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Kao Kids

Nat Kao Reviews The Kao Kids

Officially three speckies in the house (ft. MiyoSmart lenses)

November 13, 2020

So the last child has officially joined the fray of spectacled beings in the Kao household.

Three sighs for the three kids with myopia who now needs correction for their eyesight.

I’ve put the older two under Ortho-k lenses with Brian from AeroV and I’ve shared much earlier in the blog back in 2017 how Ben went through the process rather seamlessly. In 2017, he was only 8 then. But well, my firstborn being my firstborn was a sensible and adaptable child. Becks followed her brother’s Ortho-k footsteps when she was 9 after two years of spectacle-wearing and adapted quite readily.

We recently discovered how Nat’s myopia deteriorated quite quickly during Circuit Breaker (for the uninitiated foreign readers, this period was our local version of a lockdown, no thanks to Covid) and it wasn’t a good sign at all. Of course never a good sign with this one – we should have seen it coming because this was one child that loved the screen and playing Minecraft more than anything else in the world. When he returned to school after the lockdown, this one complained frequently of not being able to see the board clearly and we knew we had to go to Brian (Uncle Brian, as the kids now affectionately call) and get his eyesight sorted.

We were quite ready to put him on the Ortho-k path when this one cried out he wasn’t ready and we were quite at a loss on what to do until Brian introduced us to a new revolutionary lens that does pretty much what Ortho-k does for the eyes while the wearer is sleeping as he is awake wearing them.

Introducing MiyoSmart lenses, a revolutionary, international award-winning spectacle lens, based on a Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments Technology or ‘D.I.M.S. Technology’ which helps in myopia management and slows down myopia progression.

The MiyoSmart lens (top) has a patent protected D.I.M.S segments creating a myopic defocus effect which helps to reduce myopia progression

So no choice, right – since this one expressed clearly that he wish to remain bespectacled for the time being. It seems that putting him on MiyoSmart lenses is the best and wisest idea for now. Nat did take about a few days to get used to the various de-focused points in his new MiyoSmart spectacles when he received them but was good to go thereafter.

This was Nat on the day he collected his MiyoSmart. The markings show the focus point while the rest of the lens were defocused.

We are due for a checkup soon and I’ll update here on his myopia progression. Fingers crossed for this one!

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Product Reviews The Kao Kids

Eye care, I care – Review of Eye Care Monitor from BenQ

August 10, 2019

These days if you tell me anything is ergonomic and good for my kids’ eyes, you can take my money.

With digital learning being inevitable, I am so glad for an eye-care monitor from BenQ that is large enough and fully adjustable when my three growing kids are engaged in screen time.

A big box came for us!

Unboxed, and loving the size!

Super easy to set up, and now left on their study desks to be connected to anything they need

Staring at the screen for extended periods forces the eye muscles to keep focused at an exact spot, making it easier to cause eye fatigue or other vision problems. I have ONE child left not ‘stricken’ by the spectacle syndrome, and surely now, this screen is here to give him (and the other two, too) a comfortable screen experience so the myopia does not strike (0r worsen, for the other two)!

The BenQ Eyecare Monitor also offers these FIVE features:

1. Brightness Intelligence Tech: BenQ’s unique Brightness Intelligence Technology (B.I. Tech.) can automatically adjust the monitor’s brightness according to the ambient light, so that students can focus on computer programming or coding instead of spending time dealing with the complicated monitor settings.

2. Low Blue Light: Blue Light Technology filters out harmful blue light for both good sleep quality and eye health.

3. Flicker-Free: Flicker-Free Technology can effectively diminish eye fatigue and irritation for better viewing comfort and studying efficiency.

4. Height Adjustment: the GW2480T with ergonomic design can be customized for height, tilt, pivot, and swivel makes it fit better with different stages of growth.

5. Color Weakness mode: Scientific research shows that congenital color vision deficiency affects 8% of males and 0.5% of females. The GW2480T with a Color Weakness Mode can help this group of students feel the joy of color and see the true colors of this world!

My only child not in glasses

Please stay this way, ok!

BenQ is offering an awesome deal this National Day. They are taking 7% off, no GST, from 1st Aug to 31st Aug 2019 for GW2480T Eye-Care Monitor at BenQ Brand Store. Find out more about other GW Series Eye Care Monitors here and learn more about what’s now in our house for the Kao Kids here.

Disclosure: We received a GW2480T for the purpose of this review. All opinions here are our own, and no monetary compensation was received. 

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Family life as we know it Invites & Tryouts Milestones and growing up The Kao Kids

Family Life As It Is [Outdoor fam photography with Bespoke Photography]

April 8, 2019

We got our family photos updated recently, and in view of how posing in a studio would be challenging (HAVE YOU SEEN MY KIDS LATELY? They make all sorts of funny faces!), we grabbed at an opportunity to have our family photographed outdoors instead with Bespoke Photography.

I liked that I had no idea what to do for our one hour photo shoot BUT the Bespoke Photography’s photographer had many ideas and still gave me full autonomy to decide. He supplied suggestions, colour schemes, outfits, and even asked me to send him shots and styles that I would like to recreate.

I had initially wanted to head to Gardens by the Bay, but truth be told, I would be too tempted to run into the Cloud Forest if the heat got unbearable, so I went with the photographer’s suggestion of going to a lesser known place in Canterbury Road for a picnic, some frisbee and football with my kids, and lots of running around.

And we got more than shots of us playing frisbee and football that lovely Saturday morning.  I love it so much that the photographer captured the little moments of us doing things together – observing, talking and piggyback-riding.

These are very precious moments to me.

It’s not every day that someone comes along and captures the kids at play, but it is every day that the kids play this way. Surely then, I need to remember my kids playing in their wildest, and happiest.

The days are long but the years are short, and soon, childhood is but a memory. We certainly had the opportunity to freeze some moments in time that Saturday morning.

Just one hour, about 70 photographs captured, and I got naturally edited photographs within 2 weeks!

There’s a lot of sentiments just browsing the photographs again and again and I must say Bespoke Photography offered a much-needed service in my busy-ness to allow me to slow down and give thanks for my active, healthy and happy family. Definitely something to budget in at various milestones of our family life, and I am glad we now have pictures accurately depicting what family life is like, with the kids being 10, 9 and 7.

Check out their very reasonable rates here.

Disclosure: We were invited to a one-hour photo shoot with Bespoke Photography. All the running and sweating and exercise was done by the Kao family and not stunt doubles. No monetary compensation was received. 

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Ben Kao Milestones and growing up Nat Kao

To my Kao boys

August 7, 2018

Dear Ben and Nat,

You boys turn 9 and 6 respectively this year. How time flies.

You have now become best friends to each other. You need each other every day. I see that. I see that you have need for each other in the form of conversations and play time all the time. You boys talk about everything you love under the sun from Smashers and Avengers to Beyblade and Pokemon. You make silly boy jokes and invent silly boy sounds.

And you fart and burp with such finesse ON DEMAND.

Sometimes I think you boys are the grossest ever. Your hair stinks. You brush your teeth for a total of 5 seconds. You are perpetually sweaty.

I sometimes wonder if I could raise gentlemen out of the both of you.

Beyond the dirt, booger and clamminess, I know you boys are incredibly kind-hearted souls. For one, you love and take care of each other. You protect your sister. You stand up for justice. You fight on reasonable grounds. You knock sense into one another when the time calls for it. You take care of the house. You help with the strength that you now have.

You catch lizards. You kill bugs. You shield mama from things she is afraid of.

And every single day, you would show Mama how much you love her, by saying ‘I love you’ and hugging her.

By the way, Ben, you’re already as tall as my shoulder. Soon you will be towering over me. I know that will happen sooner than later.

May you always use your strength to show kindness. When you become strong, remember to help the weak.

And may you both be brothers in life and in love. May you both always find solace and strength in this brotherhood.

And may you both always keep this view in my sight, as long as I live. Let me always see your hand on your brother’s shoulder.

Love, Mama.

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Food, glorious food! Invites & Tryouts Reviews The Kao Kids

The kind of steamboating this family likes [Review: Beauty in the Pot at OneKM]

August 4, 2018

I love hotpots and steamboating so much that my husband has started making his own collagen broth for my cravings and beauty needs (a woman needs her collagen!) but that’s another story for another time.

My kids love a hearty hotpot meal too, if and only IF they didn’t need to sit around the table, listen to adult chatter, wait for food to cook and then have this on repeat mode over the entire course of the meal.

Imagine how excited I was when Beauty in the Pot invited us to check out their new Children’s Playground at the OneKM outlet – THIS is the kind of steamboating that will satisfy everyone in the family.

Because playground.

We hear it’s called ‘Angela’s Playground’ cos it’s named after the owner’s daughter. How sweet!

We came for lunch so it was hot. That didn’t stop the kids though.

And I kinda wished I came for dinner instead because with a playground like this, my kids can definitely play for a long time in the cool of the evening and I can eat for rounds on end.

This place is now officially on my list of must-go family-friendly dining venues.

A 4-seater see-saw that entertained the Kao kids while food was being prepared!

And a trampoline too!

Think of how long the adults can eat and talk while the kids play. The playground adjoined to the restaurant is for Beauty in the Pot’s guests only and that definitely gives any parent a peace of mind knowing that the entrance and exit is via the restaurant and there is only one door by which the kids can enter and leave by.

But to make it to that list also means that one important criteria needs to be fulfilled: the food needs to be good.

And I don’t think there is any doubt about that; everything here from the broths and fresh ingredients to the interiors for dining comfort and service is excellent. And I am not just saying it just because I was invited. Try dining there and watch how every single wait staff attentively tends to your broths (topping up and removing the scum), your drinks, your well-being PLUS do a more-than-ninety bow just about every time they have completed serving your every need.

You’ll be blown away by how much attention they will give you.

If that’s not enough, try having four pots at a go in a place so pretty in pink and you will be blown away.

We were, for sure.

Check out the pink couch, the frosted pink backdrop and I am glad I also came (pretty) in pink 🙂

Four broths to savour (clockwise): Vitaminc C Tomato Sweet Corn Broth, Cooling Coconut Broth, Herbal Drunken Chicken Broth & Signature Beauty Collagen Broth

My favouritest thing ever in steamboat: fried beancurd skin

This was the most unique ever: fishies swimming in broth! These homemade fish tofu follow a secret recipe of yellowtail fish, soya bean and egg white and they melted in our mouths. The Kao kids love this most.

I don’t know about you but my kids and I get very excited about our sauces & dips. And what a spread it is here.

I have to say their Ebiko Prawn Paste (bottom right) is the most delicious paste I have tasted because it has such natural sweetness. And their handmade meatballs.. are just too good!

Besides the freshness of the ingredients, the huge variety of food items you can match seamlessly with soups of four kinds and the promptness of the service, I particularly enjoyed the little touches in this place that makes it unrivalled as the restaurant to dine with the family.

Things like these are very important for a mother dining out with her kids:

Tissues within reach, supplied unlimitlessly – a very important thing you need when having steamboat if you’re OCD like me. I like to keep the table, and my children’s mouths, clean.

Getting disposable aprons like this that are splash-resistant so that clothes get protected. And I am not just referring to mine but all three of my kids who sometimes eat like they cannot put food properly in their mouths.

Having someone constantly look at the soup to top it up or remove the scum that’s floating – I am particular about this and I am glad that the wait staff is too 🙂

Giving us a refreshing yuzu drink to cleanse our palates

So, I am not a food blogger and I write from a mother’s perspective always. I’ve read reviews about the food being compared to this place and that, in addition to the service being a little over the top with all the bowing. From a mom’s lens, I have completely no issues with that because it’s a great teachable moment to show the kids that in some places, people are trained to serve with a smile and to bow, and it’s equally important to reciprocate in kind and thank them in return. In fact, after some time, because the wait staff was soooooo friendly, the kids could boldly ask them for balloons to play with!

I love it that with the Kao kids, everything can be a learning opportunity.

I’d definitely recommend this place for that occasional splurging on the family for a lavish treat and celebration of any kind.

Because collagen steamboat + playground + excellent service = what’s not to like?

Disclosure: We were very kindly invited to have lunch on a lovely Sunday (Becks’ actual birthday!) at Beauty in the Pot at OneKM #03-38. We loved what we were served and all opinions are our own. We hear that they are open till 3am and things go at 20% off after 10.30pm, so here’s to possibly more suppers with the kids since it will be so cool to play at the playground!

 

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Invites & Tryouts Reviews The Kao Kids

Raising spider-people [Review of The Little Climbing Room]

July 21, 2018

So a long while ago, we checked out The Little Climbing Room, an indoor climbing playground tucked deep in the Serangoon Charlton Estate area. It was started out of pure desperation by a parent who found indoor climbing playgrounds severely lacking for young children (most of them cater to older kids) and wanted to invite kids even younger than 3 years old to experience wall climbing.

I suspect the founder also knew that many of us were raising spiders back in our homes and needed this place, too. Spidergirls and spiderboys, that is.

Well, with kids aged 9, 8 and 6 it’s not difficult to understand The Climbing Room‘s appeal – for both me as a parent, and for my aspiring spider-people. I’m not sure if you’ve met my Nat but he aspires to be Spiderman since he was three. Did you read about his fracture?

Ok, the time is now and the place is here. Please fulfill all your deepest and darkest dreams of having that super-power to stick on walls, guys!

This nondescript place is tucked at Promenade @ Pelikat 183 Jalan Pelikat #B1-101 S(537643)

The Number Wall, Obstacle Wall and Augmented Reality Wall were the Kao kids’ favourites in the small climbing playground. They love to do the challenges posed to them as a trio and I am not complaining about my spiderpeople doing teamwork.

Especially great for confidence builing are the 4-metre high walls with varying degrees of inclination and difficulty. Every kid challenging this would need to be harnessed and supervised by an adult to conquer this.

Although a relatively small space, it offers huge opportunities for kids to expend their energy. It’s safe and every wall climb attempt is supervised, and I like that dreams of being Spiderman are being realised here.

A place where superheroes’ fantasies come true, maybe, with more and more practice. We signed up for a package, and would be back every time I have kids bouncing off the walls at home.

More details:

Climbing hours from Tuesdays to Fridays are from 2-7.30pm and weekends and Public Hols from 10am to 7.30pm.

Book your climbing session here: https://mylittleclimbingroom.com/booking/

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Ben Kao Thunderstorm days

Damn you, bee

May 26, 2018

It’s never a dull day as a mother. Since I became one 9 years ago, I’ve received all sorts of calls from school ranging from kids running a temperature (haha no big deal now) and vomiting (this one I dread) to my son having a concussion after being knocked by someone at the canteen and this one recently:

“Hi Ben’s mum. We wanted you to know your son was stung by a bee,” the admin lady from the General Office said.

She then went on to assure me that the sting was taken out in the morning but had to do her due diligence to inform me that his finger where the bee stung him was swelling 5 hours after she did so.

Right. My trooper actually continued life in school for 5 hours before feeling discomfort and needed more medical help and went back to the General Office again.

This happened on 30th April and after school, I brought Ben to the GP. He got checked, some cream and oral medication, and things were pretty much under control. He did feel weak and ran a fever on Day 1 but by Day 5 he said he felt ok.

But at Day 7 his finger swelled a little too ridiculously and looked so out of proportion we had to rush him to the A&E.

See his right middle finger?

After a 3-hour wait at the emergency, what the doctor diagnosed was that he probably needed another dose of antibiotics.

And that was when the nightmare began.

By the third day of this new second round of antibiotics which he started, he began having hives from neck down to every single bit of his body from back and groin to arms and belly. The poor boy missed two papers for his mid year exam, lost sleep and was tortured every single minute by an unbearable itch, and he could only conclude, as I would:

“Dang it, you stupid bee! Why the heck did you sting me!”

And this was only the front view. There’s the back, arm, groin and leg view too!

Believe you me, I have never seen my son so upset. He is usually a pretty chill child but he was really, really bummed to have such a severe allergic reaction to we-don’t-even-know-what-because-we-were-back-at-A&E-two-more-times-after — and every doctor we saw friggin’ refused to even conclude he was allergic to the medication.

It is not suggestive, they say. If it was the medication, his hives would stop when you stop taking it.

But it went on for helluva weeks and this poor boy had only just managed to recover after THREE WEEKS.

So, do I have any advice for having been there done that?

Yes, for sure! For one, please make sure if your child’s been stung by a bee to check that the sting is taken out. Ben’s sting was, and he watched the bee die. Hurhurhur.

Second, please have a doctor check the site of the sting and monitor it for swelling and secondary infection.

Third, if your child requires any steroids or antibiotics medication, stop the moment you see any signs of rash. Our mistake was to only check his swelling and ignored his comments of “I have some heat rash coming up” only to realise that it was full blown hives and not heat rash.

Lastly, I would think on hindsight we should have prepped his body better to handle the venom, the secondary infection, the new medication as much as we could by loading on the probiotics and vitamin C. I had completely forgotten about that – giving him probiotics – and for that I’m sure his gut must have been overworked with all the antibiotics the doctor were making him take (it was 4 times daily for 7 days, CCCCRRRAAZZZZYYYYY).

I am glad that the episode is almost over – Ben still has some itch here and there to handle – but we are quite certain now we are not fans of BEE + HIVES. Kinda like a bad joke you pulled on us, Bee, but RIP.

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Becks Kao Ben Kao Enrichment Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reviews

When a little MORE Chinese is great for them with the help of technology – ft. Connected Learning

May 15, 2018

ALL HAIL THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION! Ed-tech is here to help my kids in their Chinese!

They are not hopeless! And I am hopeful! 

I am always doing the happy dance when they have Chinese lessons these days in the comfort of home, in front of a computer.

For a while now since last year, Ben and Becks have been communicating with tutors based in China weekly, thanks to Connected Learning’s offering of online Chinese tuition. This is on top of their usual weekly face to face session with our local Chinese tutor who has been with them since they were in kindergarten.

I know, kiasu, right?

BUT they need it. Their Chinese proficiency is what we figuratively say, half a pail of water, in Mandarin.

-_-

I love it that a solution using technology comes along to make things easier for busy kids and busy parents and make our lives easier and learning a little more convenient. I hear that the good local folks that started this were looking for an online alternative to make Chinese more fun and refreshing to learn. Their families spoke English primarily at home, and they felt that once a week lessons weren’t enough for their children to become fluent in Chinese (hey, that’s me too!). They wanted to expose their children to Chinese more frequently, yet this was difficult to accomplish when both parents are working full-time and are unable to send their kids to tuition so often (story of my life!).

For their creds, they have a team of 15 full-time tutors who are from China, are University graduates and/or equivalent in either Chinese Language or education-related fields. Their teachers are well-trained in online teaching to keep classes engaging and to develop a love for the language that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. They adhere to the latest syllabus and exam formats as advised by MOE with the guidance of local MOE consultant teachers and have access to the Chinese textbooks and assessment books available in Singapore.

And so with Connected Learning at the convenience of our home, Ben and Becks log in weekly to to a web-based conference tool and literally take in the comfort of home to a whole new level while in “class”:

Make oneself comfortable with neck pillow and headphones

Anyhow sit don’t care

Study with chou-chou bolster

Lesson time on ipad on Mama’s work desk at her work place

What goes on in each 60-minute lesson? Lots of conversations, questions, recapping of learned vocabulary, writing practices, new vocabulary and short video clips. They also look at papers and work on the various components assessed in Chinese from listening comprehension to sentence construction and oral. In every class, all elements of language learning 听(listening), 说(speaking), 读(reading), and 写(writing) are incorporated.

Learning vocabulary

Doing practice papers and going through answers

Writing new phrases

Constructing sentences

Reading aloud

Making sentences

My kids started out really being extremely embarrassing whenever it was their turn to construct sentences, but they have since gotten better because they also learn in a “class” of sometimes 2 to 4 other students. The parents also get a monthly progress report from the teacher and it’s super thorough – from the mistakes they make to what they can continue to work on, the tutors are very, very detailed when it comes to that!

Also, the pricing is really affordable as well. The website features pricing for 3 times a week class (that’s intense!) but if you want a twice a week or once a week lesson package, it is definitely not exorbitant. I remember it being less than $100 for once a week for one child (P1-3), but please go ahead and enquire with them here.

I am also pleased to report that while my kids still have a long (and I mean, loooooooooooooooooong) way to go for their Chinese, their Chinese teacher at school recently complimented them for their willingness to speak up and commented that they are both speaking more as compared to the beginning of the year and their peers.

That’s good enough for me. 加油吧, 孩子!

Disclosure: We were invited to try Connected Learning for two months. All opinions here are my own, as well as our standards of Chinese proficiency.

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Ben Kao Family life as we know it Milestones and growing up

My son, my parent

April 16, 2018

Overheard these days with my nine-year-old…

I will stay up to wait

Ben: Where are you going?

Me: Oh, I am going out with my best friend.

Ben: Who?

Me: Aunty J.

Ben: Where?

Me: Dinner at somewhere nice.

Ben: What are you eating?

Me: Good food.

Ben: Yes, what kind of food?

Me: Western maybe?

Ben: What time are you coming back?

Me: About 9ish or 10?

Ben: Ok, I will wait for you.

~~~

Manage your money, please

Ben: What time did you come home last night?

Me: About 11pm.

Ben: Why so late? Thought you said 9ish or 10?

Me: Sorry, we got carried away chatting.

Ben: I tried to wait for you but I fell asleep.

Me: It’s ok. You should sleep.

Ben: So how much was dinner?

Me: About few hundred dollars.

Ben: Who paid?

Me: Erm, we wanted to split but in the end I gave the treat.

Ben: WHAT!?!? You got money meh?

Me: -_-

~~~

Why do you have so many bffs?

Ben: Where are you going again?

Me: Dinner

Ben: With who?

Me: With my best friends.

Ben: Thought you just went?!

Me: Yea, but I also want to meet other girlfriends.

Ben: Why you so many girlfriends one!

Me: -_-

~~~

While at work

Ben (calling): What time will you be back, Mom?

Me: Soon.

Ben: Thought you said you are coming back by 4pm.

Me: I got held up.

Ben: If you say you’d be back, you should, ok?

Me: -_-

~~~

Phone vs. presence

Ben: Look, see – you’re always on your phone.

Me: I am working.

Ben: You are always working. At work you are working, and at home you’re working.

Me: I’m sorry.

Ben: Don’t be sorry. Just put down your phone.

Me: -_-

~~~

Dear Papa, I am in good hands. Your grandson is doing a great job being my dad.

I love you, Ben. For the way you fuss over me, keep my phone habits in check and wait up for me!

 

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Family life as we know it Invites & Tryouts The Kao Kids

Getting ’em organised and all ready for a new school year (ft. #ikeahacks)

December 25, 2017

[Sponsored – this post is IKEA-inspired]

When you have three kids and a really small living space, you got to make the space work very hard for you.

So when we moved into our new flat a few years ago, the bulk of the renovation cost went to carpentry. We fixed up a platform and bunker bed with six huge compartments under for the Kao kids’ toys, and then custom made their wardrobes and study desks.

The kids share one room in our current living space. At least from now till our next move.

With all custom-made things, it has been very difficult to get proper storage solutions to get organised. We can only admire but not buy organisers or beautiful trays like these:

From IKEA: SKUBB Box with compartments

RAGGISAR stackable tray from IKEA

So we very much end up with internal chaos like this…

Ben’s personal drawer – obviously he keeps photos he treasures safe in here, and Kidzos, pouches and knick knacks

this…

Becks’ drawer: of mozzie patches, card collections, hairbands and wigs and all sorts of bags and hair-ties

and this…

Nat’s drawer: the most chaotic of all. Clearly he loves his masks (Spidey & Bumblebee), inflatable globe,s tickers, sketch book, pencil case and toy spider too much as to keep them away from his siblings

 

My kids have an amazing to hoard, stuff and shove. I don’t know what’s in all their personal drawers but I don’t think the things stuffed all the way in there get any attention at all.

Drawers transformation

I can’t readily find a quick fix to get these drawers organised neatly because they are custom made to fit an existing wall space, but I am so glad I found these from IKEA such that I can put them in good use:

VARIERA Box: 24x17cm

VARIERA Box: 10x12cm

GESSAN Box: 10x10x10cm

GODMORGON Box with led: Set of 5

GLIS Box with lid: 34x21cm

I got a couple of these VARIERA boxes in the above two sizes in colours red, black and green, as well as a couple of GESSAN boxes plus 1 set of GODMORGON.

I also got one GLIS box to see if anyone would opt to use this to try to work their drawer space around.

The instructions for the kids were simple: empty your drawers, take as many of these boxes as they can fit into your drawers and fit them all in as neatly as you can. Then fill the boxes by deciding what you can fit in and what you wish to keep or throw.

This drawer-organisation project took half a day. And this was what the kids came up with:

I like it that these boxes from IKEA lets the kids still keep their drawer personalised but gives them a clear idea about how much space they have to keep their things organised.

Ben’s drawer transformed

Becks’ drawer transformed (love it that now her photoframe that has a picture of me & her plus Cinderella is now in sight!)

Nat’s drawer transformed

~~~

Study desk area transformation

On our last shopping trip at IKEA, Fatherkao was fascinated by this metallic knife rack:

GRUNDTAL Magnetic Knife Rack

I love my husband for the fact that he sees what I cannot see, does what I cannot do, and makes magic happen. This man singlehandedly removed all the random hooks and decals the kids pasted on their study area wall, wall-puttied and painted it to a smooth finish, then installed two of these magnetic racks (who says you can only use it for knives, LOL) – and at eye level somemore! – for the kids so that they could magnetically stick their notes and notices (every so often the school gives us notices which our fridge has no more space for) more systematically and neatly.

He even got the RIMFORSA tablet stands so the kids can use them for their iPads, spelling lists and reference books whenever they sit down at the desk.

I can’t believe this was all conceptualised and done within half a day by their very competent father. I love that their study space has gotten neater as compared to using blutack to stick on notes in the past.

Love it even more that the first reminder that Ben stuck on this new metallic rack was a reality check: school starts soon and it’s time to pack his bag. LOL.

Speaking of bags, they have also been organised neatly, thanks to these which we found at IKEA:

These FIRRA Boxes (we used them without the lids) are great for keeping the kids’ school bags and can be rolled out with their wheels. The plan is to have the kids put the bags in these boxes after school, and roll them out when it’s homework time, tuition time or pack-your-bag-for-the-next-day time.

 

~~~

In the spirit of getting organised, the kids also helped to think of ways for room improvement, and this was what they came up with, with their LEGO DUPLO blocks:

Love it that they have been inspired to look for solutions all around!

Truly, small things can make a big difference when it comes to getting organised, and I think the Kao kids are ready to start the year right, now that the mess they had once lived with is now put completely away.

~~~

Disclosure: This is the second of three in a series of collaborative work with IKEA. IKEA sponsored all the hacks we’ve used in this post. All ideas here are our own. #IKEASG#ad#sponsored#incollaborationwith #IKEA

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