The last two weeks have gone by in a complete blur. We’ve been so busy with unpacking, cleaning and sorting paperwork that I’m not even sure what happened to this last week. So much so, that when I just started writing this post I thought we’d only been in our new apartment for a week and then realised that we’ve already been here for two! Yep, I’ve somehow managed to lose a week!
At the moment everything we’re doing is not about getting anywhere to look good it’s all about getting things to work for us and getting the basics right.
For almost two weeks we had no working washing machine, we had no sink for days (I wouldn’t use the one before so couldn’t do any washing up for 1,5 weeks) and we’ve been living off takeaways which I’m well and truly sick of. The fact that we’re also still having to crouch in the bath to shower (we should have possibly prioritised adding a shower curtain) really isn’t my idea of fun either!
When moving into a new home that’s in need of work, it’s inevitable that there will be a few snags along the way. You’d think we’d be used to home improvement problems by now but some of the problems surprised even us!
1. Our washing machine wouldn’t fit
It’s unusual for a washing machine to be in a kitchen in Germany (usually they’re in the bathroom) but in our case, there was already a washing machine under the counter in the kitchen. The thought of using someone else’s washing machine totally grosses me out and as we did still have our own that we brought with us from the UK it really only made sense to use ours – the only problem is that we just couldn’t get it to fit under the kitchen counter!
Luckily we managed to fix the problem really easily by just removing the top of the washing machine. This gave us the much needed extra couple of centimetres and now you’d never know we even had a problem!
2. All of our curtains are too short – way, way too short!
Now that we’ve replaced the totally elegant cardboard box shutters in our bedroom and have finally managed to hang some curtains we’ve come across another problem – our existing curtains are much too short. They look ridiculous and I’m really not sure they’re an improvement on the cardboard boxes!
It’s almost hard to believe that the curtains in our bedroom are already three metres long! I think we’re going to have to get creative to find an affordable solution – or finally learn to sew!
3. We had to buy another ladder
Admittedly we didn’t see this one coming. We have three ladders now (it would have been 4 but we gave one to my sister) and buying yet another was definitely an expense that we could have done without! Our rooms are so ridiculously high that none of our ladders even came close to reaching the ceiling!
4. No lighting – at all!
There’s not a single light bulb in the whole apartment. Not a big problem you say? Well, it kind of wasn’t as we went out and bought a load of fittings but as we just mentioned we then realised that our ladder wouldn’t reach the ceiling.
5. The sink – Ewww.
I just couldn’t. I cleaned the kitchen, I disinfected the toilets and scrubbed the floors but I just couldn’t bring myself to wash our dishes in the stained kitchen sink. We’re planning on replacing the kitchen as soon as we can but for the time being, have decided to install a new stainless steel kitchen sink.
We still need to replace the tap which apart from being yucky also leaks but it’s amazing what a difference a clean sink makes to the whole feel of the kitchen! (We’ll be sharing our kitchen updates soon!)
6. Shop opening times
I know that this sounds completely mad but our closest DIY store closes at 8 pm. Not a big deal in general but when shops are also closed on Sundays it quickly turns into a bit of an issue. Especially as you’re also not allowed to make any noise on Sundays – no vacuuming, no nailing, no washing in the washing machine and no noisy DIY. All of this means that we really only have Saturday to do anything that’s noisy and buy all supplies.
The tip closes at 5 in the week which inevitably means that we can only get rid of our rubbish at the weekends, too.
On the plus side, I have to admit that I still find DIY stores here fascinating. Some of them are so different from the ones in the UK and there are even drive-through DIY stores!
7. Not having a car
I admit that I didn’t realise just how much I relied on our car. I never used to think much about just nipping to a DIY store or Ikea but now it always feels like a huge task. We live super central and are really close to the U-Bahn but carrying everything home on the underground vs. throwing it into the boot of your car is definitely a big difference. Carrying our new super long ladder home on the train was definitely an experience!
In the last two weeks we’ve made 16 trips to DIY shops and two to Ikea and amazingly we’re still talking to each other!
8. All of our furniture & art looks dinky
I know I shouldn’t be complaining about having large rooms and high ceilings (and I’m not – really!) the problem is that everything we own feels on the small side. Our furniture is mostly fine but our art and lamps are just so small that they look silly. It really feels like everything should be at least 3 times the size it is!
9. The amount of cleaning
Wow. The amount of cleaning really isn’t something I’d bargained for. We live in a central and busy part of town which means that there’s inevitably more dust and dirt from traffic and pollution but the size of the apartment really doesn’t help either!
Yes, the apartment is not that much larger than our house in Manchester but the layout is very different and the rooms we use most take up the majority of the space whereas in Manchester we had smaller rooms that we never used.
Even without the ridiculous amount of windows (there are 68) there’s a lot of space that needs to be kept clean!
Have you ever faced any unexpected challenges in a new home? Do you have any tips on where to find super long yet affordable curtains?
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Our local IKEA offers an affordable sewing service and the regular curtains the store carries are extremely long for German standards (I believe at least 3.5 m) but some of the curtain fabric can also be bought by the meter. For a small extra fee they even do fabric that’s bought somewhere else and pants, etc.. If your store doesn’t offer a similar service there are loads of seamstresses in Berlin that would fit your curtains for very little money. You may want to check the “Die Gelben Seiten” (special phone book for businesses, it’s online, too) or even better ask a local for someone good and reliable. Hope that helps. Love your blog :-) by the way. Good luck from Bavaria!
Thank you soooo much for your comment, Maks! I walked past the curtains at Ikea because I just assumed they’d be too short! I’ll definitely check out everything you mentioned and will also have a look at the Gelbe Seiten! Thanks for the help!
Cx
Gorgeous high ceilings can have their disadvantages! It will all look amazing when you’re done. For the curtains, it could be a really great feature to have a contrasting coloured panel at the bottom of the existing ones – really easy to sew yourself (though you will need a sewing machine) and would be much cheaper than new curtains! But it might be OTT if you did that in every room! But for one of them (maybe the one with the most windows) it would be a nice feature. x
I totally agree with you about the contrasting panel, Anna! We don’t have many curtains so we could adjust the few we have and eventually splurge on new ones for the other rooms. Other than for the bedrooms there’s no real rush. I don’t really care if people can look in – we’re just not that interesting! ;)
Cx
This was going to be my solution as well. It could look really cool with the right material.
I agree that it could look good, Jessica! I guess I’m just going to have to learn to sew!
Cx
The good news is that this is one of the best and easiest ways to learn, just a simple straight seam! Good luck!
I’ll definitely give it a try, Laura.
Cx
There’s always iron-on tape for those who choose not to wrestle with a sewing machine!
That’s true, Marg! Even I think I can manage to sew a straight line though (fingers crossed)!
Cx
contrasting panels all the way! you can pick up a basic sewing machine quite cheap, and it solves all sorts of curtain-related headaches (as well as many others, as you gain skill on the machine). I love the look of Urbanara’s linen curtains :)
I’ll definitely check out Urbanara’s curtains. We’ve already ordered some bedside lights and a rug from them (the same ones that we shared in our bedroom mood board) so why not some curtains, too!
I have to confess that I actually have a sewing machine. It’s not the best in the world but I guess I really don’t have an excuse to at least try to sew a straight line!:)
Cx
Have you considered trying out a car sharing service in Berlin for trips to IKEA etc.? They cost slightly more than transit but sometimes the convenience is worth it, especially if you’re going a long way and/or have bigger items to carry home (speaking as someone who lugged a second-hand IKEA Bekvam kitchen cart home on the subway!!)
Love the new place! Looking forward to seeing the changes.
We are actually both registered for car sharing and use it fairly regularly. We have a DIY store just two stops away on the S-Bahn so it’s not too bad when we have to carry stuff back. For anything too heavy (we just bought a load of soil for the pots on the balcony) we’ll usually try to find a car.
Cx
I found your lovely blog last weekend when we were desperately trying to seal cracks along our baseboards. My daughter, and I, moved into our condo almost 2 weeks ago, and have many of the same “new move” issues as you do. We thought we did a very good job at ensuring the move would go smoothly, but as meticulous as we are, there are glaring issues that leave us stumped. Exhausted after our bath, and partial kitchen, reno (we have a stellar gas stove and fridge, that’s it). We didn’t smell the cigarette smoke wafting from below our unit, and now it’s a problem, even to the point that we cannot turn on the A/C until we solve the intake gaps. Which involves buying HVAC sealer, etc, and spending a day painting in there with a mask on. Praying it will solve the issues. No curtains yet, but we face the woods. Too tired to care, but all we see are birds, squirrels and a lone fox that feasts on bread thrown from other units. Your place is so lovely, and would adore taking a virtual tour. You both are such cool people, I am certain that you will make this the home you wanted (I think you moved from the UK-we are already thinking of moving, and think we’re slightly demented). Just know that reading your blog today after moving more boxes that I know half the stuff in them I shouldn’t have packed, I am encouraged. And don’t feel so alone….
You’re not alone, Marg! Moving is definitely a stressful experience, especially when you find things you’d not expected! We’re keeping our fingers crossed for you and hope that the problems can be solved as easily as possible! If it makes you feel better, it’s usually worth it in the end and after a couple of months you will have already forgotten how miserable the post-move stress was!
Cx
Thank you! :-)
I have nothing great to add other than to say your are amazing! We are poor movers- ill prepared and underestimate the cleaning and scrubbing. Nevertheless we survived and hope not to move for quite some time. Our last move was 5 years ago and you are so inspiring with your lists, organization, thoughts and I continue to glean ideas from you that we can use in our home. With three kids ages 7.5, 13 and 14 we are wedded to our home for the long haul and your blog serves as a great inspiration. Ikea is our favorite go-to! I eagerly await to read each of your blog updates for new inspiration- from Portland, Oregon USA Gabrielle
Awww, thank you Gabrielle! That’s such a kind thing to say!
Ikea is always a great go-to for us, too!
Cx
What an incredible canvas to work from! The ceiling patterns are a beautiful added feature that screams quality, and those huge windows are to die for. But yes, there are many things to think about when you’re moving to a new place, not least an apartment where space is both a blessing and a curse. Good luck with the renovations!
Thank you, Sarah! If I’m honest it’s all a bit overwhelming at the moment. We’re so happy to be living in our dream home but on the other hand, there are soooo many new projects to take care of that it’s almost impossible to know where to start! I’m sure I’ll feel better when the first big project is underway and I’ve also just purchased our first paint tester – can’t wait!
Cx