Affordable Internet Finds to Level-Up Your Beijing Life
"Every little bit helps." This widely abused slogan exists in every language for different marketing purposes. Sure, every little bit can help, and you'll become a true believer once you discover the Chinese online shopping experience; virtual shelves stocked with goods that you didn't know exist, but now need in your hands immediately. However, sorting through the dump may take time, so we have handpicked a few affordable, fun and surprisingly useful goodies to take your Beijing life to the next level.
A tiny Bluetooth photo printer
Duh, yes, 对 – of course we want to print out cute pictures of us eating tacos to hang on our apartment's bare walls, or to give as a little farewell souvenir to a visiting friend. As a sworn lover of film cameras, I stand by printed pictures. Keeping your memories digitalized is for sure more than efficient, but with the relentlessly shrinking lifespan of our tech goodies, your phone might just wave 'goodbye' to you any day now. The Bluetooth photo printer from LG starts from RMB 649 and comes in three colors. You don't have to worry about ink since the paper used is already equipped with all that is necessary for pictures. If you are feeling extraordinarily QT, there is a photo app that lets you try out frames and doodle on your pictures. What a great Chinese Valentine's day gift!
An adjustable computer/laptop stand
Whether you are writing your thesis, giving online classes, writing or doing your taxes back home, you really don't need to put your back into it. After spending eight hours seated in even the most comfortable office chair, we tend to sit on a yellow Ofo bike only to collapse onto a sofa in front of the new season of Game of Thrones. While TCM-lovers will tell you about energy stand-still around your lower waist, and yogis will prescribe daily practice of a Candle pose, the easiest solution is prevention. If getting a fancy standing desk is too big of an investment (and your colleagues are already weirded out by your behavior), get an expansion pack for your usual desk. This one looks pretty hardcore. The stands range in price, starting from RMB 78 for bare-bones model, but you should be able to score a decent-looking desk stand for around RMB 300-400.
At-home hot pot
Why does this not just come included with all of the city's apartments? An air-conditioner and a hot pot are two essentials for any Beijing household. With this long-worshipped Chinese masterpiece having, at one point, been my daily meal for a week (disclaimer: in retrospect, I do not endorse this diet), I began hunting for one to have at home. One of the biggest 'yuck' factors when eating hot pot is the thought of reused broth and horrible oils that your potatoes are floating in. When you have one at home, you can see exactly what goes into your hot pot. If making it from scratch is too much of a hassle, MeiTuan and other delivery services can get you a set of nicely cut fresh vegetables and meats. If you want your hot pot to not only be the center of your dinner table, but also the center of attention, check out these beauties. Depending on size, decent pots start at around RMB 200 and go up to RMB 4,000-plus for decorated and higher-tech models.
Extra safety with the phone ring
I have seen the birth and the rise of phone ring but remained skeptical for a long time. The strange accessory that Beijingers dove into head-first seemed like a completely unnecessary addition and like a major flaw on today's smooth and sleek smartphones. That is, until I got one with which to take steady timelapse videos. Not only is it a great substitute for desk toys (fidget spinners or cubes), it is also an invaluable addition in terms of safety. To all the sloppy and accident-prone out there, barely bumbling through life: this was meant for you. I am not even talking about lunch at your desk, when you splash some malatang broth on your screen while digging into yet another new Korean war drama. While cycling with a phone in your hand is completely frowned upon and very dangerous, it is easier and safer (for your phone, anyway) to just pop your finger through the ring while you hold the handlebars in place. The range of cases with rings is vast, and finding the right one will take time because decisions are hard. Especially when it comes to the public image of your phone. You can get them for as little as RMB 10, but don't risk it. Get a higher-quality one for around RMB 30.
Pinterest alert: fairy lights
Despite the masculine collection of items in the main picture, the Beijinger is not just about tech, beer, and chopping wood. String lights have always been the only piece of household accessory I carry when moving to a new country. It doesn't take up space and makes the ugliest and trashiest apartments cozy and, if used inappropriately, nauseatingly cute, so use with caution. Your rental in Dongzhimen has tiled walls to match the tiled floor? Fairy lights. You're having a rooftop party? Fairy lights. Reading in your bed is nearly impossible because all the electrical outlets around your bed are a fire hazard? Battery-powered fairy lights (and rechargeable batteries, also on Taobao). With the nights getting colder and autumn creeping in through the cracked hutong walls (soon, anyway), the time to step up your cozy game is fast approaching. Fairy lights range from RMB 10 (around 5 meters in length) to about RMB 40 (10 meters) and come with batteries or USB and electrical plugs.
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Images: Taobao, Pexels
