Living in Thailand essentials - bedroom edition
If you rent a condo or a house in this country in the long-term, you can do it like an idiot (I already did that) and buy all your own stuff because unfurnished houses and condos are always (obviously) cheaper than ones that are furnished. However, close to all people's time here is cut short and then you have to scramble to sell your gear for pennies on the dollar or you simply leave it behind, thus depending on what you bought, results in zero savings over simply renting a furnished place.
I'm done with unfurnished places after years of leaving my stuff behind and getting new stuff (I shudder to think about how much I spent on all that stuff) and now will only look at furnished spots. This is wonderful because you don't have to move any of it either. My current house i turned up with 2 suitcases and a dog.... job done.
However, the furniture, particularly in the bedroom, most likely isn't going to be good quality and I want to prepare you for this.
number 1: Pillows
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My current house came with a plethora of pillows. I was excited by this until i took the pillow cases off and discovered how disgusting they were. It is often better to not know what a pillow actually looks like and I think this is why pillowcases were invented. I couldn't "unsee" what the pillows looked like and I went to buy new ones. Pillows are cheap so whatever.
Number 2: Bedside lamp
I have lived in many houses and apartments in this country and for some reason this item has never been provided. It seems silly to me but perhaps Thai people never read in bed. Again, no biggie since a desk or bed lamp can be purchased for less than $10 quite easily.
Number 3: mattress topper
It is nearly an eventuality that a "furnished house" is going to have seriously substandard mattresses. It is easy to understand why. I used to own 2 guesthouses and it was just remarkable to me the amount of damage that people could do to a mattress and this included grownups pissing the bed. Seeing as how a mattress is a very difficult thing to properly clean, it is understandable why the landlords do NOT provide an expensive and comfortable one.
These things cost usually under $100 US and are an absolute game changer. It made my near rock-solid mattress feel like I am sleeping on a cloud. The only downside is that these tend to be quite heavy and difficult to relocate but since they are relatively cheap, you can just leave it behind when you move.
If you are a normal human, you spend 1/3 of your day on a bed and I think that is worth spending $100 on.... don't you?
Number 4: A fan
All condos and houses (for the most part) come with air con at least in the bedroom but they tend to not provide a fan. If they do provide one, you can be all but guaranteed that it is going to be terrible. I don't like to waste money on all night air-con and also kind of rely on the white noise to be able to sleep. This 18 inch fan was purchased and delivered to my house for $20 by the Thai version of Amazon.
So there you have it. I would imagine that applies to the surrounding countries as well if not the rest of the world really. I always factor in that I am going to need to buy these things when I move to a new house. I have been very fortunate with my new landlord but I was not even surprised when the bedroom needed all of these things. The total cost will vary depending on your need / where you are but there is no reason that you can't kit out your bedroom for optimal slumber for under $200 in Thailand.
This makes total sense and you are not investing a huge fortune. Spending a few hundred dollars and not having the hassle when you move seems worth it. Pillows, blankets and a bed topper are a must as you just never know who slept in the bed before you.
It is annoying to have to pack up everything but a change of environment is always fun
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That is one benefit of the digital nomad lifestyle. You can live anywhere but you have to resist the urge to accumulate loads of shite the same that people who have a more stable address do.
I for one do not miss the accumulation of stuff because after a decade in the south of Thailand and moving to the north, i realized that most of it was junk and just gave it all away.
I have no intention of accumulating "stuff" again.
Yes i think its much better for you if you rent a furnished house especially if you moving a lot a round. Have you got a car or a motorbike?
i used to have several of both. When i moved to Chiang Mai I decided to not get either and just ride a bicycle because it's good for my belly and taxis are really cheap here.
The problem with rented apartments, houses is always the used furniture. While a used cupboard can be ignored, a badly used bad can't. I am living with a back problem and can't be indifferent to a bad bed. The pillows and blankets are the same category. I can't sleep when the pillow is not right, not to mention if it's dirty or badly used.
I don't know what would be a good solution to your problem as you can't carry all your stuff around or buy new ones every time.
I'm really sorry you have to go through all this, must be frustrating.
In my opinion if you always move around you should have practical equipment that can be carried when moving. The house is comfortable to live in but $ 100 a month is too expensive for me. Enjoy your day, sir.
my idea now is to not carry much when i move. My rent is far more than $100 a month, the $100 i was referring to was a 1-time purchase. Unless you have a car, you wont be moving the mattress topper when you leave :)
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I intend visiting Thai one day as I am in love with your culture and spirituality... Living there is another subject all together as I don't have the means to stay otherwise I'd stay and visit my country like a tourist :D
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I can't tell you how hard it was for me to spend the money we did on our bed when we moved into our new house. Like you said though, that is where you spend a large part of your day, so it only made sense in the end for us to do it. What a difference. This is the first really nice bed I have ever owned and it is totally a game changer. These were some great tips on what to make sure you pick up and what to leave if you are living in Thailand.