Everyone needs a place to start looking when they're not sure where to find a certain something you…read moreneed around the house. My go-to is YS on Shau Kei Wan Road. This small store packs a big punch. I've bought batteries, adhesive hooks, my daughter's bath, foam tiles for outdoor play, toys and stationery. The place is a little like the TARDIS, it must be 'bigger on the inside' as the doorway itself is tiny - but maybe it just feels that way because of all the stuff hanging over it. Tool type products are on your left as we enter the store, moving down through bathroom things to toys and stationery in the corner. Thermos mugs and clocks on your right behind the cash register. A little corridor (and this bit is really narrow, so watch your bag) takes you past children's mugs and plates and electronics through to the rear section of the store where you'll find wheelie shopping bags, plastic containers of ALL shapes, kitchenware, stools and mats. Seriously, I told you the place stocked almost everything. Prices are pretty good too; four toy cars, a large plastic tub, paint brush, post-it's, a pack of ice-cream sticks, two packs of cookie cutters and a set of measuring spoons - all for HKD150.

JHC is my go-to spot in my neighborhood for anything houseware-related: think cleaning supplies,…read moresmall appliances, random containers, fans, welcome and bath mats, towels, and even glassware/plates/flatware. Despite carrying all of the above (and much more!), this particular store is pretty small and the aisles are quite narrow... but, they've made great use of the space and you can even find vacuum cleaners on the high shelves in the very back of the store. The goods aren't the highest of quality, but they're inexpensive and get the job done. And maybe best of all: JHC is much easier to deal with than IKEA! It's fun walking around my apartment building and spotting the welcome mats that I think we've all purchased from JHC.

K & B has everything that a home cook would need and appreciate…read more Just browsing around the store was a lot of fun. Here you can find kitchen equipment and utensil for Western and Asian cooking. Product imported from Japan and Europe which you would not have expected to find in a hole in the wall storefront.

A (new to me) modern Japanese housewares chain store in the city plaza. They sell from kitchen…read moredinnerware to bathroom towels and decor, to small furnitures like coffee table and sofas in a very affordable price. It is a great alternative than ikea products for paying a bit more what you would pay in ikea. But I love how their products look so stylish, modern and trendy. It's definitely not those traditional Chinese dinnerware places. Most dinnerware are ceramic with some glass options that cover different style for your home!

Rapee-Living is an interesting store. It specializes in home furniture and decorations, of a…read moredifferent variety. It's great because It offers something other than the typical Ikea or Price Rite choices, products that can make a home unique instead of "oh... yea I was going to buy that in Ikea, but I bought something else in Ikea." Before I moved to Mui Wo I was on the look out for a few things to fill up the new flat. Naturally I wanted to travel as short a distance as possible, which led me to Rapee-Living. It's a small store with a big bed in the middle taking up most of the room. What attracted me most about it was the colorful toys, and small decorations that set it apart. They even had a electronic picture frame/ video frame that I thought was pretty cool. I was not allowed to buy it. We ended up getting a couple of stripy bed sheets, a pair of matching pillows and a little toy that seems to be their mascot. The stuffed toy is everywhere around the shop in different designs and colors but its cute all the same. The prices weren't bad either and I can see myself building up a little collection of those stuffed toys (for my girlfriend, not me!) over time. In general Ikea has everything I need, but not everything I want. It is the shops like Rapee-Living that help add a pinch of spice to an otherwise boring apartment. I've noticed that there are a few other RLs around town and I'd definitely have a look in one should I pass by.

Ikea, located in the Causeway Bay area, was downstairs to the hotel that we had stayed at (Park…read moreLane Hotel). This review can only comment on the food bistro section as we opted to grab a few treats during our stay in HK. The food bistro at Ikea is located on the basement floor. They are completely cashless where you do have to order from a kiosk. Once you finish ordering from a kiosk, you bring your receipt to the food pick up area and staff will prepare your food for you. What was neat was that Ikea in Hong Kong serves breakfast items, lunch, as well as desserts. Their soft serves also often change from time to time and we were lucky that they were offering a triple pistachio sundae during our time in HK. There is a small space (standing only) with tables where you can enjoy your food items as well. We stopped by Ikea on a weekday afternoon to grab some triple pistachio sundaes. What was frustrating was that we did have cash we wanted to use, however, the food bistro is cashless only where there was not even a cashier where we order from. We were forced to use the kiosk and pay by card. After paying I wasn't sure how it worked with picking up our sundaes but I figured that we would need to go to the food pick up area. Once we gave our receipt to the correct staff, she made our sundaes quickly. The pistachio sundae was delicious and full of pistachio flavour. A nice treat on a hot HK day for sure!

IKEA is literally right downstairs from the Park Lane Hotel where we stayed, so we made a point of…read morestopping by for ice cream--because that's kind of our thing. In Taiwan, we really loved their black sesame ice cream, which was rich and creamy, so we were curious to try it in HK. Here, they offer the "yuen yeung" flavor, a split of Hong Kong-style milk tea and coffee. You can also order either flavor on its own, but we went with the mix. Unfortunately, the milk tea side was quite weak--very subtle in flavor and more icy than creamy. The coffee side, on the other hand, was much stronger and more noticeable. It cost HKD 8 (a little over USD $1), which isn't bad for a unique flavor, especially for those who haven't tried it before. We didn't explore the rest of the store this time, as we were really just there for the ice cream.

Looking for a low-cost wok, pot, or steamer? There is no need to trek all the way to Shanghai…read moreStreet with this gem located in Sheung Wan near the MTR. They sell all manner of metal cookware and other items. They have several different grades, from low-cost consumer grade parts, to heavy-duty items for restaurants. I have stopped in here several times to get a large kettle for beer brewing, a thermometer, and metal cutlery. All of the items I have purchased have been of good quality for their price and the staff was always very kind and helpful.

Amazing store! In addition to an excellent selection of traditional Chinese and Western supplies,…read morethe staff is extremely helpful. We had a good discussion of different types of woks, knifes etc. Without asking for one, I received a tutorial on how to season a wok. A must for any chef in Hong Kong.

This JHC and its blue and yellowed logo'ed store, located in my Sheung Wan hood, is better than…read moreFusion on finding home office supply, home organization, small home DIY stuff, etc. They are all over Hong Kong and a good store to pop into when you need some non-food item that you cannot locate at your grocer. Laundry soap, cleaning supplies, organizational boxes, light bulbs, alarm clocks, de-humidifying products, batteries, pillows, rice cookers, small toaster ovens, office supplies, post-it notes, pens, candles,....crammed full, a little bit of everything....no food, no toiletries, but really everything else. Prices reasonable, quality mid-range, but lots of inventory.