When we moved to Toronto, Canada earlier this year from Lahore, Pakistan , the biggest challenge for us (apart from adjusting to the cold weather) was to find a place as close to what we had back home (in terms of area) and let me tell you we failed miserably. That is where the first don’t of this list comes from.
Don’ts:
- Do not compare your current living space to what you had before or you will never be able to enjoy what you have. We adjusted from 3500 sq ft to 1100 sq ft ; it was not bad but it took us some time to convince ourselves that this place is big enough for us.
- When renting a place do not go over your budget just to get a few extra feet or a better view. You are definitely going to need that money for one or the other unforeseen expense.
- If you have little kids be very careful when buying furniture. Do not buy sofas/chairs/ottomans etc with light colored upholstery because well we all know about those chocolate milk spills and diaper leaks.
- Do not buy furniture that could be easily scratched because no matter how hard you try one day or the other that table is going to become a racing track. Like you can see in the picture below my coffee table’s finish is such that a scratch or two do not even show.
Do’s:
- Focus on the area you cannot compromise on. For example, for us the main concern was to have a big living room so the kids could run around and not feel dislocated. So, though our rooms are not that big, we have a decently sized living room. As you can see from the picture below the windows all around give an open feel to it.
Photo credit : Tanzeela Hasan
2. If you do not have enough storage space, buy furniture with storage.
Exhibit A:
Photo credits: Tanzeela Hasan
This Ottoman is a life saver and stores toys more than you can imagine.
Exhibit B:
Photo credits : Tanzeela Hasan
The four drawers of this coffee table house things you would least imagine (like a big pot I use for cooking)
3. Try to save up on furniture wherever you can but if possible spend on one statement piece (by spending i do not mean a million, just a little more than the rest of your furniture to add a fancy touch). For me that would be this chest of drawers that i bought from Structube
Photo credits: Tanzeela Hasan
4. If you have kids, do look for areas that have schools with a good rating that is if you are as concerned about academics as I am (like most desi people). Those areas might be a little more expensive but this will help your child in the long run.
This is it for now, learning from experience I will keep adding to this list.
Life is short, have your chai (tea) exactly the way you want to, enjoy each moment and try not to worry about tomorrow (my husband would have a good laugh reading this statement).
Until next time….
fromhereonwards 