Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year comes by early this year and the best thing you’d want to do for yourself is to prepare for all the guests who are about to visit you.
Homeowners probably find this period in time some of the most stressful so we’ve gathered some of the best tips and tricks that will help make the experience so much easier, from tools and accessories to keep you organised to the latest appliances to keep your home spick and span.
Your guests will surely be impressed!
When guests come over, it’s essential that everyone has a place to sit.
Expand your seating options with lightweight foldable or stackable stools that can be put away quickly and easily. We like the KYRRE stool from Ikea for its minimalist silhouette.
Get: KYRRE stool, $19.90, from Ikea.
Offer up those New Year goodies in style with this snack container from Style Degree.
They’re airtight, have five separate compartments that can be removed for cleaning, and come in four pretty colours to boot.
Get: Airtight snack container, $18.80, from Style Degree.
Go green and avoid using disposable tableware this festive season. Instead, opt for regular dishes like the Solglimtar collection from Ikea, which is inspired by peonies, narcissus flowers and plum blossoms.
Get: Solglimtar collection, from $1.90, from Ikea.
You’ll need a place to store all those mandarin oranges that guests are going to bring to your home.
Instead of letting them pile up on the table, stack them neatly in a wire basket. We love the Rhea Wire Basket from Hipvan for its timeless style – it’ll hold fruits at the dining table even long after the New Year is over.
Get: Rhea wire basket, $16.90, from Hipvan.
Steamboats are a staple at Chinese New Year, but the sheer number of utensils needed can be a pain at times.
Save space and washing-up time with this 2-in-1 ladle that lets you both pick up soup and drain it away as you prefer.
Get: 2-in-1 soup ladle, $3.90, from Style Degree.
Before guests arrive, here’s a cleaning tip that will save you some time and effort: Simply focus on cleaning the main areas people will congregate in, namely the living and dining areas, as well as the bathroom.
A handstick vacuum cleaner would be your best bet, such as the new Bosch Unlimited Serie 6, as it’s powerful and handy for cleaning everything from floors to carpets and crevices. Plus, it doesn’t take up much storage space in your home. Check out our tried-and-tested video here!
Get: Bosch Unlimited Serie 6 Handstick BCS61113, $1,099, from all Harvey Norman outlets, Bosch online store and UnserHaus Experience Centre.
You don’t want to be wasting time washing up in the kitchen during Chinese New Year, when plates, bowls, cups and cutlery are on high rotation.
Invest in a dishwasher that will do all the heavy lifting for you, like the LG QuadWash dishwasher that uses high pressure jets as well as high-temperature steam to power-clean your dishes and leave them looking pristine after each wash.
Get: LG QuadWash Dishwasher DFB227HM, $3,299, from leading electrical stores.
Multitasking is made easy with a smart, voice-activated soundbar that lets you control smart home devices, search for recipes and information, make calls and pump out music at the same time. The voice-activated JBL Link 300, powered with Google Assistant, lets you control the music playlist and more while you’re preparing snacks in the kitchen.
Get: JBL Link 300, $359, from leading departmental and electronic stores, as well as the JBL Sound Gallery at T-Space.
From cleaning up those inevitable messes and spills to keeping your floors dirt-free and ready to receive guests, the Hizero All-In-One Cordless Floor Cleaner can clean up both wet and dry messes in one fell swoop. It’s two-step trash removal system means it can pick up and separate solids and liquids at the same time.
Get: Hizero F801 All-In-One Cordless Floor Cleaner, $799, from leading departmental stores and electrical chain stores.
A cut above the usual generic decor, these plywood or acrylic cutouts by Urban Lil let you customise your home with your family name or an auspicious saying of your choice.
You can even pick the colour and font, and keep this for years to come.
Customise yours, from $55, from Urban Li’l here.
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Text: Melody Bay/Home & Decor Singapore, Additional reporting: Elizabeth Liew