Category Archives: Home

The Chinese Way of Moving Home

The Chinese believes in lotsa Feng Shui and also lotsa pantang larang (taboos).

 

Pantang Larang during Wedding

Pantang Larang during Pregnancy

Pantang Larang during Moving Home

Pantang Larang during Chinese New Year

Pantang Larang during ‘Ghost Month’

& more more…….

 

When we finally moved to our new home, we sort of practice or follow some of the ‘pantang larang’ too. Since people already mentioned what is suppose and whats not suppose…so we tried to follow lor. Some may think it sounds ridiculous. Well..we just try to accommodate the simple and non-complicated ones.

I managed to get the info from this webbie. HOUSE OF FENG SHUI

  • Find a suitable auspicious date and time according to The Chinese Almanac (通胜).The birth data of the family members (八字), priority of which goes to the head of the family is calculated and factored for best results. This should be done in consultation with a qualified professional. I only refer to Lilian Too’s calender.
  • Light up the strategic locations within the home the day before the official moving in date.- I only light up on the day we moved in.
  • On the appointed day and hour, open the main door with your right hand.- hurrmm….I think should be right hand, since all of us are right-handed.
  • Say a silent prayer and proclaim you are the rightful owner taking possession of your home.Didn’t do.
  • The head of the family enters the home with his left foot in first over any steps or threshold with the sales agreement, marriage certificate, bank accounts and all documents of relevance and value to the family.Didn’t do.
  • Perform the rites or ceremonies you have privately arranged including any consecration or positioning of the altar.We do not have any altar in our home.
  • Open all doors and windows to allow the flow of energies. Sprinkle handfuls of salt and rice mixture at corners of each space, followed by space clearing with a singing bowl. – Ohh…this one we did. Sprinkled mixture of rice+salt+tea leaves on every corners surrounding our home.
  • Light up and turn on water pipes, gas and electrical appliances in order to declare the preparedness and perfect function of your new home. – Hurrmm..we do not have gas..but we did turn on the water pipes.
  • Light up a stove with charcoal to symbolize a bright career, warmth at home and the ‘passing on from one generation to the next’. Put a kettle over the stove to boil.Ohh…we did this. We do not have kettle, but we used a pot.
  • Receive a ceremonial red packet and place it at the bottom of the wooden rice urn. Fill it up with rice to the brim and stick a red and gold sticker that denotes ‘Fullness’ (满).Didn’t do.
  • The lady of the house will now follow into the kitchen with the five essentials to ensure a stable supply of food on the table. They are a bottle each of cooking oil, soy sauce and vinegar plus a packet of salt and sugar. Throw in your pots, pans, bowls, chopsticks, forks and spoons.Didn’t do.
  • The children will troop in with buckets, pails and cleaning aids. Leave the broom to a later day.Didn’t do
  • Move in your safe into the Northwest sector of the house or a location as advised by your consultant. Request for another red packet from an elder to symbolize continuation and expansion of the family’s fortune.Didn’t do.
  • The lady of the house now puts up the fresh flowers arrangement in the living room area. This may include Orchids (representing purity), Magnolia (for nobility) and Lily (of good fortune and desires).Didn’t do.
  • You could also include a basket of fresh fruits comprising Oranges (for prosperity), Apples (for safety), Pineapple (for good fortune), Pomegranate (for opportunities) and Peaches (for good health).Didn’t do.
  • Symbols of good fortune found in various customs also include a platter of Prosperity Cakes (发糕) for good luck, Turnip Cakes (顺糕) for an obstacles-free life and the Peach Cakes (桃糕) for longevity. These are very Asian and localized delicacies, which are not commonly found elsewhere.Didn’t do.
  • Moving in is reserved strictly for immediate family members and should not include guests. The house-warming party is a separate matter.Pheww..luckily I did not invite friends but just my family members.
  • Cook a meal and serve tea with the boiled water from the stove. Allow the charcoal to burn out before cleaning it up and then filling it up with fresh charcoal to be place under the cooking cabinet (to ensure stability of income and uninterrupted supply of food on the table). – Mom cooks ‘Bihun Goreng’.

Hung the red cloth at the main door before lighting the stove.

The flaming charcoal stove…

With help from hubby & my brother to move the stove into our house and place it in the middle of the living hall. (for about 1/2 to 1 hour)

***Finally Alex and I own a HOME, after so long. We are now living happily***

Different Color Tone – Nippon Paint

My house is currently on renovation. I decided to repaint the whole house (interior + exterior) using Nippon. I was quite confident and convinced with this well known paint, Nippon. With all these Go-Green campaign, I decided to choose Nippon Paint Green Choice Series – Nippon Odour-Less Aircare. If you hate the strong paint smell after painting your walls, Nippon Odour-Less Aircare is a good choice!

The benefits of Nippon Odour-Less Aircare.

Subsequently, I decided to use different colors on each room. This idea is good(to look nice), but you will end up using a lot of paint. I engaged painter to do the job. Somehow, something just went not right……

Initially I was advised(by the dealer) that a can of 5 liter is sufficient for my bedroom 2. Apparently to cover the existing color (which is green), it requires more coating. Then hubby re-purchase another can of 1liter from a nearby hardware shop (1st and 2nd can of paint purchased from 2 different hardware shop) to do some final touch-ups on the wall. After that, we discovered 2 different color tone on the wall. Though we uses the same code, same name, same range of paint. In resultant, hubby repurchase another can of 5 liter paint (same code) to repaint the whole room again. Can you imagine, 1 small room…we are using all together 11 liters of paint!!!!

I chose “Clear Blue 442”. Nice right??

Notice the different color tone?

Few days later, I decided to send an email to Nippon regarding this matter.

With the prompt reply, Nippon’s technical department rang me up. Here’s the brief conversation.

Nippon : I understand that you made a report regarding about the paint.

ME : Yea…

Nippon : Are you requesting us to send our technicians over to do a test?

ME : (huh….there’s such service?) NO…Sorry, I can’t wait for your technicians to come over. I’ve already repainted the whole room. As, I’ll be moving in next week. I’m just curious to know what are the causes. And I thought using the same code ..I shall be getting the same color.

Nippon : Here; you mentioned that you purchase it from 2 different shops.

ME : Yea.

Nippon : Hmm…I suspect their paint ‘machine head’ not clean. So, when they blend the color…it appear slightly different. That’s why we usually advise our dealer to do cleaning on daily basis.

ME : (gum dou dak)…… ???? OOhhh….icic

Nippon : So sorry about that. We’ll take note on this and inform the dealer (the 2 shops where I purchased the paint) about this matter.

Though its nothing major, but I wish to highlight this to my fellow readers…try your best to purchase from the same dealer/ shop. In order to avoid this kind of ‘wastage’.

Do you think IKEA stuff worth the buy??

Now its almost the time to furnish. Trying to get some ideas from magazines. Its all about creativity. Somehow I am doubting my creativity. =_=

Playing a role as part of the owner is important. I’m quite blank at this stage. Where am I suppose to begin? Looking through IKEA stuff online….picked some stuff that I like…. IKEA stuffs always inspired me. Not only the designers are creative, I also like that its simple yet modern looking feel. Many people been telling me that IKEA stuff are not worth the buy. Its expensive and not lasting(in term of quality I guess). But yet I still see IKEA as a crowd place. Especially during the weekends.

I spared some time and copied some pictures from IKEA online.

BEDROOM

BEDROOM

BATHROOM

LIVING ROOM

The 1st Step

Has finally taken the very 1st step! The long awaiting of hunting, viewing and time consumed. It took us 6 months to achieve. Gone through so much of disappointment and turn downs. It was either, the price just too high or it sold out soon. I understand that good stuffs are usually high in demand. People nowadays buy property without even bother to view it. We got really very disappointed each time when we were about to pay the deposit to book the house, we were told that the house is sold. Normally its just a time interval of few hours or 1/2 day.

 

It is a house we are owning soon! Hubby and I both feeling proud of ourselves. With our capability and savings, we has successfully worked it out together. Its the toughest part, especially owning a landed property in KL. YES. I can say that we are kinda broke now. I must say that buying a second hand house is not easy. As you got to bear the lawyer fee and the stamping fee which is not cheap! Now that I felt much relieved, at least we had secured a house. Apparently the properties are getting more and more expensive nowadays.

 

1st step has taken. Soon, it would be on 2nd step. FURNISHING! I wouldn’t dare to calculate the sum I’m going to spend before moving in. As there would be minor touch ups(painting on living hall & master bedroom) and furnishing. All these really involving alot of money. Trying to work with the minimal cost. Hope there sure to be a solution when the day comes.

 

Peek A Boo….Will reveal it in future.

Switch Stickers

Nowadays people are getting more creative. They can come up with all sorts of ideas. People are really into DIY now. Then; they have wall stickers. Now; they even have switch stickers. Got curious and somehow purchased few of it. Bought them with the price of RM3 per piece. Its simple and easy to get it done.

assorted designs – good quality

instructions printed at the back of the sticker

Now; I’m showing the live demo. Hahaha…Got my mom as the model…  😉

1) Get a pen knife. Clean the dust and stain on the switch before you apply sticker. Remove the base of sticker. Adjust the sticker’s position & paste loosely from top to bottom.

2) Make sure the switch button is on “OFF” position and cut the upper part on the “ON OFF” line.

3) Make the switch button “ON” position and cut the bottom part of “ON OFF” line.

4) Press hardly to remove bubbles.

Taaa Daah….THE OUTCOME!

Wall Sticker

Recently; wall sticker has became a popular thing. I noticed many places are selling it.You may even find them sold on Facebook. But bear in mind; of cause there are different types of quality and pricing as well.

Last week I just bought some stickers from the night market. You will get shocked if I would to tell you the price is just RM2/ whole set. What makes me couldn’t resist buying it; was because of the price. I saw it somewhere else the price is 10x of this. Nevertheless; they are produced in different country. I suppose the quality is different too. The one I bought is made in China. The rather expensive one is made in Korea. I shall buy some expensive one the next round; to do the comparison myself.

bought 7 pieces

Used this design for kitchen. You must be really gentle when removing the sticker from the sheet. Because it is very thin.

approximate 60cm height only

My so-called dream design

A so-called design that I would like to have in my house. Why do I named it so-called design?? Well…if you would to see the photos I am posting here…you might be thinking…”ahem…not so grand oso lorrr”…yealo…don’t need so grand want..after all I am not a millionaire oso ma….LOL..

The external of the house is very important, because the first look might give people a very good impression. Nevertheless the interior of the house does play an important role as well. Because you wouldn’t want your house to look like a worker hostel right?

BRAVO!! Now is the moment where all the ‘kaching kaching” $$$$$ comes in.

What to do…want nice thing sure need to spend some money & effort lor.. I would like to have kitchen, bedrooms or living hall to be something like these:-

*got the ideas from here:-

http://www.legendkitchen.com/gallery-index.asp

http://www.interiorideas.com.my/index.php

KITCHEN

choice 1

choice 2

choice 3

BEDROOM

simple & nice

LIVING ROOM

BATHROOM

this will only happen if i would to get a huge house with huge bathroom T_T

WALK-IN CLOSET

every girl’s dream i suppose….