At the end of 2023, my new house was finally delivered 🎉. Adhering to the concept of saving wherever possible, I refused to customize the entire house and decided to take it step by step. In the past four months, my home has undergone some small changes, and my wallet has also shrunk.
First of all, after moving in, I spent nearly 100,000 RMB. The main expenditure structure (from high to low) is as follows:
- Delivery fees, mandatory deed tax, property fees, miscellaneous fees: 40,000+
- Appliances, including refrigerator, washing and drying set, coffee machine (purely personal preference), small appliances: 20,000+
- Furniture, bed frame and mattress, customized metal wardrobe (carpentry, cabinet door customization, internal metal shelves), dining table and chairs: 20,000+
- Home textiles and miscellaneous items, curtains, screens, household toolboxes: 5,000+
It is estimated that I will need to spend nearly 30,000 RMB to purchase a sideboard, desk, bookcase, bedside table, etc. in the future...
Actually, refusing to customize the entire house didn't save much money, but I observed that my friends all had the same customized houses, and the use of materials was not particularly environmentally friendly. There were also various issues such as annoyance with telemarketing calls. Saving money is secondary, and it is more of a protest against the custom home market!
Customized Metal Wardrobe#
Since I need to move in by March, I chose a metal wardrobe. It is a type of cabinet with wooden doors, but the interior is actually made of metal shelves. The most famous one is IKEA's BOAXEL. I plan to order this shelving system for the interior, but I haven't placed the order yet.
For the external doors, I chose folding doors from Japan's LIZZ. Mainly because their environmental rating is relatively high, higher than domestic brands. And I wanted to experience the feeling of fully opening the doors. These doors can be completely opened, unlike sliding doors that can only be partially opened each time. However, I have been waiting for the custom doors for 4 months and they still haven't been delivered, which makes me very upset. It's inconvenient to live without a wardrobe, and after installing the doors, I still need to repaint the entire house, which will cause a period of unpleasant odor in the house.
Appliance Selection#
I made some mistakes. I chose according to my own preferences and I quite like the Panasonic brand. However, Panasonic's service is not good. I had to help lift the dryer during installation, which is beyond my capabilities. Since it requires two people to lift it, why not provide two installation workers? And there were additional charges, which I cannot accept. After buying the refrigerator and washing and drying set, I may no longer like Panasonic. Expensive but with poor service, that's a definite no for me.
I chose the Panasonic washing and drying set called "Bai Yue Guang PP" because it has a hair removal and drying function, which is suitable for a household with cats. Personally, I don't think it's cost-effective considering its price of 9,000 RMB, and the washing and drying sounds are quite loud. The refrigerator has the appearance and touch that I like, it's okay, but not outstanding.
Other Items#
Curtains-----
Indeed, it exceeded my budget expectations. The curtains and sheer curtains for a three-bedroom apartment, including auxiliary materials, cost a total of 2,900 RMB. After installing them, I realized that the sheer curtains were not necessary and could have reduced some expenses.
Screens-----
I inquired with local merchants on Taobao and found that the prices for screens were quite high. Pocket screens with an area of less than 1 square meter cost about 370 RMB each, including installation. After searching for a while, I found a local factory direct seller that offered screens for about 220 RMB each, but installation was not included. If installation was required, it would cost an additional 400 RMB for all screens. After researching how to install screens, I found that it was not difficult, especially for men, but as a woman, it would be a bit more challenging for me, but not impossible. I purchased 2 screens and tried installing them. The method I summarized is as follows:
- First, use adhesive to temporarily fix the screens to the window frame.
- Then use an electric drill to secure the screens with nails.
After a few days of trial and error, I managed to install the screens. I plan to use the same method to install the remaining screens.
I'm tired of writing... Let me vent these frustrations. Renovating is really exhausting 💤, I have simplified everything.