Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Blog Train: Small spaces at home.

Hi everyone!
I haven't done any personal posts for quite some time, aside from our traveling posts that is :)
This blog post is the last installment of Blog train series by a group of Singapore Mom Bloggers, entailing about how you make use of small spaces at home.
 
In land-scarce Singapore, the vast majority of us stay in high-rise apartments.
As we all know, children require so much s p a c e, I don't even know where to start.
Space for them to conduct their activities, space to park their vehicles (trikes, scooters, skates, ride-ons etc), space for their height-specific furniture (tables, chairs, bed, shelves).
Most importantly, children need lots of space for TOYS and BOOKS.
 
Here's a virtual tour of our humble home, a 3 bedroom apartment in a quaint little neighbourhood in the East of Singapore.
Adam has just turned 6 (2009 Ox baby) and will be going to Primary One next year - honeymoon's over, baby!
Ashton will be turning 3 in August (2012 Dragon baby). He is very much our last baby, which explains why most of the baby stuff like rocker and baby toys are still hangin' around.
I don't think I can ever bear to give his toys away! And when that day dawns, imma cry me buckets ;(
 
This is the children's Play Room, in which our helper sleeps.
The white IKEA shelf was a hand-me-down from my good friend, colleague, cum fellow mummy.
Right now, toys take up most of the space in this shelf, but I am trying to slowly build up their book and puzzle collection.

This brilliant calender clock is also gifted by the same friend who gave us the IKEA shelf :P
I feel extremely blessed that I do not have to go source for this because I know quality wooden toys are very hard to come by, and expensive.
In the background, the giraffe toy storage is used to keep all their nick nacks.
This, plus all those IKEA storage boxes on wheels. Oh gawd, one has no infinite idea how many things children have until one has real children of his/her own *shocked*

The boys' bedroom.

 


Just a little more info about me - I resigned and stayed home for 3 months when we first got our house keys.
Although I was a SAHM so-to-speak, there wasn't much staying-home to do, with all those calls and meet-ups with contractors, carpenters, landscape company etc.

Here are some ideas which I'd like to share with you:
1) If you can, source for your own contractors, carpenters, handyman, landacape company etc.
That way you'll save A LOT by striking off a middle-party known as Interior designers.


2) Don't be afraid to drop in on the construction works several times during the day.
I usually drop by to buy drinks, then buy lunch, buy coffee and tea for the workers. It makes them very happy. Happy workers = increased productivity on your freakin' home.
And also, don't be shy to ask for the extra layer of lacquer on your parquet, add another layer of silicone sealant around your sinks & bathtub, or to plaster-up that chipped corner.
Because you are nice and generous to them, they will be less likely to cut corners on you :)


3) If you have a balcony, which most new homes now do, consider making it a feature for the perfect wind-down relaxation after a long day at work.
We decked up the whole balcony and installed a koi pond which has seen been the centre of attention for kiddy visitors to our place.


4) Don't be afraid to get colourful, and who says boys can only have blue?
Colours such as green, neon pink, red, grey, navy, lime green, add cheer to the children's rooms.


5) Getting your house professionally cleaned before the big move-in is a lifesaver.


6) Packing is a pain in the ass, so do up your bomb-shelter shelves / storage cabinets FIRST thing before you move-in.
Trust me, once your boxes of stuff are unloaded from the lorry, you never want to unpack those barangs ONLY to pack them up the shelves later on all because you skipped this step in your moving enthusiasm.


In case you couldn't tell, I am quite the neat freak bordering on OCD and I attribute it as part of being a nurse :P
Hope you enjoyed reading!
This post is part of the Small Spaces blog train, which is hosted by Justina aka "Mum in the Making" (http://makingmum.blogspot.com)

Next up on this blog train is Libby, another fellow Mum-blogger.

Libby blogs at http://littlebowgirl.com.
She's married to her university sweetheart and OCD husband who thinks he does housework (and everything) better than her.
She is Mama to 15-month-old Sophie-Rose and runs a business from home selling handmade clothes and dresses.
Read about how she tries to reignin her innate dreaminess and messiness and finds space for her bub's overflowing clothes and shoes collection.



3 comments:

  1. I love wooden toys and agree they can get pretty expensive!! I don't think I can bear to give away most of my girl's toys too. So much beautiful memories of her playing with them and growing up ;)

    Ai @ Sakura Haruka

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ai,
      Thanks for dropping by :)
      Yes I'm quite obsessed with quality wooden toys too, especially those that smell like nice fresh pine/oak 😱😳

      Your blog is super nice, soooo PINK 💕

      Delete
  2. Hi, may I know where you buy your son's bed? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

Hi~! Thanks for dropping by my blog :)