Thank you for an incredible year (and why I am heart broken … )

Thankyou
Image credit: Old Hat Creative

To say that 2014 was one of the most challenging years for IKEAhackers would be an understatement. In the last 365 days I have experienced both lowest lows and highest highs. And for the opportunity to experience both extremes I am grateful. I have learnt much about myself, this site and the community that surrounds it. I have received news that a formal agreement will be reaching me soon – some time early 2015 – my fingers are crossed that nothing has changed since the meeting.

Through it all, I want to thank you for standing with me and cheering me on, despite the uncertainties of this site. Your support is definitely one of the reasons I keep doing what I do on IKEAhackers. And I will keep at it, as long as we enjoy hacking the blue and yellow. I want to thank everyone who sent in their hacks as well. It is always a pleasure to see what you have done and to share it with the community. Do continue to share your creative and innovative IKEA hacks with me in 2015.

Lastly, I want to make a plea to all IKEAhackers readers

I have never done this before but the last few days have been terribly heart-wrenching for me that I feel the need to cry out for help. The flood situation in my country, Malaysia, has left a trail of victims and displaced over 100,000 people. This is the worst flood in our history. Families are stranded with hardly enough to eat, no clean water or shelter. As the waters subside, aid is finally reaching them but I foresee a long and costly rebuilding process.

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Towns in the East Coast of Malaysia submerged under water

IKEAhackers will be helping the victims through World Vision Malaysia and I hope you will lend a hand too. World Vision Malaysia in partnership with a Malaysian relief organisation CREST (Crisis Relief Services and Training) will provide emergency aid to the affected communities. For immediate relief they will distribute: – hygiene kits (soap, sanitary pads, towel, laundry soap, toothpaste & toothbrush) – non-food items (undergarment, candles and sarong) – dry food items (biscuits and canned food) When the flood waters have receded, they will distribute cooking kits, cleaning kits and hopefully child-friendly kits as well, to help children have a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos. Here is a video offering a glimpse of the floods and the plight of the victims.