If you live in a Chinoy household or have visited one before, then you probably noticed a few similarities. And these similarities aren’t in terms of owning the same furniture or having the same kitchen backsplash. They are very specific and at times may even seem strange to an outsider, so here are 9 signs that indicate you live in a Chinoy household.
1. You leave your shoes at the doorstep
Photo from Flickr
It’s a common practice for Chinoys–and Asians in general, to leave all their footwear at the doorstep to avoid bringing outside dirt into the house. Some households have a dedicated cabinet to store all the footwear, although most of the time, you have to stumble over piles of shoes before you’re able to get into the living room.
2. There’s a drawer in your kitchen dedicated to storing plastic bags
Photo from Bangkok Has You
When you open a drawer stuffed to the brim with plastic bags, you’d think that there’s something precious stored underneath, but no, it’s really just filled with plastic bags and occasionally tupperware and wooden chopsticks from restaurants. Why do we need to hoard all these things? We don’t know, but are we gonna stop? Probably not.
3. Lucky calendars galore
Photo from Bynock Printing & Design Limited
Nothing spells Chinoy household like the presence of lucky or “福” calendars on the wall. And it’s not only found in the living room. There’s probably one everywhere, so we wouldn’t exactly be surprised if you told us you have a mini one hanging from the rearview mirror of your car.
4. White Flower is your cure-all
Photo from WAH LEE CO LTD
You were always told that White Flower can cure everything from nausea to mosquito bites, so you always make sure to stock up on it like it’s some kind of trendy skin care product. You likely even have them in different sizes for when you’re at home or on the go.
5. Your remote control and furniture are covered in plastic
Photo from How To on YouTube
It’s the standard procedure for Chinoys to cover remotes and expensive furniture with plastic to keep them from getting dirty or greasy, so maybe there could be some use for all the different plastic bags we hoarded in our drawers after all.
6. You’ve had this hair cut before
Phot from Boys-Girls-Free Profile Pictures
Or at least one person in your family is currently sporting this haircut. What’s so special about it anyway? Do all Chinoy parents just have a mutual agreement to give their children this hairstyle so they can have embarrassing photos to look back on in the future?
7. Feng Shui is the law
Photo from Shondaland
When you enter a Chinoy’s house and see that their couch is perpendicular to the TV and their bed is positioned headboard first towards the door, it’s not because they have poor taste in interior design. It’s just because everything was arranged according to Feng Shui.
8. You have a piano collecting dust in the living room
Photo from Made-in-China
You probably grew up taking piano lessons during summer break, so your parents bought a piano for you to practice on. The problem is, you abandoned the hobby after a few years, and now the piano is being used as a really expensive table.
9. A few key items in your house are red
Photo from China Market Adviser
Red symbolizes joy and good fortune in Chinese culture, so you’ll probably see hints of red items scattered around Chinoy households, whether it’s the tablecloth, the pillow cases or random lucky charms. There’s no such thing as a cohesive aesthetic here.
Do you have all of these in your household too? Share your thoughts down below!
