Back home!

I survived the school trip!!!

Get organised - Finding Homes!

I am a naturally messy person. Not messy in my work or outlook but very much messy and disorganised in the way I keep my things.

I would start with arranging things nicely but after that , I just dump everything in any space I have. It would not be visible though because everything is tucked away in boxes or drawers but if you look inside, you can seriously faint. Not joking.

My husby is the exact opposite. 90% of his things are organised and he knows where to find his receipts, belongings etc. I basically just lose everything. Maybe reading all those 'How to Keep Yourself Organised' books really did help.

Even his work cubicle is soooooo much nicer and neater than mine! I get quite jealous whenever I go over to his school and sits at his desk.

I'll show you mine first.

That stack of papers has been there since forever!

Another stack....perhaps they are meant to be permanent fixtures at my cubicle :P

Boring boring....super boring. I shall go find ribbons to spice things up a little. 

And now you will see his......................

Seriously? It looks like a toy shop and everything is neatly filed and placed in separate shelves at the side. Oh Wow... and check out his cool phone !

His advice to me was everything must have a home. It is much easier to clear any mess when we know where every single piece is supposed to go.

That's my main problem actually. I would just dump my things in any storage space available. As long as it looks nice and neat from outside, I don't really care about how it looks inside. Heh. So unladylike yah?

I have tried to improve slowly though and it has worked whenever my things have their proper homes. Amazingly though , I have managed to keep up with the neatness (only when the homes are specific).

Recently I bought this inner scarves organiser from an online seller Sue Tariq. .. and I am seriously recommending it to anyone out there who wants to their inner scarves or socks to be neatly arranged and easy to grab!

This used to be how I stored my inner scarves. I do suffer from mild OCD where everything that I wear must match. Pink shawl must have its own pink inner scarf and the shade must be similar. That explains the numerous number of inner scarves I have. But see...so messy! 

I like how the stripes remind me of one of the COACH designs :P

Each slot can contain 2 inner scarves for me - I roll them. There are 36 slots together so definitely enough for my 48 inners !

Neat or what??? When I took the photo, some of my inner scarves were still in the machine. After putting them in, I had about 5 slots left . They were used for my socks :)

I super love my inner scarves organiser. The measurements are just right to be placed in one of my drawers. It has been a few weeks now and they still look neat. This is definitely for keeps!

Another shop I would like to share for great storage boxes and home products etc would be Howard Storage. Husby and I have bought many things there  - from soap dispensers, laundry basket to even toilet paper holders. I love their designs and their functionality as well. 

Aesthetically pleasing yet practical - best combo ever! 

I have been wanting to purchase this acrylic organiser for my make up but they cost $135. I thought it was little too expensive so the plan has been shelved so many times.. until recently when I noticed the price went down to $68.75! Yeah!!!

The one at the back is recommended for jewellery but I use it to store my make up instead. The lipstick holder costs about $15  (cannot remember exact price). I originally bought the lipstick holder for my mum until I realised that she only has two colours that she rotates each day so I decided it would be a waste to give that to her :P 

I then spent about half an hour going through what I had and  throwing out those I rarely use or  were past their shelf lives. Oh god...the amount of nonsense I stored!

It is seriously  very therapeutic doing such things ...and I love the end product!

The lipstick/cream holder on top left costs about $25. I like how the organiser has a flat top - that enabled me to add on the separates.  

From top to bottom:
 Lipstick ,handcream , eye cream, liners
blushers and individual eyeshadow pots
concealer, highlighters, more eyeshadown pots
foundation, pressed powder, two-way cakes
eyeshadow and lip palettes

Now I really understand what the husby meant when he said that life is easier when everything has its own home. I no longer find myself digging through my 3 make up bags to find just that one item now that I know where everything is. The see through acrylic case makes it even easier as I can see the items before even pulling out the drawers.

I feel so neat (at least only in this are) that it feels surreal.... hahahahah.... told ya I am a naturally messy person so this is a HUGE progress for me!

One of the compartments in my wardrobe (yup, I have no dresser)... super much neater than how it used to be.
The black round Anna Sui inspired container is where the many rings go to,  the two candylicious cans (bought from Candylicious store at USS)  are for my flower and ribbon brooches, and the brown box is for my other brooches.
Notice the photo frame?That's of bestie and I after our graduation. We went to some makeover studio...hahah....we looked kinda funny there!

As I have mentioned, we love going to Howard Storage! I can spend a long time inside looking at everything and imagining which ones I would need for the home (but we all know that women always end up buying unnecessary things, agree?)

But the things there are a little pricey and I always have to think twice or thrice , and make two or three trips, before deciding if I should get them. There is no point waiting for sales because they rarely have them. :(

My friends and colleagues (and if you follow me on Instagram) would know how crazy I am over bags, shoes and accessories! Again, all I did was dump them into a big box until I decided to get the stands from Howard Storage.

This faces my bed and has been filled up , to my joy. Our bedroom is pretty simple so I love how these colours brighten up the place. Some were gifts while others were bought from anywhere and everywhere. My favourite places would be Louvisa, Diva and ALDO.
The stand was about $26 each.

As for the mister, he opted for this stackable storage boxes from the same place. There is no cover and you can just buy more and stack them up, when necessary. 

If you had noticed, together with my make up strorage, there is a 3-level wooden box. It works the same way as husby's one... just stack but you can buy the lid separately as well.

The interior  of each level varies... you can get those suitable for storing rings, necklaces, cuff links etc.. My third level is the same as the one on the right. Again, I've forgotten the price but it should be about $20 -25 per level. .. got to buy all separately.

We really like this Howard Storage store. If I have the moolah, almost every imaginable storage in my house will be from there.  Our only wish now is for it to embark on some VIP / membership loyalty perks that we can enjoy ... hehe...

Well, that's a small part of me that has been organised (and still going on strong) . I hope to work on my toiletries storage next  and then to the more ambitious area - the kitchen. I have very little time left though - school hols are coming to an end - so please do not expect too much . Heh

Hope this helps a little for similarly messy people out there!

Remember, get homes!

Do Not Call (DNC) Registry - Ease the headaches!

Is this something familiar? 

Do you get such messages through SMS or whatsapp? How about calls from telemarketers?

I do and they irritate the hell out of me! 

I am sure we are all used to such spam that come through the email.... and it is easily solved by sending them all to Junk Mail folder.  But how do we handle the texts that come to our mobile phones?

I have been getting a frustratingly increasing number of such messages and I really wondered how to get rid of them all. Some give us the options of 'unsubscribing' . ... as if I have the time to unsubscribe individually to all! Worse, I don't even remember subscribing to any, in the first place! Then , there would be those that give us no choice of unsubscribing and we just have to live it. 

Housing agent, tuition agencies, useless advertorials.......urgh! I have not included those endless telemarketing calls from unfamiliar numbers that I do (unfortunately) answer at times. 

Thank goodness...this may be the answer to getting rid of the spam texts and advertorial calls!

The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)

This PDPA governs the collection, use and disclosure of personal data by private organisations. As individuals, we reap benefits such as having greater control over how our personal data is being collected, used and disclosed and also being able to access and correct our personal data held by these organisations. 

One way to avoid unwanted texts and calls is through the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. 

I was fortunate to be at the pre-launch talk to find out more about this process (thanks Omy!). We were  first showed a video on how our personal data is collected and disclosed by various organisations . You will be surprised to know that most of the time, we do not even realise that we are making ourselves vulnerable to these organisations through our own everyday acts. 

As you can see from the video, we are probably giving away own personal information every other hour thus, making ourselves easy preys for the telemarketers. However, you can now take charge of that and register yourself with Do Not Call (DNC) Registry and be rid of the unwanted texts and calls!

What is the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry? How does it work?

The DNC is a national database for subscribers to register their Singapore telephone numbers if they choose not to receiver unsolicited telemarketing messages.

It consists of 3 registers: 

1. No Voice Call register 

2. No Text Message register 

3. No Fax Message register (apply with your land line even if you do not own a fax machine) 

Starting from 2 January 2014, organisations MUST check the DNC Registry before making any telemarketing calls. Unless clear consent has been obtained by us (consumers) , they CANNOT send unsolicited messages to telephone numbers that have been earlier registered on the DNC registers.

Isn't that a breather for those who are constant victims of such activities? (I honestly do get a lot ... and I always wonder how in the world these organisations obtained my number!)

SO, wait no more. Register now... save yourself the redundant headaches! 

To make our lives easier, there are 3 registration methods ... just choose the one most convenient for you!

Online Registration (I am all for online!)

Visit www.dnc.gov.sg

You will be required to enter the OTP (one-time password) sent to your device.

You will see this notification when you have successfully registered. 

SMS Registration

Send "DNC" to 

78772 - All 3 registers

78773 - No Voice Call

78774 - No Text Message 

78771 - Menu for more options (including to de-register) 

Toll Free Number Registration 

Call the following numbers:

1800 248 0772 - All 3 registers 

1800 248 0773 - No Voice Call

1800 248 0774 - No Text Message 

1800 248 0771 - Menu for more options 

[Do use Online or SMS method if you subscribe to Caller -ID blocking]

Some things to note! 

You may still receive telemarketing calls/texts after registration : 

a) Within 60 / 30 days after registration

b) If you have given any clear consent to any organisation (before or after registration) for telemarketing 

c) If the organisations involved are not local

This may seem very new to many of us so PDPA Singapore is organising talks for consumers to be further enlightened :)

Upcoming Consumer Talks

The Personal Data Protection Act and What It Means To You 

Date: 15 January 2014, Wednesday

Time: 7.00 - 8.30 pm

Venue: Central Public Library 

Fee: FREE

To register: Visit the following site http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg/Programmes/Business/51530/The_Personal_Data_Protection_Act_And_What_It_Means_To_You.aspx

Knowing Your Choices : Personal Data Protection Act & Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act

DAte: 18 January 2014, Saturday

Time: 9.30 - 12.00 pm

Venue: NTUC Centre

Fee: $5 (exclusive GST)

To register: Visit www.case.org.sg/seminars.html

Fret no more, hop over and register!

For more details, hover on to www.pdpc.gov.sg

Protect yourself from the unwanted!

Under the Weather

I am feeling so miserably sick.

It has been a few days now and I think I am getting the full blown flu already.

I need to get well - there is a lunch date tomorrow with the ex-colleagues and  a blogger event tomorrow night.

Please please get well, Fairy.

There is still the school trip to Hong Kong to think about.

CUSTOMISED WARDROBE PART 2 - UP WITH THE NEW AND SUPER LOVING IT!

From my previous post on my customised wardrobe, someone asked if I was going to have a walk-in wardrobe. As much as I wanted to say 'yes', sadly the answer is 'no' - we do not have a spare room for that and I would not settle for a teeny-weeny walk-in wardrobe just for the sake for having one.

The person actually replied,"Then it is a customised cupboard, lah. Not wardrobe!"

Oh please.... To put it simply, a cupboard refers to any kind of storage unit and you can have it in your kitchen , living room , storeroom etc to store whatever kinds of knick-knacks. A wardrobe is exclusively a place to store your clothes. It comes from the French word 'armoire', which means a free standing closet used for storing clothes. Now there are variations to the type of wardrobe one can have , for example, walk-in , built-in and customised.

Thus, wardrobe is basically a subset of the bigger group 'cupboard'.  TSK.

Anyway, it took them a week to get the wardrobe ready and finally, it was time to put it up in the room.

The dense me did not realise it would take more than a few hours to put everything together ... I thought it would take them an hour max. Thank god I did not arrange for anything else that day. It was pretty exciting, I tell you, to see  every little progress of our little wardrobe.

So have you guessed the colours?

Let the work begin!

I was basically stuck in the living room doing my own thang...and kept peeping every few minutes. Haha... that defines anxiety.

It was really pretty exciting to watch the workers bringing in the different parts... I saw everything from scratch. From the clear glass doors to the white shelves to the bright colours, god, I just wished they would finish in ten minutes or so! Haha.... if only there were magic to replace all those screwing and knocking!

Finally , after what seemed like ages , our lil wardrobe was ready!

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TA DAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I love the coloured sliding glass doors - so glad we decided on those. 
The single-standing cupboard was kind of like an afterthought. 

Do you like the colours?

I love them - so bright and cheerful! Our built-in wardrobe and furniture in the master bedroom lean more towards dark wood and bronze-gold finish so I wanted colours for this room.  A little unconventional and may not go well with some people but that's alright. My home , my wardrobe. Haha.

I always like to take my photos from a slight angle - don't ask me why! Anyway, a friend commented the colours make it look like a children's playroom. That's good actually... plan for the future :) 

This may sound weird but it was a rather enriching journey, planning our new space. We had wanted to just buy a common wardrobe off the shelves but that would mean we would have to make do with whatever interior that comes with it, rather than catering to our needs. Although it wasn't much, proper planning was essential to ensure that space is maximised to its potential.

I decided that I wanted more shelves (of different sizes) to make space for all the curtains, bedsheets etc etc, and less of the clothes rail.

Yellow hangers from Daiso!

'Heavy duty' things go to the bottom of the wardrobe - curtains and bedsheets.

Soon, it filled up.... I am quite a sucker for bedsheets ..must remind myself to stop buying!

Since we have too many baju kurungs , all are folded and go to the shelves. That includes my dresses. Only the ones in more delicate fabrics are hung. Somehow, I feel that saves space! 

Soft Closing Mechanism for the sliding doors - We did not ask for it but we got it! No more irritating sounds when closing the doors.

You would have noticed the opened orange shelves on the left. I initially wanted them on the right  but after studying our room space and beams, our contractor suggested them to be on the left instead. Eventually, they turned out more than fine and since the shelves do not have any door, it is good to hide them a little.

I had to give to away at least a hundred shawls and scarves. There were just too many and as long as I do not get rid of some, I won't be able to buy more , even with the new space.

Initial count was 258 but I am only left with these for now ...

It is definitely easier to have access to my shelves without the doors, especially when I am in a rush to grab my shawls. After a few days though, I got a little irritated. Since the shelves are tucked away in a corner and blocked by the separate shelving (go back and see photo if you have no idea what I am talking about :P) , it was too dark for me to locate the shawls I want or to see if the colours match my clothes. 

As always, my dad came to the rescue! He bought me LED lights that can just be stuck onto the walls of the shelves to give me the amount of light I need.

$8.50 each from any shops selling electronic goods. 

Problem solved!

No more squinting in the dark! 

And yes, I promised my bags that they would have a new home and would no longer have to squeeze and fight for space. Promise carried out! 

Still  a little messy... will sort it out when I have a bit more time. Whenever that is :) 
I realised that when I can see all my bags, I tend to try to use all of them as often as possible. Otherwise, I always stick to my usual ones. 

Needless to say, we are satisfied with what we get for a very reasonable price. 

A friend of mine engaged Mr David Seah from MU Designs to do up her Duxton apartment and recommended him to us. What makes it all very personal is that unlike the bigger companies which outsource most of their jobs, MU Designs does all the carpentry on their own. Mr Seah would also personally come to view your place before giving a quotation, keep you updated of the progress of your project (no matter how small) and finally comes down to monitor the installation itself. 

If you have any home projects in mind, do consider this very friendly man. You can hop over to the website http://edleuro.com/ or contact him directly at 96693287. 

Ok , bye! I need to to do the laundry!