{"id":7509,"date":"2026-03-21T08:11:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-21T08:11:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/be\/7509\/"},"modified":"2026-03-21T08:11:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T08:11:18","slug":"what-i-rent-i-moved-from-belgium-to-a-margate-one-bed-at-850-a-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/be\/7509\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Rent: I moved from Belgium to a Margate one-bed at \u00a3850 a month"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tThis weekend, we\u2019re down in Margate (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

Welcome back to\u00a0What I Rent<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Metro\u2019s\u00a0tenant diary<\/a>\u00a0series exploring what\u00a0renting<\/a>\u00a0is like in the UK and further afield.<\/p>\n

Trix Eden Breuls has a knack for putting her own stamp on a rented property.<\/p>\n

Her one-bedroom flat in Margate has a plant in every corner and her own artwork on the walls, while lamps and trinkets fill shelves and surfaces.<\/p>\n

In previous houses, the photographer and content creator has even painted rooms and used peel-and-stick tiles.<\/p>\n

Trix is proof that with a few touches, you can make any house feel like a home.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what she had to say about her renting journey\u2026<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tTrix is originally from Belgium, and has been in the UK for two years (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tReady to start your homebuying journey?\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.<\/p>\n

Tell us about yourself!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m 29, and I\u2019m a professional wedding photographer and Instagram<\/a> influencer. I used to be a registered nurse, but after the pandemic, I went full-time with my passions.<\/p>\n

I live in Margate. I\u2019m originally from Belgium<\/a>, but I fell in love and made the move to the UK. In August, I\u2019ll have been here for two years.<\/p>\n

How do you find the UK compared to Belgium?<\/p>\n

It was more of a culture shock than I initially thought it was going to be. In Belgium, it can be a little more closed-minded. For example, I\u2019m quite heavily tattooed, which is more normalised here. I feel way more at home in the UK, because I think it fits my personality better. <\/p>\n

In Margate, if you walk into any shop or a waiting room, everyone always says hello, which doesn\u2019t always happen back home, so that\u2019s been really nice too.<\/p>\n

How much do you pay to live there?<\/p>\n

My rent is \u00a3850, and I live here by myself. My bills come to around \u00a3240, and my deposit was one month\u2019s rent.<\/p>\n

Do you feel like you have a good deal?<\/p>\n

Yes, it\u2019s very spacious. My double bed is in the middle of my bedroom, not even touching a wall.<\/p>\n

My old flat was a two-bed, so it had a desk area, which I miss. But moving made me realise that you actually don\u2019t need that much space. I did a big purge and got rid of a lot of stuff that I hadn\u2019t used in years.<\/p>\n

What do you think of the area?<\/p>\n

There are a lot of creatives here, and Margate is very up-and-coming. It\u2019s had quite a bad rep over the years, but then the Turner Gallery opened in 2011, and Tracey Emin moved back to Margate six years later, both of which put it in the spotlight.<\/p>\n

London is only an hour and 20 minutes away on the train, so after the pandemic, a lot of Londoners moved here \u2014 we call them DFLs (which stands for \u2018Down From London\u2019). They brought a lot of life back into the area and now there are small businesses, coffee<\/a> shops, and lunch places.<\/p>\n

I love running along the coastline, and I think Margate has the prettiest skies in Europe.<\/p>\n

How have you made this place feel like home?<\/p>\n

All my previous flats needed a lot of work, a paint job or a bit of TLC. It was really easy to put my personality into this place, because I didn\u2019t have to pour effort into making it look nice to begin with, because it was already in good condition.<\/p>\n

I like putting up photographs I\u2019ve shot, or collages that I\u2019ve made. I\u2019ve got really high ceilings, probably about three metres, but the minute I started putting up art, it felt like home.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the inspiration for your interior design style?<\/p>\n

A lot of my furniture is thrifted. It\u2019s the pieces themselves that spark the inspiration, and not the other way around. The chair with the birds is thrifted, as is the media unit with my record player on it, my wooden coffee table, the clock in my kitchen, the magazine rack next to my big monstera, the rattan chair in my bedroom, and both my desk table and chair.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got a lot of checkerboard pieces in the flat, like a rug, cushion, and mug. I think that\u2019s the emo inside of me that comes out in my interior design choices.<\/p>\n

I also like warm tones, burned orange and wood, and I\u2019ve got a lot of little pockets of light that just warm up the space.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tShe enjoys introducing pattern and colour to her space (Picture: Matt Bristow)
\nIs there anything specific you look for in a home?<\/p>\n

In the UK, a lot of places have carpet, which in Europe is just really not a thing. I don\u2019t want that, but it\u2019s almost inevitable \u2014 my old flat was fully carpeted, and I didn\u2019t like that.<\/p>\n

I could also never live in a basement flat. I want big windows, and I need good light.<\/p>\n

Are there any problems you\u2019ve had to deal with? Or any changes you\u2019d like to make?<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tShe loves Margate for its creative scene (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

When I moved in, this flat was partly furnished, and a lot of the furniture wasn\u2019t my thing, so I put most of it in the storage space. <\/p>\n

And, every once in a while, the drains smell a little bit, but I think that\u2019s a Margate problem.<\/p>\n

One of the changes I\u2019d like to make is to my balcony, because at the moment, it\u2019s pretty bare with just a table and chairs. It needs cleaning, and I want to hang some plants<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tHer own photographs are scattered around the flat (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

Other than that, I want to change the curtains, because they\u2019re not really long enough.<\/p>\n

In one of my previous flats, I painted the kitchen and put vinyl down with my landlord\u2019s permission. I was learning as I went in the evenings, on YouTube<\/a>. It\u2019s always worth spending a little bit of money and time, because it affects your mental health<\/a> so much. Creating something with your hands is really fun.<\/p>\n

Do you have any plans to move again anytime soon? What about buying a place?<\/p>\n

I would love to buy a house at one point, but I\u2019m not financially ready.<\/p>\n

Shall we take a look around?<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tTrix has divided the living room with separate work and leisure areas (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tWe\u2019re very much enjoying this sofa (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tShe says she hasn\u2019t had to change much about the flat (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tThis looks like the perfect reading nook (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tSpot the pops of checkerboard (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tTrix says that the locals call people who\u2019ve moved down from London the \u2018DFLs\u2019 (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tShe\u2019s a big fan of thrifting furniture (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\t\u2026and is most inspired walking around antique shops (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tThe romantics never die, it\u2019s true (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tAt the moment, Trix feels she has enough space just for her (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tIt\u2019s lovely and bright in here (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tIn her previous flats, Trix did a fair amount of renter-friendly DIY (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tTrix has brought most of her own furniture into the flat (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\t\u2026as she has a storage room for the original pieces (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tShe loves her balcony view (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tMagazine, anyone? (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tThe balcony is the next item on her to-do list (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tIn a previous life, Trix was a nurse, but she went full time as a creative (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tTrix isn\u2019t a huge fan of the carpet in UK flats, but she makes do (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tNow that\u2019s an impressive ring collection (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tShe\u2019d love to get on the property ladder in the future (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\t\u2026but at the moment, she\u2019s happy renting where she is (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\tTrix is a big fan of plants to brighten up a space (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Trix
\n\t\t\u2026as are we (Picture: Matt Bristow)<\/p>\n

Do you have a story to share?<\/p>\n

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\nMORE: Dad of girl killed by meningitis says she died just 12 hours after showing symptoms<\/a><\/p>\n

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\nMORE: Meningitis cases rise to 27 after outbreak spreads to London college<\/a><\/p>\n


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