't affect anyone else's use.
For the bedroom, I need a large room that can comfortably fit a double bed, chest of drawers, bedside table, wardrobe, and a good-sized computer desk, with enough open floor space left over for an office chair to slide back and move around freely. I work at my desk for long stretches and need the room to move. I am also specifically looking for a property with at least two toilets, as sharing one between multiple people can get a bit crowded.
If your household sounds like a good fit for a reliable, organised, and social-but-independent housemate, I'd love to chat.
Cheers,
Andrew