Post Punk Kitchen Forum

So.

You guys may or may not remember me posting about thinking of doing a work term abroad in Northern/Central Europe starting in January. Well, I've now decided that I will try to go and work in Helsinki. One of my concerns right now is what to do with my apartment.

Here's my current situation: I am studying in Tokyo and have a furnished room and minimal belongings here (but really, that's all I need). My university is in Vancouver, I have lived there for two years and have my own apartment with my own furniture and everything. Right now I am subletting my Vancouver apartment to a friend until the end of December (when I'd initially thought I was going to come back) and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to stay longer than that. My lease is also month-to-month. I will have to come back to Vancouver eventually, so I see my options as either: find another person who wants a furnished sublet, or somehow clean, move my stuff out and put it into storage at the end of December. I'm going directly from Japan to visit my family in Halifax over the holidays, and it really doesn't make much sense to stop in Vancouver before (because my friend will still be living there) and it doesn't make much sense to go back there after, because that is the opposite direction from where I need to go.

I'm hesitant about finding a subletter because I won't know them well or be able to meet them in person, which makes me nervous.
Right now I'm leaning toward just moving my things into storage, but flying back to Vancouver will be tricky. I wonder if it would be cheaper to hire movers and cleaners to deal with everything, or to pay my friends to do it (assuming they have the time right then. and a vehicle).

Are there any other options that I haven't thought of? Any suggestions/opinions? Sorry for the most banal of posts, heh.

This would be my choice. I think it's okay to take a punt on a new subletter you haven't met if the apartment is empty, but I'd be nervous too about having someone I hadn't met living with my goods and chattels.