Are you moving into a new place or entering Japan to start a new phase in life while on a tight budget? Before you head to home accessories stores like Nitori for essentials, here’s a guide to getting the most out of a trip to the infamous ¥100 store.
Being a loyal patron of Daiso, Can Do, and Seria, I have come to realize the immense savings I acquire by converting house items to what they have to offer. For example, disposable trash bags, which are otherwise sold for around ¥300 (plus tax) at a regular supermarket, costs a third of the price at Daiso. Since I won’t be putting rocks or sharp items on the bags and using them mainly for burnable or pura (plastic), the Daiso version has proven to be sufficient. The ¥200 savings can quickly pile up after repeated purchases of this item monthly. And that’s just the start!
To make things easier for readers, we will tackle the items per room, providing you with tips on acquiring necessities for a buck.
It’s all about the disposable items for the kitchen area because this room uses a lot of one- or short-time only things like drain and exhaust filters, detergents, plastic bags, coffee filters, and so on. These, plus more, can be found at your ¥100 shop.
Then you have plates and cutlery, condiment containers, kitchen tools, and other must-haves for cooking. Keep in mind that some of these items might be ¥200-300, although it’s still relatively cheap compared to other shops. My husband and I are chefs, and when we stayed at an Airbnb for a few months upon arriving in Japan, we quickly realized how lacking the kitchen items were in our temporary home. Luckily, we got by and still achieved scrumptious meals thanks to the Daiso items.
You also have items to protect your kitchen, such as floor mat, sink mat to preserve your stainless-steel sink, aluminum covers for the stover burners area to keep grease off your stove, kitchen counter protectors, and films to stick to your splashback area to keep permanent stains from settling on the wall. These items might seem unnecessary, but with all the activity that goes on in the kitchen, a little amount of coverage goes a long way to extending the life and pristine condition of your kitchen.
For the bathroom and living area, with more cotton and fabric items involved, you want to prepare for the fight against humidity, bacteria buildup, and the dreaded mold. Things like dehumidifiers, closet fresheners, and vacuum-sealed bags for storing seasonal apparel and futons help keep your bedroom and living area clean, fresh, and clutter-free. You can also find things like nightlights, cable ties to organize wires, adaptors, mini carpets, and pillows at a ¥100 store.
Products like bathroom scrubs, mirror squeegees, glass cleaners, bathroom cleaning detergents, toilet pipe decloggers, and drain filters are your best friends when it comes to keeping your bathroom clean. These are all readily available at most ¥100 stores. You can also find toothbrush and soap holders, shampoo containers, body scrubs, toilet seat covers, toilet mats, tissue paper, and air fresheners to keep your bathroom and toilet organized and smelling fresh.
Yes, some of these products might not work as effectively as the other branded counterparts, especially the cleaning solutions, but they do the job. Why else would they be consistently refilled on the aisles? A tip to minimize elbow grease when cleaning the bathroom or toilet area is to avoid prolonging cleaning sessions. Once a week is advised to save yourself the trouble of scrubbing like there’s no tomorrow while trying to remove mold and grime buildup.
Did you know that you can also organize like never before through ¥100 products? You can find loads of containers at the shop for organizing your fridge and freezer, office desk, shelves, and any other space in your home that needs tidying up. So, harness your inner Marie Kondo and achieve a clutter-free home with items that don’t cost much to begin with. A small step of creating a designated box or space for things in a group makes a big difference in achieving order and maintaining a mess-free area.
Are décor items considered essential? It is if you want to transform any space into a cozy spot for rest and relaxation. Whether it’s a small plant or gardening tools for your herb garden, a frame, or a post-it holder, there are decorations in Daiso that don’t look cheap at all. Who says sprucing up a room had to burn a hole in one’s pocket?
A few months ago, Daiso held a promo with kitchen tool brand royalvkb. The partnership made four essential kitchen knives available at a lower price. With every ¥300 purchase, you get a seal. Collect 20-35 seals, place them on the pamphlet, and you can get these versatile tools at about 60 percent off. We were able to collect a chef’s and vegetable chopping knife while shopping for our usual necessities. Keep a lookout for these promos as Daiso is known to make it even more irresistible to go shopping in its many outlets.
There’s just something about a ¥100 store. No matter how many times I visit the same shop, I am still amazed at how many new things I find. There are a lot of items that change with the season, too, so each trip is never boring. Needless to say, one can never enter this particular and step out empty-handed.
